There are certain stereotypes associated with Texas – and particularly Dallas – such as Instagram-famous cheerleaders, oil rigs, and cowboys everywhere.
I try really hard to dispel these stereotypes and convince my friends that Dallas is a modern, progressive, and huge city (instead of a country backwater).
…and then I spend my weekend cowboy boot shopping for a rodeo.
At least it was a gay rodeo.
We went to the Texas Gay Rodeo Association‘s Rodeo & Music Festival last Saturday. It was held at Texas Horse Park, which I’ve never been to before.
It was my first time at the rodeo, which reminded me of that epic Pepsi scene from Mommie Dearest:
The rodeo and boot-shopping experience was a tad less dramatic than that, but still fun.
Some fancy baby blue cowboy boots at the Mesquite Boot Barn store.
Some pretty colorful green neon cowboy boots at Mesquite’s Boot Barn.
Neon cowboy boots at Boot Barn in Mesquite, Texas.
Opening ceremonies at the 2016 Dallas Gay Rodeo
A big gay belt buckle at the TGRA Dallas Rodeo.
Cowboys putting underwear on goats at the Dallas rodeo.
Steve Kemble waiving to the crowd as the TGRA grand marshal.
Dallas celebrity and lifestyle guru Steve Kemble was the gay rodeo’s Grand Marshal.
Cattle wrestling at the TGRA Dallas Rodeo.
The band at the TGRA Rodeo and Music Fest – they were charmed by the little dancer.
A drag performer at the TGRA Dallas Gay Rodeo and Music Festival.
A drag queen / cowgirl at the Texas Gay Rodeo.
Living my best life at the Dallas Gay Rodeo.
Lessons Learned at the Rodeo
The TGRA Rodeo and Music Festival was a hilarious experience, although I wish that the event would have been better advertised in the gayborhood (attendance wasn’t great.) Here were some things that surprised me:
- The rodeo can get very expensive – $20/person cover plus drinks and food. At least it goes to charity.
- There were drag queen cowgirls!
- The rodeo also had many lesbian participants.
Some of the competitions seemed bizarre and a bit cruel to the animals. For example, there was a “put the underwear on the goat” contest, and a “wrestle the cow to the ground” challenge. It was a bit cringe-worthy, but probably standard for a rodeo. I suppose the random human harassment is better for the animals than the slaughterhouse.
We’ll probably be back next year, hopefully with a bigger group of people.
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