Rodeo life
80 images Created 9 Oct 2013
The Iowa Rodeo Cowboys Association held its finals September 6-8, 2013 in Osceola, Iowa. Rodeo has a long history in American culture dating back to the 1880s when cowboys would gather and compete against one another for titles such as best roper or best bucking-horse rider. The national Rodeo Cowboys Association was formed in 1945 for professional cowboys, but amateur rodeo has also grown in popularity over the decades. Today, rodeo is more than just cowboys looking for ways to have fun and best one another. Now, even young children participate. In fact, the IRCA promotes family involvement.
I spent two days at the rodeo hoping to better understand the culture and the people--it's a slice of Americana that I have never experienced--and I wanted the inside story. The Davis family of Bloomfield, Iowa, allowed me to shadow them to get this inside look. I wanted to know what motivated someone to participate in rodeo, to risk limb, if not life. After all, rodeo can be a dangerous sport, not to mention tiring and expensive. Was it fame they were after? No. Fortune? Again, no. What I discovered was a great pride in accomplishment, camaraderie, good sportsmanship, a family environment, and a caring for animals. People were doing this to challenge themselves and have fun at the same time.
Some protest rodeos claiming it's harmful to animals and their welfare. That's an ethical and philosophical dilemma that I cannot begin to resolve, but I will say that the animals I saw were well respected and well treated. For many, like the Davises, their horses are part of the family.
This photo essay shows the multi-generational aspect of rodeo, its connecdtion to everyday life and the closeness of family. This rodeo lasted 3 days, but for most of the people there, rodeo is in their blood everyday.
I spent two days at the rodeo hoping to better understand the culture and the people--it's a slice of Americana that I have never experienced--and I wanted the inside story. The Davis family of Bloomfield, Iowa, allowed me to shadow them to get this inside look. I wanted to know what motivated someone to participate in rodeo, to risk limb, if not life. After all, rodeo can be a dangerous sport, not to mention tiring and expensive. Was it fame they were after? No. Fortune? Again, no. What I discovered was a great pride in accomplishment, camaraderie, good sportsmanship, a family environment, and a caring for animals. People were doing this to challenge themselves and have fun at the same time.
Some protest rodeos claiming it's harmful to animals and their welfare. That's an ethical and philosophical dilemma that I cannot begin to resolve, but I will say that the animals I saw were well respected and well treated. For many, like the Davises, their horses are part of the family.
This photo essay shows the multi-generational aspect of rodeo, its connecdtion to everyday life and the closeness of family. This rodeo lasted 3 days, but for most of the people there, rodeo is in their blood everyday.
