International Gay Rodeo Association
Encyclopedia
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s held throughout the United States and Canada. They are the largest group coordinating rodeo events specifically welcoming lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) as well as heterosexual participants and spectators. IGRA is composed of many regional gay rodeo associations, and sanctions a season of rodeo events which culminates in an annual World Gay Rodeo Finals. IGRA events are intended to allow all competitors, regardless of sexual
Sexual identity
Sexual identity is a term that, like sex, has two distinctively different meanings. One describes an identity roughly based on sexual orientation, the other an identity based on sexual characteristics, which is not socially based but based on biology, a concept related to, but different from,...
and gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
, to compete in rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
sports without discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. The organization helps spread appreciation for Western culture and the sport of rodeo, while serving as a fundraising vehicle benefiting many charitable organizations.
Competitors compete for prize money and the title of All Around Cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
and Cowgirl at each rodeo. The winners of each event receive trophy buckles designed by the hosting association. At season's end the contestants with the highest points in each event receive invitations to the World Gay Rodeo Finals presented by IGRA. The event was re-named in 2009 from the previous "Rodeo Finals" moniker it held from its onset in Hayward, California.
The original intent of these rodeos was and still remains fundraising. The money raised at the rodeo is donated to the designated charities of each association. While highly competitive and structured, rodeos still serve the primary purpose of being fundraisers. In total IGRA and all the associated associations have donated much money in furthering the individual causes of all charities that are benefactors of rodeo funds.
In 2010, the IGRA archives dating from 1975 were deposited in the library collection of the Autry National Center
Autry National Center
The Autry National Center of the American West is an intercultural center and museum in Los Angeles, California that celebrates the diversity and history of the American West through three important institutions: the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of the American West, and the...
in Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, which also houses the Museum of the American West.
History
The first gay rodeo was held as a charity fundraising event at the Washoe County Fairgrounds in Reno, NevadaReno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
on October 2, 1976. The organizer, Phil Ragsdale, a member of the Imperial Court System
Imperial Court System
The International Imperial Court System is one of the oldest and largest predominantly gay organizations in the world. The court raises money for charity through large annual fancy-dress costume balls in communities throughout North America and numerous smaller fundraisers each year...
, was the Court Emperor of Reno. In time, he came to be regarded as the "Father of Gay Rodeo."
Ragsdale came up with the idea of a holding a rodeo to raise money for the local Thanksgiving Day food drive for senior citizens. Over 125 people took part in the first rodeo, and the winners were crowned King of the Cowboys, Queen of the Cowgirls, and Miss Dusty Spurs (drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
). The National Reno Gay Rodeo title was officially created in 1977, when he founded the Comstock Gay Rodeo Association. Following the Imperial courts lead Ragsdale added the "Mr., Ms., and Miss National Reno Gay Rodeo" titles to aid in the fund raising that was to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. These titles still exist today but have been recognized as Mr., Ms., Miss., and MsTer International Gay Rodeo Association since the IGRA replaced the old National Reno format.
By 1984, the ninth and final National Reno Gay Rodeo brought out over 10,000 people to the rodeo grounds. The demise of the National Reno Rodeos is credited by the IRS as a dispute between the Gay Rodeo and the Washoe County Fairgrounds and the Sands Hotel. The rodeo books were also alleged to have been seized by the IRS.
History has recorded 14 gay rodeos (9 Reno rodeos, 3 Colorado rodeos, 1 Texas rodeo, and 1 California rodeo) prior to the formation of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA). The IGRA became truly international in 1993 when the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association from Canada joined.
In September 1985 with 10 years of rodeo history behind it, groups of men gathered in Denver, Colorado to formulate the history of Gay Rodeo. The five founding states of the International Gay Rodeo Association were Colorado, Texas, California, and Arizona. These four associations seated the Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association at its first convention held in the same year. The new Association elected Wayne Jakino from Colorado as its first President.
Conventions, Presidents, and Royalty
A list of presidents and royalty elected at annual conventions since IGRA was founded in 1985:| Year / Rodeos Held | Convention | President | Mr. IGRA | Ms. IGRA | Miss IGRA (drag queen) | MsTer IGRA (drag king) | Finals Rodeo | Grand Marshals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Denver | Wayne Jakino, CGRA | ||||||
| -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||
| 1986 / 5 | Denver | Wayne Jakino | Gary Oliver, CGRA | Jeannie Nelson, CGRA | Fritz Capone (Jim Freeman), OGRA | -- | -- | -- |
| 1987 / 6 | Albuquerque | Les Krambeal, OGRA | Tony Lazano, TGRA | Dee Godwin, OGRA | Misty Michaels (Steve Rogers), KGRA | -- | San Francisco | Shanti Project |
| 1988 / 7 | Fort Worth | Les Krambeal | -- | -- | -- | -- | Reno (see note below) | Lynn Copeland & Wayne Jakino |
| 1989 / 7 | Albuquerque | Gerald Ford, TGRA | Jerry Hubbard, GSGRA | Connie Clovis, KGRA | Magnolia Spirits (Buddy Sojourner), CGRA | -- | Phoenix | Ed Buck |
| 1990 / 7 | Wichita | Linn Copeland, KGRA | Larry Brumley, OGRA | Laura O'Neill, CGRA | Moosala (Mark Church), AGRA | -- | Phoenix | Katie Southwick |
| 1991 / 10 | Albuquerque | Bob Pimentel, NMGRA | Scott Burleson, MGRA | Linda Sullo, GSGRA | Hollie Woods (David Anaya), AGRA | -- | Wichita | The Names Project |
| 1992 / 13 | St. Paul | Bob Pimentel | Jim Carter, OGRA | RC Cuellar, CGRA | Roxie Heart (John Kingston), KGRA | -- | Phoenix | Wayne Jakino |
| 1993 / 16 | Billings | Roger Bergmann, GSGRA | Ron Neff, CGRA | Dee Zuspann, KGRA | Chili Pepper (Tony Valdez), TGRA | -- | Fort Worth | Gerald Ford |
| 1994 / 21 | Little Rock | Roger Bergmann | J.R. Duran, NMGRA | Joanne Bawiec, ASGRA | Miss Tessie (Tim Smith), SEGRA | -- | Denver | Greg Olson |
| 1995 / 22 | Chicago | Roger Bergmann | Mark Burdine, NMGRA | Desiree Gronwald, CGRA | DeShannon (Mitch Gill), TGRA | -- | Denver | Roger Bergmann |
| 1996 / 20 | Omaha | Tom Vance, NSGRA | Michael Vrooman, CGRA | Shugar Vigil, NMGRA | Naomi La'Rell (Quentin Sims), CGRA | -- | Albuquerque | Connie Lee |
| 1997 / 18 | Salt Lake City | Tom Vance | Tommy Channel, CGRA | Sherry Reedy, AGRA | Tori Hart (Rohn Roldan), CGRA | -- | Phoenix | Tom Vance |
| 1998 / 20 | Baltimore | Linda Frazier, KGRA | Kurt McGregor, AGRA | Tamara Marks, MIGRA | Beverly DeMarco (Anthony D.), NMGRA | -- | Phoenix | Glenn Gore |
| 1999 / 19 | Long Beach | Linda Frazier | Douglas Graff, GSGRA | Laura Scott, NGRA | DeShannon (Mitch Gill), NGRA | -- | Little Rock | Ron Trusley |
| 2000 / 17 | Las Vegas | Craig Allen Rouse, GSGRA | Daniel Lusk, ASGRA | Lonni LaBel, ASGRA | Harley Quinn (Michael Vrooman), ILGRA | -- | Albuquerque | Thom Sloan |
| 2001 / 17 | Long Beach | Craig Allen Rouse | Michael Cunningham, ILGRA | Erin Leavey, SEGRA | Victoria London (Scott Tickler), AGRA | -- | Palm Springs | Jose Sarria, aka "The Widow Norton" |
| 2002 / 19 | Cleveland | Craig Allen Rouse | Mark Larson, NSGRA | Lize MacDonald, NGRA | Bianca St John (Kenny Cunitz), CGRA | -- | Wichita | Fritz Capone |
| 2003 / 19 | Phoenix | Craig Allen Rouse | David Westman, CGRA | Mary Munger, CGRA | Jada McRae (Jay Carlson), ILGRA | -- | Tulsa | Patrick Terry |
| 2004 / 20 | Denver | Craig Allen Rouse | Eric Hanson, GSGRA | Julie Brown, DSRA | Mandy Barbarell (Andrew Goodman), MGRA | -- | Omaha | Tamara Marks |
| 2005 / 20 | Calgary | Brian Helander, AGRA | Ken Pool, CGRA | Gaylia Young, AGRA | Pussy LeHoot (Kevin McSweeny), AGRA | -- | Dallas | James Ramey |
| 2006 / 20 | Nashville | Brian Helander | Steve Wollert, GSGRA | Kimberley Kay, CGRA | Jymmye Jaymes (James Young), ASGRA | -- | Reno | Keith Ann, Mitch Gill |
| 2007 / 18 | Kansas City | Brian Helander | Clyde Mitter, CGRA | -- | Destiny B. Childs (Ric Legg), ASGRA | -- | Denver | Wayne Jakino |
| 2008 / 20 | New Orleans | Brian Helander | Gary Rushton, AGRA | Janet Jenkins, CGRA | -- | -- | Denver | John King |
| 2009 / 16 | Toronto | Brian Helander | Wade Earp, TGRA | Sharon Starks, AGRA | Aspen Vail, (Steve Sublett) CGRA | Rocket Coxx, (Jamie Light) CGRA | Albuquerque | Lorrie Murphy |
| 2010 / 17 | Reno | Brian Helander | Roger Courtemanche, CGRA | -- | Ionna Doublewide, AGRA | -- | Laughlin, NV | -- |
| 2011 / 15 | San Diego | Doug Graff, NGRA | Michael Butts, AGRA | Sharon Starks, AGRA | Kimberli Foxx, NGRA | -- | Fort Worth | -- |
- Note: In 1988, "A contract with a private ranch sixty miles east of Reno was made void when the local homophobic District Attorney filed an injunction two days before the rodeo in order to stop the event. Two days in court as well as a trip to the Nevada Supreme Court failed to overturn the injunction," according to the IGRA website. As a result, no finals were held that year.
Royalty Team
Like all traditional rodeos, IGRA rodeos also sponsor an annual royalty competition to determine the twelve individuals who will comprise the IGRA Royalty Team. Each fall the various associations send either their state winners or their first runners-up to compete for the Mr., Ms., Miss, and Mster International Gay Rodeo Association sashes.The five areas of competition are:
- Personal Interview
- HorsemanshipEquestrianismEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
Skill - Western wearWestern wearWestern wear is a category of men's and women's clothing which derives its unique style from the clothes worn in the 19th-century American West. It ranges from accurate historical reproductions of pioneer, mountain man, Civil War, cowboy and vaquero clothing to the stylized garments popularized by...
modeling - Public Presentation and On-Stage Question
- Public Entertainment
Current associations
Rodeos under the IGRA umbrella are organized into four divisions (see map here) and more than two dozen regional associations:- AGRA - Arizona Gay Rodeo Association, PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, founded 1984 - includes the state of Arizona except for the southeastern counties covered by SGRA (see below)
- ARGRA - Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association, Calgary, founded 1991
- includes Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan
- ASGRA - Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association, Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, founded 1991 - includes Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and metropolitan New York City
- CCGRA - Central Canada Gay Rodeo Association, Toronto, Ontario, founded 2006
- CGRA - Colorado Gay Rodeo Association, Denver, founded 1981
- DSRA - Diamond State Rodeo Association, Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
- FGRA - Florida Gay Rodeo Association, St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
- GWGRA - Gateway Gay Rodeo Association, St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, founded 2004 - includes St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, and Lincoln County
- GSGRA - Golden State Gay Rodeo Association, Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, founded 1984- Bay Area Chapter, San Francisco
- Greater Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Chapter - Greater Palm SpringsPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
Chapter, founded 2000 - Greater San DiegoSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
Chapter- the Sacramento area of California is covered by SCCGRA (see below)
- HSRA - High Sierra Rodeo Association, RenoRenoReno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, Nevada - includes Washoe County
- IAGRA - Iowa Gay Rodeo Association, Red OakRed Oak, Iowa-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,742 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,887 housing units, of which 2,406 were occupied....
- ILGRA - Illinois Gay Rodeo Association, ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- KGRA - Kansas Gay Rodeo Assocation, WichitaWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, founded 1986 - LGRA - Liberty Gay Rodeo Association, PerkiomenvillePerkiomenville, PennsylvaniaPerkiomenville is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The community is notable for being the home of several members of the band God Lives Underwater. Perkiomenville is located in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area of the Northeastern United...
, Pennsylvania - Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Northhampton, Lancaster, Berks, York, Lebanon, and Dauphin counties
- MIGRA - Michigan International Gay Rodeo Association, DearbornDearborn, Michigan-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, founded 1994 - MGRA - Missouri Gay Rodeo Association, Kansas CityKansas City, KansasKansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, Kansas, founded 1986 - includes the state of Missouri other than those counties covered by GWGRA (see above)
- NGRA - Nevada Gay Rodeo Association, Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, founded 1992 - includes the state of Nevada other than Washoe County, covered by HSGRA (see above)
- NMGRA - New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association, Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, founded 1984 - NSGRA - North Star Gay Rodeo Association, St. Paul, founded 1989
- includes Minnesota and Wisconsin
- OGRA - Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association, Oklahoma CityOklahoma cityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, founded 1985 - includes western Oklahoma
- PNWGRA - Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association, St. RegisSt. Regis, MontanaSt. Regis is a census-designated place in Mineral County, Montana, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St...
, Montana - includes Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
- RRRA - Red River Rodeo Association, AubreyAubrey, TexasAubrey is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,500 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1847 the community was named Onega and the Cherokee people were the main inhabitants. Historically it was known for the peanut farms that surrounded the town. By 2009 horse ranches...
, Texas, founded 2003 - includes several counties north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
- SCCGRA - Sacramento's Capital Crossroads Gay Rodeo Association, SacramentoSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California - includes the Sacramento area of California
- SMRA - Smoky Mountain Rodeo Association, Nashville, Tennessee, founded 2003
- includes Kentucky and Tennessee
- SGRA - Sonoran Gay Rodeo Association, Tucson, Arizona
- includes southeastern Arizona counties of Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee
- SSRA - Sooner State Rodeo Association, Tulsa, Oklahoma
- includes the northeastern Oklahoma counties of Kay, Osage, Pawnee, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottowa, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Adair, Cherokee, Wagoner, Tulsa, Creek, Okmulgee, Muskogee, Sequoyah, Okfuskee, Hughes, Pittsburg, Haskell, Le Flore, Latimer, and McIntosh
- TGRA - Texas Gay Rodeo Association, Fort Worth, founded 1984
- Austin Chapter
- Dallas Chapter
- Fort Worth Chapter
- Houston Chapter
- San Antonio Chapter
- includes the state of Texas except for several north-central counties covered by RRRA (see above)
Defunct associations
The following rodeo associations were once affiliated with IGRA but became inactive, and dissolved or reorganized:- Pacific Coast Gay Rodeo Association (California), loosely organized in 1980; replaced by Golden State Gay Rodeo Association in 1984
- Cowboy State Rodeo Association (Wyoming), founded 1988, name changed the following year to Big Sky Gay Rodeo Association (Montana); dissolved 1998
- Oregon Gay Rodeo Association, seated at 1988 IGRA convention; replaced by Northwest Gay Rodeo Association in 1990
- Utah Gay Rodeo Association, seated at 1989 IGRA convention; dissolved 2006
- Northwest Gay Rodeo Association (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho), seated at 1990 IGRA convention; reorganized as Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association
- Tri-State Gay Rodeo Association (Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky), founded 1990, dissolved 1995
- Silver State Gay Rodeo Association (Nevada); reorganized as Nevada Gay Rodeo Association, 1992
- Pennsylvania Gay Rodeo Association seated at 1995 IGRA convention; name and coverage changed to PONYGRA (Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York Gay Rodeo Association) in 1999; dissolved 2007
Rules
Most associations host at least one annual rodeo. All associations must follow the rules of conduct as outlined in the IGRA Rodeo Rule Book, the first edition of which was published in 1985. These rules are often updated and ratified at season's end when delegates from each association gather at the IGRA annual convention. The purpose of the convention is to elect new officers, create new rules and bylaws, and seat new associations.Each of the thirteen events has a set of rules that must be followed in order for contestants to score points and to qualify for the year end finals. Unlike in traditional rodeos, contestants are allowed to compete in all events regardless of sex. Buckles are awarded to the top male and female competitors in each event, as well as buckles for Rookie of the Year and for All-Around Cowboy and All-Around Cowgirl.
Rough Stock Events
- Bull ridingBull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
- Steer ridingSteer ridingRiding steers in contrast to using cattle for oxen has an equally long history, although not as well known. Steers were ridden by American Indians such as Blue Duck, who choose to raid farmsteads on a steer knowing that loose cattle around the ranches would help hide his tracks. He would ride off...
- Chute Dogging or Steer wrestlingSteer wrestlingSteer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
- Bareback bronc riding (this is an optional event)
External links
- International Gay Rodeo Association - official website
Articles and interviews:
- Paynter, Ben. "So You Wanna Be a Cowboy?" The Pitch (Kansas City), 20 October 2005 lengthy interview with participants at an IGRA rodeo in Missouri
- "Out on the Range," The Guardian, 25 November 2005 interviews with participants at an IGRA rodeo in Mesquite, Texas
- Ayers, Chris. "Homosexual on the range: rodeo where gay cowboys can ride high," The Sunday Times, 14 January 2006
- Greenfield, Beth. "Gay Rodeos; Tightly Knit and Western-Loving," The New York Times, 24 February 2006
- "Out of the chute and in the pit," Gay and Lesbian Times, 10 September 2009 interview with gay rodeo officials in San Diego