Arizona Republic - February 17, 2020
Ryan Viahovich - Arizona Republic | USA TODAY NETWORK
'Everyone is welcome here'
35th annual Arizona Gay Rodeo held in Phoenix
Horses cantered into the rodeo arena, the riders carrying flags, from the stars and stripes to the rainbow-colored pride flag.
With patriotic songs and flags waving, Sunday's activities got underway at the Arizona Gay Rodeo in Phoenix. As at any rodeo, there was bull riding, calf roping and chute dogging.
A few of the events were more unique, including goat dressing and a wild drag race, which involved steers - not cars.
When the whistle blew, men and women in cowboy hats and boots raced to goats that were leashed with a rope. The goal? Do what it takes to get a pair of tighty whitey's on the goats.
The drag race involves a steer barreling out of a chute and a team working to get it to the finish line, where a person in drag must mount the steer and recross the finish line. The team with the fastest time wins.
"There's something for everybody, we have a lot of entertainment, " Ron Trusley, the rodeo director, said.
35 years for the Arizona Gay Rodeo
The wekendlong rodeo at Corona Ranch and Rodeo Grounds in Laveen, celebrated its 35th anniversary and featured gay and straight contestants.
The rodeo, organized by the Arizona Gay Rodeo Association, began at a time when the LGBT community wasn't accepted in the other rodeo organizations, according to Mark Boyd, public relations director for AGRA. "Gays were not accepted in mainstream rodeo, and a lot of times women were not accepted," Boyd said. "Everyone is welcome here."
The money made at the annual rodeo is donated to charity, Boyd said.
"Last year we donated over $32,000 back to local LGBT charities," he said.
Trusley has been involved with AGRA since it began, and says that prejudice toward the LGBT community made Corona Ranch the only venue that would accept them back in 1986.
"Corona opened their arms to us," Trusley said. They're like family to us, we're like family to them."
'Real rodeo environment'
Pepe Lozada travels to Phoenix each year from Long Beach, California to participate in every event at the rodeo. He's been coming for 20 years.
"It's all I want to do," Lozada said. "You have the real rodeo environment."
Lisa Gowen lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and has been a competitor or supporter since 2008.
This is her come-back year for competing in the rodeo, including calf roping.
But Gowen said she's just happy to be a part of the rodeo family.
"You don't see them in forever, but when you get together it's just like you saw them yesterday," she said.