At the 2007 Atlantic Stampede, put on by the Atlantic States Gay Rodeo AssociationThe International Gay Rodeo Association ( IGRA), founded in 1985, is the sanctioning body for gay held throughout the United States and Canada. They are the largest group coordinating rodeo events specifically welcomingas well as 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.
The Texas Gay Rodeo Association’s annual meeting will be held in Dallas this weekend, and while that might sound like a stuffy corporate thingamajig, the cowfolk know how to do it up right. Welcome to Keystone State Gay Rodeo Association. KSGRA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the country and western lifestyle and rodeo type events within the LGBT community and their allies.
IGRA events are intended to allow all competitors, regardless of and, to compete in sports without. 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 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 renamed in 2009 from the previous 'International Gay Rodeo Finals' moniker it held from its onset in.The original intent of these rodeos was fundraising, and while highly competitive and structured rodeos still serve the primary purpose of being fundraisers. The money raised at the rodeo is donated to the designated charities of each association. In total IGRA and all the associated associations have donated to 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 in, which also houses the.The documentary film Queens & Cowboys follows the story of out cowboy, and others who compete in the IGRA. Earp discusses how he does not compete in rodeos outside IGRA because, 'There's still a lot of homophobia. As progressive as we think the world's gotten, there's so much we have to conquer.' On November 9, 2014, aired an episode of that covered the Zia Regional Rodeo in, including profiles of several cowboys and cowgirls that are active on the IGRA circuit. Contents.History The first gay rodeo was held as a charity fundraising event at the Washoe County Fairgrounds in on October 2, 1976.
The organizer, Phil Ragsdale, a member of the, 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. 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.In 1987, IGRA's first International Finals Rodeo was held in Hayward, California.
The name was changed to the World Gay Rodeo Finals in 2009.Conventions, Presidents, and Royalty A list of presidents and royalty elected at annual conventions since IGRA was founded in 1985: Year / Rodeos HeldConventionPresidentMr. Main article:Animal rights organizations such as, Showing Animals Respect & Kindness (SHARK), (PeTA) and LGBT Compassion criticize Gay Rodeo for being cruel to animals. In response to increased publicity given to critics of Gay Rodeo, IGRA published a press release stating that their animals are well-treated and handled in accordance with established ethical guidelines. March 29, 2006, at the. Archived from on 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2014-06-29. ^ August 6, 2011, at the.
March 26, 2012, at the. Retrieved 24 August 2014. Showing Animals Respect & Kindness. Showing Animals Respect & Kindness. Retrieved 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
Andrew Zollman. Archived from on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014. Archived from on May 12, 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2014. March 7, 2011, at the.
July 26, 2011, at the. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
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Retrieved 2014-06-29. September 2, 2013, at the. Retrieved 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
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Retrieved 2014-06-29. April 14, 2011, at the. Retrieved 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
Retrieved 2014-06-29. 3 March 2011 at the. Retrieved 2014-06-29. September 14, 2010, at the. 4 March 2011 at the. June 5, 2010, at the. September 14, 2010, at the.
July 29, 2010, at the. February 13, 2010, at the. International Gay Rodeo Association. Archived from on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
International Gay Rodeo Association. Archived from on 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2014-06-29.External links.Articles and interviews:. at (archived 2013-02-01) lengthy interview with participants at an IGRA rodeo in Missouri. interviews with participants at an IGRA rodeo in Mesquite, Texas. interview with gay rodeo officials in San Diego.
Photo courtesy of RafterGRodeo.com.“Neal Gay’s professional rodeo career began as a contestant in Atoka, Okla., in 1945. Born June 25, 1926, in Dallas, Gay rode bulls, saddle bronc, and bareback, and wrestled steers. His contestant years have since been overshadowed by his stock contracting and rodeo production skills.“In May 1958, Gay put Mesquite, Texas, on the map with the opening of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in partnership with several other cowboys, Gay as Managing Director. The Mesquite Rodeo had its own stock, and performances were seen worldwide via cable television. Gay’s rodeo contemporaries point to his early experience in the production and financing of small rodeos in Texas as an excellent example of what small communities can do.““I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t love it, but this is all I ever wanted to do. I’ve never gotten up a day in my life dreading to go to work,” he said.