IGRA#
First attended a gay rodeo in 1988
Inducted 2018
Jeanne McLeod has loved TGRA/IGRA since her first rodeo as a spectator in 1988. She joined the action the following year as a member and ran for Miss TGRA in 1990. She won the title in 1991.
It was a very difficult time back then. Many were passing from HIV/AIDS at an outrageous pace. She became passionate about the cause, and has worked diligently to help others ever since.
Born in San Antonio, TX, she was not raised around rodeos or horses. After earning her degree from Trinity University in 1984, she had the good fortune to attend a horse auction in conjunction with the San Antonio Rodeo. An adult beverage may have been involved, of course, and she left the event with a horse and nothing else, no trailer, no stable, you get the point.
Thanks to the love and support of many Forever Friends and TGRA/IGRA, she worked her way into being a volunteer both inside and outside of the rodeo arena.
Since 1990 she has served in numerous TGRA administrative roles both in San Antonio and Austin on the chapter and state level. She served as TGRA President for 5 years.
Jeanne received the TGRA Founder's Award in 1995, and was subsequently named to the TGRA Hall of Fame in 1998, which is the highest honor that can be given to a member, and an accolade that she will always cherish.
At the IGRA level she became a certified Chute coordinator in 1996, and eventually an Arena Director in 2001. Jeanne is still an active arena director today, and has chaired the arena director committee on multiple occasions. She also served as an IGRA trustee from 2005 to 2007, and has served as a TGRA delegate at the IGRA convention numerous times.
None of this would have been able to continue for so long without the love and support of her soulmate, Denise. Since 1999 Denise held on for the ride of her lifetime. They survived the battle with Denise's breast cancer diagnosis in 2008. It was one of the first times Jeanne did not feel bulletproof. Fast forward 10 years and they're still fighting the good fight.
In their time off, they both love spending time at home with their fur babies, Hershey, Benny, Elvis and Humphrey.
Jeanne McLeod has been able to check off a lot of bucket list goals through her involvement with TGRA/IGRA, eventually culminating in this great honor today
.