A saloon singer falls in love with a free roaming rider and tries to change his lifestyle.

One night during rodeo week, trick rider Jackie Adams sings a number at a local bar and is later accosted by sports writer Mark Wilson when she walks outside. Hearing her screams, rodeo rider Kelly Cobb comes to her defense, but is chased off by other riders who wish to ingratiate themselves with Mark and win favorable rodeo reviews. After driving off in his car with friend Cool Man, Kelly discovers Jackie has stowed away in his back seat. Upon stopping for the night at his friend Eve Tuttle's motel, Kelly explains to Jackie that Eve lost her husband in a rodeo accident, but, knowing the danger, he remains a rodeo rider so that he can buy some property and soon retire with his earnings. At the nearby Little River rodeo, after Jackie gives Kelly the additional money he needs to register for special events, Kelly competes in bronco riding, bulldogging with Cool Man, calf roping and a Roman riding race in which the men ride standing on two separate horses in a race around the ring. After Kelly wins most of the competitions, but discovers that an event organizer has stolen the prize money and fled town, Cool Man suggests they leave town as well, fearing the townsmen might accuse Kelly, a stranger in town, of the crime. That night, Jackie sings for their dinner at a club, but when she meets with the club owner to ask for a job, he attacks her, forcing Kelly once again to intercede. The next day, Kelly takes Cool Man and Jackie home to the ranch of his close friends Papa and Mama Gomez, their children and Grandpa. Although Kelly has sent his winnings to Papa who dreams of owning the surrounding land, Kelly keeps borrowing the money back and consequently owes him money. The next day, as Kelly prepares for the Panamint Rodeo, wealthy divorcée Liz entices him to come to her house for a party. Although Jackie is jealous, Kelly ignores her protests. That night at the Gomez ranch, when Jackie laments that she must wait a little longer for Kelly to recognize her love, Papa advises her to wait until after the next day's rodeo before giving up on the cowboy. The following day, after Jackie performs her trick riding, Kelly, hungover from a night with Liz, performs poorly, nearly killing Cool Man in their team calf roping efforts. That night, Cool Man, who trained Kelly, is distraught over his protégée's failings and flagrant disrespect for Jackie's feelings by flaunting his friendship with Liz, "that cheap saddle trash," in front of her. Cool Man and Papa drink to excess to forget their disappointment in Kelly. Meanwhile, Jackie drives to Liz's house, where she finds Liz pulling Kelly into an embrace. Furious, she pushes them into the pool and tells them to "cool off." The next day, as Papa and Cool Man nurse their hangovers, Kelly prepares for the rodeo. Kelly easily wins the calf roping, bronco riding, steer wrestling and bull riding competitions, then celebrates his win by buying the bar patrons a round of drinks while watching Jackie saunter from one male customer to another singing a sultry song. When Mark attempts to molest Jackie again, Kelly comes to her rescue and she apologizes while tending to his bruised face. Soon after, Kelly admits his love for Jackie and hands his winnings to Papa's young son Manuel, asking him to return it to Papa and tell him that they will be back soon with enough money to start a ranch and give up the dangerous rodeo life.