Thousands Travel To Black Rodeo For Holiday Fun ‘With Your People’

A renewed interest in Black cowboys fueled by several Hollywood movies drove thousands to Bossier City, LA for the Black Rodeo National Finals.
The chilly temperatures were no match for the enthusiasm of the crowd decked out in Western attire including cowboy and cowgirl hats, boots and jeans.

A grandmother and her 4 year-old grandson moved quickly toward the doors of the packed arena. He led the way in boots and a cowboy hat.
“He’s never been to a rodeo,” she explained. “It’s going to be fun for him.”

The Real Cowboy Association hosted the annual event and crowned winners in bull riding, barrel racing, and tie-down roping.
On its website the association says, “The Real Cowboy Association’s goal is to provide you a wealth of influence from not only our members and fans but to our youth and essential workers that have helped during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We hope to use this influence to help promote leadership, scholarships, and an increase in business involvement in the communities, cities, and states.”

The history of Black cowboys and their contributions to America’s expansion westward has found its way to the silver screen recently through recent movies especially ‘The Harder They Fall’ starring Idris Elba, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield and Delroy Lindo. Elba also starred in Netflix’s ‘The Concrete Cowboy’ which is a coming-of-age story about a teenager sent to live with his dad in a tight-knit of Black cowboys in Philadelphia.
And while movies have generated interest, many of the attendees at the Black Rodeo said they travel miles for “the greatest show on dirt” because it’s a tradition.

Chris Jones said, “It’s a live crowd. And I usually come every year. It’s just a good time hanging out with your people.”
Organizers have already started planning for 2023’s rodeo.