Gay cowboys images

I have been interested in Western culture and cowboys from an early cowboy. Growing up in residential area of Seattle, my first exposure to rodeo came from television and images. I attended my first gay rodeo at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in The sport, camaraderie, and atmosphere of this first rodeo experience transformed me.

I was completely drawn to it and I had to be a part of it. I wanted to be a cowboy. For the next six months, my best friend Gordon and I traveled to every gay rodeo in the Western United States. Gordon, a graphic designer, started gay Western clothes on a daily basis. I got my first pair of Wranglers and a cowboy hat.

I became friends with many of the cowboys. These events were fun, but I became more interested in the traditional rodeo events, particularly bull riding. At my fifth rodeo, with the encouragement of my new cowboy friends, I rode my first steer. I fell off almost immediately, but I was hooked.

At the next rodeo, I stayed on the steer and completed my ride. From the beginning, I brought my camera to all the rodeos, but as a rodeo competitor, I now had inside access. I could shoot close to the action-down on the arena floor and behind the chutes.

Gay Cowboys eating Pudding

I began photographing seriously as I got more involved. For the next four years. I competed and photographed at most of the gay rodeos in the West. By the beginning of the season, I successfully completed my first bull ride. That was twenty years ago. These photographs represent a very special time in my life.

Many of the cowboys, my close friends, are no longer with us. This work has never been exhibited. I now want to share these images for two reasons: to memorialize these great experiences in gay rodeo and to honor the real cowboys who competed. Gordon, Closeup, Los Angeles, Chute, Dogging, Phoenix, Bareback, Bronco Riding, San Diego,