Saddle Up For The Texas Black Invitational Rodeo

by Mary Spiller

July 27, 2024

The 35th annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo in Dallas will highlight the Black history of cowboys and the wild west.

The 35th annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo is coming to the Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas, Texas, on July 27 at 7 P.M. Longtime rodeo announcer Kevin Woodson expressed to NBC 5’s Noelle Walker that the tradition of Black rodeos is an important part of Black history.

He began by acknowledging, “They might think, well that’s an odd thing for a Black guy to do, and it really isn’t. Not at all.”

The African American Museum of Dallas hosts the event, directing all proceeds from ticket and event sales to the museum. The website reads, “The family-fun [event] features African American cowboys and cowgirls as they compete for cash prizes in bronc and bull riding, calf and steer roping, barrel racing, and a Pony Express relay race.”

The Texas Black Invitational Rodeo showcases African American cowboys and cowgirls displaying their skills for prizes.

Woodson explained, “Rodeo is you and that animal. I used to joke, that’s right, they pay me for this! I just love the rodeo. Period, I was a rodeo bullfighter, so I love the bulls.”

Woodson is set to be the announcer for the Invitational. He told the outlet, “To know that this is nothing new for us. We’ve always done this. You see history unfold right in front of you, ’cause most people don’t know that 1/3 to 1/4 of the entire West there were African American cowboys.”

He continued, “For example, when we get to the steer wrestling we let ’em know that Bill Pickett, a Black cowboy, created that, and it became a rodeo event. We try to be like an instantaneous Google!”

Woodson concluded, “Black rodeo is like the equivalent to the Negro Leagues. The Negro Leagues weren’t formed because we don’t want to play baseball with them; they didn’t want to play baseball with us!”

Tickets for the 35th annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo are sold out.

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