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From: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Texas Gay Rodeo
Message-ID: <264@ptsfb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Nov-85 01:20:17 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfb.264
Posted: Tue Nov 19 01:20:17 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 21:30:15 EST
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 45

This past weekend (Nov 15-17), the second annual Texas Gay Rodeo
was held in Houston, and my friend Mark and I went. This was likely
the largest of the gay rodeos with over 100 contestants; they usually
draw about 30-40. Most were from Texas and Colorado, but many others came
from Arizona, Oklahoma, California, and a few, I am sure from, half a
dozen other Western states. The number of spectators was up quite
a bit from last year: the facilities were much closer to central
Houston than last year and I suspect there was better advertizing.
From the perspective of a contestant, this was the best of the gay
rodeos I've attended.

Events were traditional rodeo events, e.g. bull-riding, team roping,
and camp events, e.g. wild cow milking, steer decorating, as well
as horse events, e.g. barrel racing and Texas flag racing. Mark
and I entered two of the camp team events: steer decorating (capturing
a steer and tying a ribbon on its tail) and goat dressing (capturing
a goat and putting jockey shorts on it). We got a fourth place
prize for the steer decorating on Saturday. Over $25,000 was awarded
in prizes (as purse for each place in each event each day, and a buckle
to the number 1 contestant/team for the weekend in each event, as well
as purse and a buckle for the All-around Cowboy and the All-around Cowgirl).

The evenings were filled with barn dances and a lot of partying. Each
time I go to a rodeo, I get to know more and more of the other contestants.
Mark commented that the gay rodeos are becoming like reunions (for the
contestants, that is), except that there are several in a year. The
recently formed Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association is the fifth state-wide
organization to join the International Gay Rodeo Association,
and like the others, will be producing a rodeo next year. Here is
the "circuit":

	Jan 17-19	Arizona Gay Rodeo		Phoenix
	Mar 21-23	California Gay Rodeo		Los Angeles
	May 30-June 1	Colorado Gay Rodeo		Denver
	Aug 1-3		Oklahoma Gay Rodeo		Oklahoma City
	Sept/Oct (TBA)	International Gay Rodeo Finals	Las Vegas
	Nov		Texas Gay Rodeo			Dallas

There is likely to be a finals rodeo in Las Vegas, so that the yearly
circuit will run from November of one year (being with the Texas Gay
Rodeo) and ending with the finals rodeo the following October.
If you want information on any of these, send me e-mail, and I will
put you in touch with the appropriate organization. BTW, does anyone
out there in netland enjoy the gay rodeo news items I've posted????
Newsgroups: net.motss