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[MAN] MAKE WAY FOR THE BULL,

GALLOPING, PITCHING, SNORTING,

AND TRYING TO PLOW EVERY OTHER COWBOY UNDER.

[MAN] A COWBOY IS LITERALLY A PERSON WHO DEALS

WITH CATTLE IN A RANCHING SITUATION.

A LOT OF RODEO IN ITS HISTORY

REALLY IS ANCHORED BACK IN THE PRACTICES OF A RANCH.

ON RANCHES, COWBOYS WERE COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER.

HORSE RACES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I THINK THE BASIC TRADITION IS THE TRADITION

OF MANLINESS, BRAVERY, PERSEVERANCE IN THAT OLD WAY.

YOU GOT DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES

OF IMAGERY THAT SAY THAT'S WHO HE IS.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NEVER ANY ALLOWANCE

FOR ANOTHER WAY OF BEING.

CERTAIN THINGS CAN'T BE PART

OF THE DISCOURSE FOR THE COWBOY.

HOMOSEXUALITY, GOD KNOWS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GAY, YOU AREN'T A "REAL COWBOY."

BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

MY NAME IS WADE EARP.

I WAS BORN IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS, 45 YEARS AGO.

I AM RELATED TO WYATT EARP, THE FAMOUS GUNSLINGER

THAT WAS A LAWMAN.

I HAVE A BROTHER NAMED WYATT EARP.

MY PARENTS HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT THEY DIDN'T DO

WYATT, VIRGIL, AND MORGAN, 'CAUSE I WOULD HAVE HAD

TO GO THROUGH LIFE AS VIRGIL EARP.

I LIVE ON A SMALL RANCH JUST OUTSIDE OF DALLAS.

IT'S FOUR ACRES.

JUST ENOUGH FOR ONE PERSON.

HEY, GUYS!

THESE ARE MY GOATS.

AND THEY'RE SPOILED ROTTEN.

SOME MORNINGS I CAN HAVE IT DONE AND...

JACK, GET OUT! GO.

COME ON, DUCKS, GET IT!

I GATHER EGGS EVERY DAY.

I FEED CHICKENS. I FEED HORSES.

I ACTUALLY COMPETE IN RODEO.

[WOMAN] OUR NEXT COWBOY, WADE EARP,

OUT OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ALL RIGHT, LOOKS LIKE HE'S READY.

HERE HE COMES. SIX SECONDS IS ALL HE NEEDS.

COME ON, WADE!

[WOMAN] HE'S RIDING. HE'S RIDING.

[ AIR HORN BLOWS ]

MY GOODNESS, THAT'S GOOD FOR FIRST PLACE.

YOU KNOW, I LIVE, EAT, BREATHE COWBOY.

I JUST HAPPEN TO BE GAY.

IF YOU THINK JOHN WAYNE AND ALL HIS POSSE

DIDN'T HAVE ANY GAY PEOPLE...

IT'S A PRETTY NICE GUN YOU'RE SCRATCHING

THOSE MATCHES ON.

COME TO A GAY RODEO 'CAUSE THERE'S

GAY COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS.

I'M SCARING THE BULL, OBVIOUSLY. [ LAUGHS ]

THERE'S 13 EVENTS IN ALL.

BULL RIDING, JUNIOR BULLS,

BRONC RIDING, THE BARREL RACING,

THE FLAG RACING, POLE BENDING,

CALF ROPING ON FOOT, BREAKAWAY ROPING,

AND TEAM ROPING, CHUTE DOGGING,

PLUS WE HAVE THE FREE CAMP EVENTS.

'CAUSE WE'RE HOMOSEXUALS.

[WOMAN] THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR ALLOWING US

TO BE A LITTLE GOOFY OUT HERE.

WE LIKE TO HAVE FUN.

[MAN] WELL, SI, SENOR,

I HURT EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY.

LET ME SHOW YOU WHERE WE RODEO.

THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN DALLAS.

KIND OF THE WAY THAT THE RODEO WORKS

IS THAT YOU HAVE A SEASON.

YOU GET ACCUMULATED POINTS TO GO TOWARDS FINALS.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE TOP 20 OF THE EVENT

TO GET AN INVITATION TO FINALS.

AND THEN THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL

IS FINALS RODEO THAT'S IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HOPE TO WIN.

WHEN YOU WIN AN EVENT AT A RODEO,

YOU TYPICALLY WIN A BUCKLE.

AND IT'S LIKE THE GOLD MEDAL OF THE RODEO.

EVERY FIRST BUCKLE THAT I HAVE, I'VE KEPT.

BUT THIS IS MY FIRST BARREL RACING BUCKLE.

I WANTED TO WIN A BARREL RACING BUCKLE

SO BAD THAT I FINALLY WON IT.

IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING YOU BUY AT A TRUCK STOP.

[ CHUCKLES ]

I'M VERY PROUD TO HAVE WON AROUND 180-SOMETHING BUCKLES.

BUT THE ONE PRIZE THAT'S ELUDED ME

SINCE I STARTED IS ALL-AROUND COWBOY FOR FINALS.

THAT'S THE SEASON WINNER, THE BIG KAHUNA,

THE ALL-AROUND COWBOY THAT WINS IT ALL.

I'VE BEEN CLOSE.

I'VE BEEN RUNNER-UP, BUT I'M NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER.

THE BODY DON'T BOUNCE LIKE IT USED TO.

[MAN] OOH. THAT WAS CLOSE.

BUT MAYBE THIS IS MY YEAR.

[WOMAN] WE WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE HOT RODEO.

THIS WEEKEND BRINGS US TO THE 429th GAY RODEO EVENT.

WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS

FOR PUTTING YOUR BUTTS IN THE SEATS TODAY.

WITHOUT YOU, THERE'S NO REASON TO HAVE THIS RODEO.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD DAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD YEAR.

[MAN] IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR. I'M DOUG GRAFF.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL

GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION.

THE IGRA IS A LARGE ASSOCIATION OF ASSOCIATIONS

COVERING NORTH AMERICA AND CANADA.

SOME WILL SAY WE'RE AN AMATEUR ASSOCIATION,

SOME WILL SAY WE'RE A PRO/AM ASSOCIATION.

[MAN] IT'S NOT A LOT OF DIFFERENCE

IN GAY RODEO AND STRAIGHT RODEO

EXCEPT FOR A FEW EVENTS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASICALLY DOING THE SAME THING.

MAYBE THE OUTFITS ARE JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH RODEO,

IT'S, LIKE, BUT IT'S A GAY RODEO? REALLY?

ARE THE ANIMALS GAY, TOO? YOU KNOW, IT'S, LIKE, NO.

THE ANIMALS ARE NOT GAY.

IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GAY, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE

STRAIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RODEO.

I'M STRAIGHT.I'M STRAIGHT.

THERE'S THE RING.WE ARE MARRIED.

WE'RE KNOWN AS THE STRAIGHT COUPLE ON THE RODEO CIRCUIT.

[MAN] WHAT I'M PROUD OF IS THAT ANYONE CAN COME

AND PLAY WITH US, OR VOLUNTEER WITH US,

OR DANCE WITH US, OR, YOU KNOW,

PUT ON A DRESS WITH US.

YOU KNOW, IN TRADITIONAL RODEO, THE SPEED EVENTS

ARE DONE BY FEMALES. THE ROUGHSTOCK EVENTS

AND THE ROPING EVENTS ARE DONE BY MALES.

ON THE IGRA CIRCUIT, ALL 13 CATEGORIES

ARE OPEN TO EVERYBODY.

[ CHEERING ]

IN THE IGRA RODEO SYSTEM WE HAVE 13 EVENTS

AND ALL 13 EVENTS ARE OPEN TO MEN AND WOMEN.

[WOMAN] IT'S KIND OF IRONIC.

THEY SAY IT'S TRADITIONAL BECAUSE WAY BACK WHEN,

WHEN RODEOS FIRST STARTED, WOMEN COMPETED IN ALL THE EVENTS.

WOMEN COMPETED ON BRONC RIDING.

THEY COMPETED IN BULL RIDING.

THEY COMPETED IN STEER WRESTLING

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE GUYS ALL WENT OFF TO WAR.

AND WHEN THEY ALL CAME BACK,

YOU KNOW, LIKE IN BASEBALL, THEY SHUT THE WOMEN

OUT OF THE BASEBALL AND KIND OF SHUT

THE WOMEN OUT OF RODEO AS WELL.

I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING TO PRACTICE PENS

OR EVENTS WHERE THEY WON'T LET ME COMPETE

BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALLOW GIRLS TO RIDE.

ROUGHSTOCK RIDERS--WE'RE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN NOW.

FORTUNATELY, IGRA IS ONE OF THE FEW

COMPETITIVE CIRCUITS THAT LET US COMPETE.

THIS IS MY PLAYGROUND.

FIRST ONE I HAVE HERE, THIS IS MY MIGHTY BUCKY BARREL.

SOME INSTRUCTORS REALLY LOVE THIS TOOL.

SOME INSTRUCTORS THINK IT'S A BAD TOOL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG

WITH WORKING ON WHATEVER YOU GOT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN CALLED DYKE

AND ALL THE OTHER VULGAR TERMS,

BUT IT KIND OF FUELS THE FIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YOU KNOW, BULL RIDING DEFINES ME

MORE THAN BEING A LESBIAN DOES.

A COUPLE OF THESE ARE

MY MORE VALUABLE POSSESSIONS.

MY TY MURRAY COMPETITION USED A PBR GLOVE

THAT HE WORE DURING THE '99 PBR SEASON.

THE TOP ONE IS AN AUTOGRAPHED POSTER

OF TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION,

PBR CHAMPION, CHRIS SHIVERS.

HE HAPPENS TO BE MY FAVORITE RIDER.

DEFINITELY, YOU COULD SAY ONE OF MY HEROES,

FOR HAVING A HERO THAT'S, WHAT,

15 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME.

OF COURSE, MY PRIZE POSSESSION

IS MY LANE FROST AUTOGRAPH.

PEOPLE DON'T PART WITH THOSE TOO OFTEN.

SO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SNAG THAT ONE.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M LIKE AN ENCYCLOPEDIA

OF BULL RIDING SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW.

I CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHO MADE THE ROPE

AND WHAT IT'S MADE FROM AND LEFT ROPE, RIGHT ROPE,

AMERICAN ROPE, BRAZILIAN ROPE.

ALL THE DETAILS ON IT.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED BULL RIDING, TWO BUCKS,

I CAME FLYING OFF AND I LANDED UNDERNEATH HIM.

BOOM, STEPS ON ME AND OFF HE GOES.

AND ALL I HEARD WAS "WELCOME TO BULL RIDING, BITCH."

I BOUNCED UP AND WENT, "YEAH, I WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN."

IT'S THE SCARIEST ROLLER COASTER

YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON IN YOUR LIFE.

BUT THERE'S NO SEAT BELTS.

AND YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON WITH ONE HAND.

[ CHEERING ]

I'VE HAD A FEW INJURIES IN MY TIME.

I'LL JUST GO FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

I HAVE TWO SCREWS IN MY RIGHT ANKLE.

ACL, MENISCUS, TWO RODS,

PLATES, AND SCREWS, BROKE, DISPLACED,

SNAPPED THAT, FRACTURED THAT,

BROKEN THE COLLAR BONE ON BOTH SIDES.

I USED TO RIDE RIGHT, NOW I RIDE LEFT.

DECIDED TO GO SEE MY ORTHOPEDIST,

WHO I HAPPEN TO HAVE ON SPEED DIAL.

SMASHED MY TITANIUM FACE MASK.

MY RIGHT SIDE, LEFT HUMERUS.

THE SHOULDER, COMPLETE GAPS,

JUST BRUISED HEART AND LUNG.

NOTHING MAJOR THERE.

I WANT THE BULL RIDING BUCKLE.

I ALWAYS USED TO SAY I CAN'T PICTURE MYSELF

RIDING BULLS IN MY 40s. AND HERE I AM.

AND I DON'T WANT TO STOP.

[ MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER P.A. ]

LET'S GO.

[MAN] ...ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[ CHEERING ]

CHAR IS SO DEDICATED.

SHE WORKS REALLY HARD AT BULL RIDING.

SHE MAY NOT WIN.

BUT SHE'S THERE AND SHE'S UP.

AND SHE WANTS TO WIN THAT BUCKLE.

I'M GETTING TO THE POINT NOW, IT'S, LIKE, I'M 41.

I'LL BE 42 VERY SOON.

I CAN'T DO THIS FOREVER.

BUT I'M STILL KIND OF HANGING ON THE HOPE THAT

THERE'S THAT CHANCE.

LET'S GO.

[MAN] A GAY RODEO IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE RUN.

IT'S ALL VOLUNTEERS WHO PUT ON THE RODEOS.

HELLO. I'M AT THE STORAGE UNIT RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT WHERE YOU GUYS ARE AT?

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY MAN HOURS

IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY BUILD A RODEO

BECAUSE IT'S COUNTLESS.

MY NAME IS TRAVIS GARDNER.

I OFTEN VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THE CHUTE CREW.

WE RUN THE LIVESTOCK FOR THE RODEO.

WE PULL THE GATES.

WE LOAD THE ANIMALS.

WE HELP THE CONTESTANTS GET ON THE ANIMALS.

THERE WE GO.

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.

ON THE WEEKEND, I CAN SIT AND BE WITH MY DOG

AND I CAN GO PLAY AND I CAN GO GOOF OFF

AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT IF I HAVE A CHOICE

OF GETTING MY BUTT TO A RODEO WHEN I HAVE A CHANCE,

I'M GOING TO GO.

[WOMAN] WITHOUT ALL OF THESE VOLUNTEERS,

WE COULDN'T MAKE THIS RODEO HAPPEN.

SO, HOW ABOUT A NICE, BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE

FOR ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS?

THANK YOU, TAYLOR.

A RODEO'S MORE THAN JUST A SPORT.

IT'S A LIFESTYLE.

I DO IT BECAUSE I LOVE IT.

BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

I WOULD SAY DAVID RENIER.DAVID'S GOOD.

DAVID'S GOOD.VERY GOOD.

I'D HAVE TO SAY DAVID RENIER.

HE'S LITERALLY ONE OF THE TOP COMPETITORS.

I THINK DAVID INTIMIDATES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BECAUSE OF THE FACT HE IS SO GOOD.

HOW MANY BUCKLES HAVE YOU WON IN YOUR LIFETIME NOW?

DO YOU KNOW?

732.

DO YOU ACTUALLY KEEP TRACK?

HOW MANY WAS THAT?732.

NO PRIDE IN THAT VOICE, THOUGH.

HE'S ONE OF THOSE QUIET TYPES.

HE'S ALWAYS WATCHING PEOPLE, LOOKING, YOU KNOW,

LIKE THAT HAWK JUST WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT

TO POUNCE.

HE'S GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES.

HE'S GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES.

[MAN] HERE COMES WADE. HE GRABS THAT FLAG.

HE HAS WHAT HE NEEDS. HE ROUNDS THAT POLE.

HERE HE COMES.

AND STICK IT.

[ CHEERING ]

11.49. NICELY DONE, WADE.

COMING UP, DAVID RENIER.

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE.

IN COMES DAVID. HE HAS HIS FLAG.

HE'S AROUND THE POLE. NOW, GET IT WHERE YOU NEED IT.

STICK IT.

11.32, DAVID--YOUR NEW LEADER.

HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY DO AGAINST WADE?

OH, I MIGHT BEAT HIM.

IN FIRST PLACE, DAVID RENIER.[ CHEERING ]

AND THE BUCKLE WINNER, DAVID RENIER.

ALL-AROUND COWBOY, DAVID RENIER.

I'VE RIDDEN A LOT OF HORSES.

I'VE GOT A HORSE, DIGIT, THAT WE JUST CLICK.

YOU KNOW, HE'S AN OLDER HORSE, SO WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.

GET UP.

[ CLICKS TONGUE ]

I DON'T THINK TOO MANY PEOPLE WOULD PAY $2,500

FOR A 20-YEAR-OLD HORSE.

YOU KNOW, I WAS RUNNING AGAINST PEOPLE

THAT WERE RUNNING SEVEN-YEAR-OLD HORSES.

GOOD BOY.

YOU KNOW, IN THE PROS, THEY'RE RIDING

25, $35,000 HORSES.

TO FIND A HORSE THAT'S A GOOD HORSE

FOR A REASONABLE PRICE, THEY'RE OUT THERE.

YOU JUST HAVE TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE

AT THE RIGHT TIME.

WHAT?

I DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE DONE.

IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?

IS THIS IT? IS THAT IT?

OH, I SEE.

YOU'RE DONE. GIVE YOU YOUR TREAT.

IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?

[ HORSE COUGHING ]GOODNESS.

WELL, DON'T SWALLOW IT WHOLE.

YOU GOT TO CHEW IT, SILLY.

BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, I KEEP HIM IN SHAPE

AND NO INJURIES. AND NO INJURIES FOR ME.

I DEFINITELY THINK DIGIT CAN DO IT THIS YEAR.

[MAN] JIMMY HADN'T ENJOYED HIMSELF SO MUCH IN A LONG TIME.

WHAT JIMMY DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT RALPH WAS SICK,

A SICKNESS OF THE MIND.

YOU SEE, RALPH WAS A HOMOSEXUAL.

A PERSON WHO DEMANDS AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP

WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN SEX.

DO YOU WANT YOUR SON ENTICED INTO THE WORLD OF HOMOSEXUALS

OR YOUR DAUGHTER LURED INTO LESBIANISM?

[MAN] WHEN IT ALL STARTED, IT WAS A SAFE PLACE

FOR GAYS TO COMPETE AND BE OUT.

JOHN BECK, DENVER, COLORADO.

I'M PROBABLY THE OLDEST GOAT HERE.

I GREW UP IN NEBRASKA ON A RANCH.

I GREW UP WITH RODEO ALL MY LIFE.

BACK WHEN I WAS "COMING OUT,"

IT WAS VERY, VERY ROUGH.

I SLEPT WITH A SHOTGUN AND A PISTOL.

THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT,

MY BARN CAUGHT ON FIRE MYSTERIOUSLY.

AND I HAD A LITTLE COLLIE PUPPY

THAT THEY PUT A HANDKERCHIEF AROUND IT

AND PUT A NOTE ON IT AND SET HER

IN FRONT OF THE DOOR AND THEY KILLED HER.

THE NOTE SAID, "YOU'RE NEXT."

[WADE] I'VE DRIVEN TO RODEOS WHERE

YOU'RE NOT WELCOME IN THE CITY.

AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

YOU JUST DROVE FOR 24 HOURS

TO GET TO A RODEO AND GET IN THE CITY.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "HUH, YOU'RE ONE OF THEM."

[MAN] I'M SHOOTING A DOCUMENTARY ON THE INTERNATIONAL

GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION.

MAN, I AIN'T GOT NO OPINION ABOUT THAT.

NO COMMENT. NO.

THEY'RE NOT COWBOYS.

THAT CHARACTERIZATION IS SO MUCH A PART OF OUR CULTURE.

COWBOYS ARE ABOUT TRADITION.

ONCE YOU EXPOSE IT,

QUESTION IT,

TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN OR WHATEVER,

IT DRIVES PEOPLE CRAZY.

GAY RODEO?[MAN] GAY RODEO?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN GAY RODEO? GAY COWBOY?

STICK IT UP YOUR ASS.

[WADE] THEY NEVER CAME OUT AND SAID, "I WILL NOT RENT TO YOU."

WHAT THEY SAID WAS, "I JUST DON'T SEE A TIME

IN OUR CALENDAR THAT WE CAN FIT YOU IN."

THEY HAVE WEEKENDS THAT THAT ARENA SITS EMPTY.

YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD THEY NOT RENT TO US?

AS PROGRESSIVE AS WE LIKE TO THINK THE WORLD IS,

I THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

[MAN] IT'S A MASCULINE SPORT.

GOES BACK TO THE DAYS OF THE WILD WEST

WHEN WOMEN STAYED AT HOME

AND THE MEN WOULD GO OUT ON THE TRAIL RIDES

AND GATHER THE CATTLE,

DOING WHAT WE NOW CONSIDER RODEO EVENTS.

SO, YEAH, I DO THINK IT'S INHERENTLY HOMOPHOBIC.

I HATE SAYING THAT BECAUSE I LOVE RODEO

WITH ALL MY HEART.

[ CHEERING ]

I WAS WALKING DOWN THE HALL

AND THIS MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTER

PASSED ME IN THE HALLWAY.

THE LITTLE KID SAID, "MOMMY, I JUST SAW A PRINCESS."

[ LAUGHTER ]

I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT.

LIKE, FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WITH TRADITIONAL

OR "STRAIGHT" RODEOS. AND YOU SEE

THEY OFTEN HAVE A RODEO QUEEN.

AND THAT'S THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THAT RODEO.

OUR ROYALTY, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE

FOR OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH

AND FOR FUNDRAISING.

WHAT AM I ABOUT TO DO?

I AM GOING TO GET PULLED THROUGH THE ARENA

PROBABLY THROUGH THE MUD PUDDLES.

[MAN] AND SARAH PALIN IS THE BIGGEST

TEA BAGGER OF THEM ALL.

[WADE] THAT'S THE WAY THAT OUR RODEOS ARE SET UP,

SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THE MONEY BACK TO OUR CHARITIES.

I MEAN, IF YOU NEED TO RAISE MONEY,

CALL A DRAG QUEEN, HE'LL MAKE

A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN A COUPLE HOURS.

WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THE THINGS

THAT WE HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE ROYALTY PROGRAM

RAISING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR PROCEEDS

THAT WE MAKE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

GET TOUGH. GET TOUGH.

I'M TY TEIGEN FROM COLORADO.

MY ETHIC OF RODEO IS THAT IF YOU NEED A HAND,

I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP YOU.

IF YOU GOT A PIECE OF TACKLE THAT BROKE,

I'LL LOAN YOU MINE. I WANT TO HELP YOU

HAVE THE VERY BEST RUN YOU CAN HAVE.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND BEAT YOU.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IGRA SINCE 1995.

I WAS OUT OF RODEO FOR 12 YEARS

BECAUSE I FELT LIKE TRADITIONAL RODEO

DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN OPENING FOR GAY PEOPLE

AND THAT I WOULD FACE DISCRIMINATION.

AND THEN I MET SOME PEOPLE IN COLORADO

THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE GAY RODEO.

AND I WAS EXCITED TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS A PLACE

WHERE GAY PEOPLE WERE RODEOING.

AND THEY GOT ME BACK INVOLVED

AND I BEEN GOING EVER SINCE.

I, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS DIAGNOSED

WITH STAGE FOUR OVARIAN CANCER

IN NOVEMBER OF 2009.

I'M WEAK AND NOT REALLY ABLE TO COMPETE AT THE MOMENT,

BUT REALITY IS IS THAT RODEO

IS WHAT GETS ME OFF THE COUCH

EVERY THREE WEEKS.[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

DOGGIE, USE YOUR LEGS NOW, DOGGIE!

DRIVE OVER!

I WANT TO GET BACK ON MY HORSES

AND I WANT TO BE COMPETING.

BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I GOT TO FIGHT

AND I GOT TO WORK TO GET STRONGER

AND THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

[WADE] TY TEIGEN DEFINITELY REPRESENTS

A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOOD IN THIS ORGANIZATION.

HARD TO BEAT HER WHEN SHE'S DOWN.

SHE'S GOING TO FIGHT EVEN HARDER TO GET BACK UP.

I THINK THAT CANCER IS THE TOUGHEST BATTLE

I'VE EVER FACED, BUT, YEAH,

I THINK MY RODEO BACKGROUND

HAS HELPED ME A GREAT DEAL

IN BEING TOUGH ENOUGH TO FACE THIS

AND HANDLE THIS AND MAKE IT WORK.

ONE OF OUR MEMBERS IS BATTLING CANCER.

SO, IN LAS VEGAS, THERE WAS A BUCKLE

THAT WAS BEING AUCTIONED OFF.

LET'S START WITH $100. WHO'S GOT $100?

I GOT ONE. I'M LOOKING FOR TWO. I GOT TWO.

THREE? [ AUCTIONEERING ]

ALL OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS NUMBER

WILL GO TO TY TEIGEN IN HER CONTINUED FIGHT.

AND THE GIRLS CAME OUT AND LAID OUT A NUMBER,

AND THEY PUT ON A HELL OF A FUNDRAISER.

EVERYBODY WAS PUTTING MONEY IN AND TIPPING THE GIRLS.

AND THEN THEY DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW,

AUCTION OFF THIS BUCKLE.

SHE'S NEVER ASKED FOR HELP.

SHE'S NEVER SAID, HEY, I NEED ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST BEEN PEOPLE STANDING UP

AND SAYING THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

YOU WANT TO GO 425? YOU WANT TO GO 425.

450, 450.

I HAD A BAD SPIN WITH MY CANCER THIS SPRING.

SO WHERE I WAS WAS HOME IN MY LIVING ROOM.

LISTENING TO THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE ON SPEAKER PHONE.

CLEAVAGE, TY, I WISH YOU COULD SEE THE CLEAVAGE.

[ LAUGHING ]

WHOO!

575. DO I HAVE 6?

YES!YES!

SOMEONE GOT 6--

PEOPLE THROWING IN MONEY LEFT AND RIGHT.

THE ASSOCIATION STARTED BATTLING EACH OTHER FOR THE BUCKLE.

I GOT A $700 BILL RIGHT OVER THERE.

ARE WE ALL IN? ARE WE ALL DONE?

HOLD THE PHONE. HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

ALL RIGHT, HOLD ON A SECOND.

I GOT A PROPOSITION FOR YOU.

HOW ABOUT 650 FROM THOSE GOOD FOLKS,

650 FROM YOU GOOD FOLKS,

AND THE BUCKLE GOES TO TY?

NOW, HOW DO YOU SAY THANK YOU TO PEOPLE

THAT HAVE DONE THAT FOR YOU?

I JUST--WORDS FAIL.

[ CHEERING ]

TY SAYS THAT SHE LOVES YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.

WE LOVE YOU, TOO, TY. WE'LL SEE YOU REAL SOON.

[MAN] IF YOU WANT TO DEFINE WHAT IGRA IS,

I THINK THAT NIGHT, IT REALLY DOES IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY, TO ME,

WHEN I THINK ABOUT COWBOY CODE, THAT WOULD BE IT.

IT'S TRANSFERABLE TO EVERYBODY'S LIFE

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A COWBOY.

IT HASN'T BEEN A YEAR WITHOUT CHALLENGES.

I KNOW THE ECONOMY IS TOUGH.

BELIEVE ME, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH.

WE DO WHAT WE CAN DO. LET'S FIGURE THAT OUT.

PLEASE, PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO HELP OUT, PRODUCE THE RODEOS.

THEY DON'T JUST HAPPEN BY THEMSELVES.

FOR SO MANY YEARS, OUR GOAL WAS TO RAISE MONEY

FOR CHARITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

ANY MORE, THESE RODEOS AREN'T GETTING ENOUGH SPECTATORS

TO SHOW UP TO BREAK EVEN.

THERE ARE SEVERAL REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT STRUGGLE.

AND WE HAD A FEW RODEOS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR

BECAUSE OF FUNDING.

AND ORGANIZATION AND PEOPLE TO LEAD THEM

AND PEOPLE TO GET THEIR COMMUNITY EXCITED.

[MAN] WITH ATTENDANCE AT RODEOS GOING DOWN,

VOLUNTEERISM IN GENERAL IN THE COMMUNITY

IS GOING DOWN, WITH ALL OF US WHO'VE BEEN DOING

ALL THIS WORK FOR SO MANY YEARS

GETTING OLD, GETTING TIRED, DYING.

IT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS WHETHER

WE'LL SEE THE IGRA IN FIVE MORE YEARS.

[ TOY SQUEAKS ]

I KNOW. I KNOW.

I KIND OF LOOK AT IT AS YOU TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET

AS QUICK AS YOU CAN GET IT.

WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUR RODEO ON TREASURE ISLAND.

IT'S THE ISLAND BETWEEN OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO.

THIS HAS NEVER BEEN ATTEMPTED BEFORE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING UP A PARADE GROUND

THAT USED TO BELONG TO THE MILITARY,

TEAR UP THE DIRT, AND BUILD OUR OWN ARENA

RIGHT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING.

SO YOU'LL BE LOOKING RIGHT OUT THE MIDDLE OF THE BAY.

BEING ABLE TO LITERALLY HAVE THE RODEO

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREAKING BAY,

NOW, THAT'S PRETTY DAMN COOL.

YEAH.

WE HAD A BIG HOLE TO DIG OURSELVES OUT OF.

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?

RIGHT AROUND 70,000.

YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS TO DO THAT?

YEAH.

YEP.

YEAH, THAT'S NOT A LOT OF TIME.

NOT A LOT OF TIME AT ALL.

AN UNUSUALLY HOT SUMMER HAS MAGNIFIED THE DRY CONDITIONS

THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE COUNTRY.

[WOMAN] THE TEXAS FARM BUREAU SAYS THIS YEAR,

OFFICIALLY THE DRIEST ON RECORD.

[MAN] A BALE OF HAY IS GOING BETWEEN $65 AND $85.

THE STATE IS EMPTYING ITSELF OF ITS CATTLE.

WE NEED RAIN NOW.

[MAN 2] IN OKLAHOMA, YOU'RE SEEING THE HOTTEST WEATHER

SINCE 1936, THE HEIGHT OF THE DUST BOWL.

IT'S PRETTY GRIM OUT THERE IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS.

[WADE] PEOPLE REALLY DON'T SEE HOW MUCH IT AFFECTS

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT FOR US, YOU KNOW, THE COWBOY, OUR LIVELIHOOD,

IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING WE DO FROM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

TO FEEDING YOUR LIVESTOCK, WHATEVER.

IT AFFECTS ALL OF THAT.

SO I CAN SAY THAT BEFORE THE DROUGHT,

WHAT WE BOUGHT PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOT

FOR ABOUT $75...

IS $189.

NOT LONG ENOUGH.

IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE SPORT.

WHEN YOU'RE HAULING A HORSE TRAILER,

YOU GET MAYBE 10 MILES TO THE GALLON.

SO, 10 MILES TO THE GALLON AT $4 A GALLON,

12,000 MILES.

IT AIN'T CHEAP.

I HAVE SIMPLE, HUMBLE MEANS, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY BEHIND ME.

SO EVERYTHING THAT I WORK FOR IS SO I CAN RODEO.

[ ENGINE WHIRRING ]

[ CELL PHONE RINGS ]

OH, MY GOD.

HELLO.

HOW GOOD A FRIEND ARE YOU?

[ LAUGHS ]

WELL, I JUST GOT SOME REALLY BAD NEWS.

SO WE'RE TALKING $3,500 TO REPLACE ALL THE INJECTORS.

CALL ME BACK.

WELL, HELLO, SIR.

I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IF YOU HAD IT TO PUT

ON A CREDIT CARD OR IF YOU HAD SOME OF IT

AND I CAN DEFINITELY PAY YOU BACK.

MMM.

NOT THE NEWS I WANTED.

DO YOU RODEO? DO YOU GET THAT FIXED?

TAKE THE CHANCE AND GO DOWN AND HOPE

THAT YOU WIN ENOUGH TO COVER THAT.

NOT GOING TO CANCEL THE RODEO.

I NEED TO BE AROUND MY RODEO FAMILY.

[ CELL PHONE RINGS ]

HEY, DO YOU HAVE A SECOND TO TALK?

TALKING SHOP?

I USE ALL MY VACATION DAYS FOR RODEO.

I COUNT MY HOURS. I COUNT MY DAYS.

I GET MY SCHEDULE AHEAD AND PLAN, OKAY, I'M GOING HERE,

I'M GOING TO DO THAT.

NO, YOU'RE NOT GOING.

THEY ALL THINK THEY'RE GOING.

OH, MY GOD, REALLY?

BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP, NONE OF YOU.

[ CHEERING ]

[ HORN BLOWS ]

ALL MY GRAY HAIRS, CHARLENE HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME.

I COULD SEE MY BOYS DOING THAT, POSSIBLY,

BUT NOT CHARLENE.

I MEAN, THIS IS THE CHILD THAT WAS AFRAID

OF THE PONY RIDES AT THE ZOO.

HER GRANDPA, HE WAS A MATADOR IN MEXICO CITY.

HE WAS ALL EXCITED.

HE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO BE LIKE A MATADOR.

LIKE HE WAS, UNTIL I TOLD HIM, NO,

THAT SHE'S ON TOP OF THE ANIMALS.

AND HE GOES, "OH, MY GOD, SHE'S BRAVER THAN I AM."

I'VE WATCHED HER GET INJURED.

I'VE WATCHED HER BREAK BONES.

AND IT'S HARD TO WATCH SOMEBODY

THAT YOU REALLY LOVE PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE.

SHE'S MY ONLY DAUGHTER.

I JUST COULDN'T THINK OF BEING AROUND WITHOUT HER.

[MAN] UP NEXT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TURN YOUR ATTENTION

TO CHAR DURAN FROM FORT LUPTON, COLORADO.

SHE'S HOPING TO LAST FOR SIX SECONDS.

SO GIVE HER SOME NOISE.

SHE'S OKAY.

HER BULLFIGHTER IS ALL OKAY.

THANK YOU. GOOD JOB.

WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN?NO.

SHE'S SO INTO IT THAT SHE DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP YET.

AND I KNOW EVENTUALLY SHE WILL GIVE IT UP,

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HOLE IN HER LIFE.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.

AND SHE'LL KNOW WHEN SHE'S READY TO QUIT.

YOU KNOW, I COULD BE RIDING AGAINST THE GUY

WHO GOT STOMPED JUST AS BAD

AND HE CAN FLOP AROUND AND LAY THERE AND CRY.

BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO GET UP

AND I HAVE TO MOVE JUST TO SAY,

SEE, I CAN STILL DO THIS.

THIS IS MY PUPPY, RASCAL. RASCAL'S TWO YEARS OLD.

AND HE'S BEEN A GREAT COMPANION.

HE'S A GOOD RODEO DOG, AREN'T YOU?

YES.

I DO THINK ABOUT JACKIE.

28TH BIRTHDAY, I GET THIS GREAT BIG BOX.

IT'S A HUGE BOX.

I UNWRAP THE FIRST BOX AND THERE'S ANOTHER BOX.

UNDERNEATH THE BIGGER BOX, A LITTLE LESS BIG BOX.

AND I FINALLY GOT DOWN TO THE VERY LAST BOX

AND IT WAS A RING BOX.

A SIMPLE LITTLE BAND.

IT WAS A TOUCHING MOMENT. IT WAS WHAT I WANTED.

I LOST THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IN 1997.

MY LOVER, JACKIE RILEY, WE WERE TOGETHER FOR FIVE YEARS.

WE CELEBRATED FIVE YEARS TOGETHER

THAT SOME PEOPLE LIVE A WHOLE LIFETIME WITHOUT.

I LOVED THAT SHIT-EATING GRIN.

I LOVED THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS QUIRKINESS.

HE WAS THAT PERFECT COMPANION.

[WOMAN] THE RIDERLESS HORSE CEREMONY CELEBRATES

THE BOND BETWEEN THE RIDER AND HIS HORSE.

TODAY WE USE THE RIDERLESS HORSE

TO SYMBOLIZE THE BOND OF A COWBOY OR COWGIRL

WHO'S GONE FROM US, LEAVING THE FAITHFUL HORSE BEHIND.

BACK IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES

WHEN THE AIDS CRISIS REALLY CAME TO THE FOREFRONT,

WE LOST A LOT OF RODEO COMPETITORS

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO AIDS.

I HAVE LOST FRIENDS TO HIV AND AIDS,

BUT NOT NEARLY AS MANY AS PEOPLE

THAT MIGHT BE JUST FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN ME.

[WOMAN] IT IS OUR WAY OF PAYING HOMAGE

TO THOSE WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR US

AND SET AN EXAMPLE FOR US TO FOLLOW.

FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO SURVIVED

THROUGH REALLY, REALLY ROUGH YEARS

WHEN THERE WASN'T A LOT OF HOPE,

THEY COME FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE.

I FOUND OUT AFTER HE HAD PASSED AWAY

THAT HE HAD BEEN HIV-POSITIVE

THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE TOGETHER

AND NEVER TOLD ME.

I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR HIM.

I KNOW WHY HE DID WHAT HE DID,

AND IT WAS A TOTAL FEAR OF BEING ALONE.

I AM HIV-POSITIVE.

I FOUND OUT THE WEEK BEFORE HE DIED.

I WOULDN'T WISH IT ON MY WORST ENEMY,

BUT I WOULDN'T BE THE PERSON I WAS TODAY

IF I HADN'T EXPERIENCED WHAT I EXPERIENCED.

[MAN] WE MISS ALL WHO WE'VE LOST. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

AND WE KNOW THAT YOU RIDE WITH US TODAY.

TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE, I TOLD HIM

I REALLY WANTED TO COMPETE IN RODEO.

AND WHEN HE PASSED, I WAS ABLE TO PURSUE THAT.

YEAH, WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE FT. LAUDERDALE RODEO.

THAT'S A RODEO I TYPICALLY DO VERY WELL AT.

DAVID'S NOT HERE THIS WEEKEND.

I GOT TO GET ALL THE POINTS I CAN, YOU KNOW.

I NEED IT.

NO MATTER WHO'S THERE, YOU GOT TO BRING

YOUR "A" GAME NO MATTER WHAT.

[MAN] WELCOME TO THE MARDI GRAS OF GAY RODEO,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

HOW YOU DOING, FT. LAUDERDALE?

[ CHEERING ]

WE GOT SOME COMPETITION THIS WEEKEND.

AND SOME STRAIGHT COMPETITION.

I'M LUKE LANCASTER,

AND I'M ONE OF THE STRAIGHT COWBOYS ON THE GAY RODEO.

I COMPETE IN THE TRADITIONAL RODEO,

AS WELL AS THE GAY RODEO.

MONEY'S GOOD, AND I GOT A CHANCE.

AND I KNOW I'M ONE HELL OF A RIDER.

SO I GOT A CHANCE TO DO IT, I'M GOING TO GO FOR IT.

LUKE, HE'S A TOUGH COMPETITOR.

HE'S ROPED QUITE A BIT,

RODE BULLS WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.

ACTUALLY, I THINK HE HAD A PRETTY BAD INJURY.

I GOT TEMPORARILY PARALYZED IN THIS RING.

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I RODE,

SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS AGO.

EVERYBODY SAID I WENT AT LEAST 15 OR 20 FEET

UP IN THE AIR.

I CAME DOWN RIGHT ON THE BACK OF MY NECK.

MY FEET SANDWICHED OVER TOP OF ME,

AND THE BULL JUST DROVE ME IN THE GROUND.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER TOO MUCH AFTER THAT.

[WADE] LUKE IS LIKE ME. HE LOVES TO COMPETE.

[MAN] SO, LUKE, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE YOU

TO STOP RIDING BULLS?

A CASKET.

LET'S GO, BOYS!

[ HORN BLOWS ]

[MAN] UP NEXT, WADE EARP FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.

HE NEEDS TO COVER THIS BULL TODAY.

WHEN I SAY COVERING, I MEAN LAST HIM

FOR AT LEAST SIX SECONDS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HELP HIM OUT.

MAKE SOME NOISE.

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.

[ CHEERING ]

[WOMAN] COME ON, WADE!

[MAN] OOH!

YOU CAN SEE, LIKE, THE BONE GOES LIKE THIS.

AND THEN THERE'S A BIG DIP, AND HIS ARM'S JUST LIKE...

SO I THINK IT'S OUT OF ITS SOCKET.

SO, BUT THEY FED HIM A LITTLE BIT OF MORPHINE RIGHT HERE.

I'M NOT THE GREATEST COOK, BUT...

ESPECIALLY ONE-HANDED, BUT WE'LL GET THERE.

YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO LET IT HEAL

AND WON'T RIDE ROUGHSTOCK TILL FINALS, AND...

HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE WELL ENOUGH BY THEN TO RIDE.

YOU WANT TO HOPE THAT YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH

THAT THE POINTS YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW

ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO TAKE YOU TO THE FINALS,

BUT THERE'S STILL THAT RISK OF, YOU KNOW,

NOT BEING IN THE TOP 20.

YOU KNOW, GOING TO FINALS, THE MORE EVENTS YOU ARE IN,

THE MORE CHANCE YOU HAVE AT WINNING ALL-AROUND, YOU KNOW.

WE KNOW IT DOESN'T HELP MY CHANCES BEING LIKE THIS.

SO IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN THIS TO KEEP WADE EARP DOWN.

[ CHUCKLES ]

ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS CONTINUING TO PULL

A MORE YOUTHFUL CONTESTANT BASE.

YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE AGE OF A IGRA RODEO CONTESTANT,

I THINK, IS, LIKE, 42 YEARS OLD.

I THINK THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE

TO SUSTAIN AND PROLONG IS TO GET SOME YOUNGER BLOOD.

WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE INVOLVED.

HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE THE YOUTH IN A COUNTRY

WHERE EVERYONE IS SO DRIVEN THAT IT'S OKAY

TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND GET INVOLVED

AND GET INVESTED WITH SOMETHING

AND COMMIT YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TO IT?

NOT AN EASY PROBLEM TO SOLVE.

[MAN] A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME, THEY'RE LIKE,

WELL, SINCE YOU'RE GAY, WHY DON'T YOU MOVE

TO A PLACE THAT'S MORE ACCEPTING,

LIKE CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF?

NO.

I LOVE MANGUM, OKLAHOMA.

BECAUSE I'M GAY DOESN'T MEAN, LIKE, I SHOULD RUN.

I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THE HUSTLE AND THE BUSTLE.

I WANT TO LIVE OUT HERE. I WANT TO BE ABLE

TO WALK OUTSIDE AT ANY TIME IN THE DAY

AND PISS OFF MY FRONT PORCH.

NAKED. 'CAUSE I LIKE TO BE NAKED.

EVERYBODY'S SHOCKED THAT I RODEO.

THEY'RE, LIKE, "YOU'RE A COWBOY?"

I'M LIKE, "YEAH."

YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I DON'T WEAR A 10-GALLON HAT EVERY DAY

AND SPIT AND CHING-CHING-CHING, YOU KNOW.

AND HERE, IF YOU'RE GAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET PICKED ON.

AND HE LEARNED TO FIGHT YOUNG,

AND HE LEARNED TO FIGHT HARD.

AND HE LEARNED TO FIGHT DIRTY.

MY FIRST FIGHT WAS RIGHT THERE UNDERNEATH THAT TIRE SWING.

I WAS RAISED NOT TO TAKE SHIT OFF OF ANYBODY.

ESPECIALLY COMING FROM THE STICKS, YOU KNOW.

GOING TO SCHOOL WITH A CLASS OF 51, YOU KNOW.

CHRIS, IF YOU JUST MEET HIM AND YOU LOOK AT HIM,

YOU WOULDN'T THINK IT. IT'S WHEN HE OPENS HIS MOUTH JUST A LITTLE BIT.

WELCOME TO THE PARTY, Y'ALL.

IN OUR SMALL TOWN NOW, THERE'S NOBODY.

LIKE, IF THERE IS, THEY DON'T COME OUT.

THEY JUST HIDE IT.

I GOT IN A FIGHT ONCE AT A COLLEGE RODEO.

'CAUSE, LIKE, I WENT THERE, I ROPED AND I CAME BACK.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "HEY, YOU'RE THE FAGOT

THAT ROPES GOOD, DON'T YOU?"

I'M, LIKE, "FAGOT?

"WOULD YOU LIKE A PIECE OF FAGOT PIE?

BECAUSE I'M ABOUT TO SERVE YOU SOME."

I'VE ALWAYS TEAM ROPED.

I ACTUALLY HAD A SCHOLARSHIP TO GO

TO A JUNIOR COLLEGE ON RODEO.

BUT MY FIRST PRACTICE, NO ONE WANTED TO ROPE WITH ME.

AND THAT WAS MY FIRST AND LAST RODEO PRACTICE.

THEY JUST ABSOLUTELY SHUNNED HIM.

HE EVEN JUST QUIT ROPING FOR A WHILE.

BECAUSE THEY TREATED HIM SO BAD.

LOOK AT THAT GAP-TOOTHED KID.

YOU KNOW, I WAS THAT FAT KID

WHEN I HAD A PIECE OF GUM IN MY MOUTH AT ALL TIMES.

I FOUND ALL THE PROM PICTURES.

I WENT TO, LIKE, EIGHT OR NINE PROMS...WITH GIRLS.

I THINK THIS IS MY EIGHTH GRADE

OR NINTH GRADE YEAR.

"MY IDEAL MATE HAS TO BE A WOMAN, OF COURSE.

"SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE A COWGIRL WITH A COW DOG

"THAT DRIVES A PICKUP.

"SHE WOULD LIKE TO RIDE HORSES IN THE MOONLIGHT.

"SHE MUST LOVE ANIMALS TO DEATH.

"SHE WOULD LOVE TO EAT SEAFOOD AND SUBWAY SANDWICHES

AND DRINK DR. PEPPER."

WOW. OH, MY GOD.

"THERE'S REALLY NOTHING I LIKE ABOUT ME AT ALL.

"BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T LIKE ANYTHING

"ABOUT MYSELF AT ALL.

"I COULD SAY A BUNCH OF BAD STUFF ABOUT ME,

BUT THAT'S NOT THE ASSIGNMENT."

THE FIRST TIME I TRIED COMING OUT,

I WAS, LIKE, 14, TO MY MOTHER.

AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAYS, "MOM, BUT I LIKE BOYS

BETTER THAN I DO GIRLS."

AND, OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME, I SAID,

WELL, JUST ACT LIKE CHRIS AND GO ON.

I THINK HE WAS ABOUT 14.

IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT.

AND I HEARD A BANG.

I PUT A DISH TOWEL AROUND MY NECK

AND I JUMPED FROM MY BED AND SWUNG FROM THE VENT IN MY ROOM.

I THOUGHT, WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?

AND I GOT UP AND CHECKED.

AND IT WAS HIM.

AND IT JUST WASN'T MEANT TO BE OR HE WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE.

I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD HIM.

NOW, IT WAS ROUGH ON HIM AND HIS DAD

WHEN HE TOLD HIS DAD HE WAS GAY.

LARRY HAD SUSPECTED IT.

IT'S BEEN HARD ON CHRIS. AND HARD ON LARRY.

PART OF ME AS A GAY CHILD FEELS LIKE I'M A BURDEN.

I KIND OF WANT TO, LIKE, SET MOM DOWN

AND BE, LIKE, "I'M SORRY I'M GAY."

LIKE, IF I WAS STRAIGHT, IT'D MAKE IT

SO MUCH EASIER FOR YOU.

USED TO WHEN HE'D BE UPSET, I WOULD KNOW IT

'CAUSE HIS MOM WOULD ASK ME TO GO FIND HIM.

AND HE'D BE AT THE PASTURE JUST RIDING.

IT RELIEVES HIS STRESS TO JUST GO OUT

AND BE ON THE HORSES.

AND HE JUST FOUND RODEO AS HIS OUT.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT HE LOVES IT SO MUCH.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE HE FOUND OUT

ABOUT THE GAY RODEOS, BUT IT WAS THE BEST THING

THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO HIM.

FOR ME, I THINK AS LONG AS WE CAN REACH

YOU KNOW, ONE KID THAT'S OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF PODUNK NOWHERE

THAT'S GAY, THAT CAN LOOK AT THIS

AND GO, "I CAN BE GAY, AND I CAN STILL BE, YOU KNOW, THIS FARM KID. "

IF THAT KID FINDS ACCEPTANCE

IN WHAT WE'RE DOING, THEN I THINK WE'VE SUCCEEDED.

[MAN] OH.

YOU GOT A TETANUS SHOT, I HOPE.

THIS YEAR'S RODEO, WE REALLY TRIED

TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

AND PUT US ON TREASURE ISLAND.

REALLY, REALLY COOL IDEA.

AND PEOPLE GET VERY FRUSTRATED

BECAUSE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY MANAGING A BUDGET,

IT'S COUNTLESS PHONE CALLS, VENDORS, EMAILS.

AND EVERY RODEO HAS ITS

"I'M GOING TO BREAK" POINT.

IT'S EXHAUSTING, ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTING.

YOU'RE STILL HAVING TO DO YOUR DAY JOB.

AND ALL YOU DO IS PUT ONE FOOT

IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE FROM RODEO,

IF YOU REMOVE US FROM THAT PART OF THEIR LIVES,

IT DOESN'T JUST MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR

WHEN THE BOOTS COME OFF AND THE COWBOY HAT COMES OFF.

FOR SOME OF US, THAT HAT AND THOSE BOOTS NEVER COME OFF.

WHEN YOU'RE ON INSTANT MESSAGE WITH ME AT WORK,

THERE'S A PICTURE OF ME WRESTLING A STEER.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE,

"IS THAT REALLY YOU WRESTLING THAT STEER?"

AND THEY'RE, LIKE, "HOLY SHIT!"

AND IT CHANGES HOW THEY TALK TO ME.

IT CHANGES THEIR PERCEPTION OF ME.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THEY ALL KNEW THAT I WAS TRANS AND GAY?

READY? SIT.

MOST PEOPLE THINK OF TRANSSEXUALS,

THEY OFTEN THINK THAT WE'RE REALLY KIND OF JUST CRAZY.

GO, HURRY! HURRY!

RIGHT HERE. GOOD. BACK. BRING IT BACK.

WHICH IS THE REASON I TRY TO BE

AS OPEN AS I CAN ABOUT IT.

YOU WERE A FEMALE?

YES. IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE OUT HERE.

YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE

TO BE GAY, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WANT TO HAVE A CHANGE, SO...

WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY TO WANT TO.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF YOU LOOKING AT YOURSELF

AND EVERY TIME YOU SEE YOURSELF

IN THE MIRROR, IT'S TOTALLY OPPOSITE

OF WHAT YOUR HEAD SAYS.

RIGHT.

THE HARDEST THING THAT A LOT OF TRANS PEOPLE DO

IS THEY TRY TO ERASE THIS.

EVERYTHING THAT THIS IS RIGHT HERE

ULTIMATELY MADE ME INTO THE MAN I AM TODAY.

I PROBABLY HAVEN'T PULLED THAT OUT SINCE 10 YEARS AGO.

YEAH, I WAS A PRETTY CUTE LITTLE GIRL.

AND THEN OVER TIME, MORE AND MORE AND MORE,

THE MASCULINITY KEPT COMING OUT

AND I KEPT CHALLENGING THAT

AND KEPT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 'CAUSE YOU WEREN'T

SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THESE THINGS.

BEING A TOMBOY WAS OKAY, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW,

PRETTY FREAKING MASCULINE FOR A LITTLE GIRL.

SO I DID THINGS TO TRY TO MAKE IT OKAY.

I TRIED WEARING DRESSES. I TRIED BEING MORE FEMININE.

YOU NAME IT, I DID IT. THERE'S NOT A STEREOTYPE

OUT THERE THAT I DIDN'T TRY JUST SO I COULD FEEL BETTER.

AND EVERY TIME I DID, I HATED MYSELF.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WOKE UP JUST GOING,

"I CAN'T LIVE ANYMORE IN THAT BODY."

I GOT TO A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE DEPRESSION WAS JUST

REALLY, REALLY CONSTANT AND I COULDN'T

LOOK AT MYSELF IN A MIRROR.

AND I WOULD JUST LOOK AT ME AND I WOULD JUST

SEE SOMETHING THAT WASN'T THERE.

THE DEPRESSION GOT TO THE POINT

WHERE I FELT LIKE I WAS EITHER

GOING TO KILL MYSELF OR GET BUSY LIVING.

I'M REQUIRED TO CARRY, FOR TSA PURPOSES,

A CARD THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT I HAVE AN IMPLANT.

THE SURGERY IS EXTREMELY INVASIVE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN DO SURGERIES.

FOR ME, IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

SO, CHEST SURGERY.

YOU GET A BILATERAL MASTECTOMY.

THEY DID A RADIAL FOREARM PHALLOPLASTY.

SO WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY TAKE THE TISSUE FROM MY ARM

AND THEY CREATE THE PHALLUS WITH IT.

SO IT'S NOT A BAD SCAR.

SOME PEOPLE REALLY, IT BOTHERS THEM.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ME,

I JUST BASICALLY TELL THEM I GOT BIT

BY A TRACTOR.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DO KNOW ME, THEY KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT MY FAMILY WANTED,

BUT IT'S REALLY, FOR ME, IT WAS A MATTER

OF LIFE AND DEATH.

THIS WAS THE WEEKEND I GOT TO MEET MY GRANDMOTHER

AS TRAVIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND SHE'S, "WELL, LET ME SEE YOUR CHEST."

I'M, LIKE, "NANA." SHE GOES,

"DON'T YOU ARGUE WITH ME, YOUNG MAN."

AND SO I SHOWED HER MY CHEST, YOU KNOW,

THE SCARS ON MY CHEST AND SHE JUST, "OKAY,

THEY DID A GOOD JOB." AND JUST MOVED ON.

AND, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER,

SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, "AND WHO ARE YOU AGAIN?"

AND I THINK THAT'S, WITH RODEO,

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I KEEP COMING BACK.

IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ACCEPTANCE.

IT'S JUST--THEY JUST-- THEY DON'T CARE.

SO YOU GET TO COME HERE AND BE YOU.

AND THE COMMON THEME IS YOU GOT

A PAIR OF BOOTS ON AND YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK.

[MAN] WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT IGRA?

I'D BE A LESSER MAN.

♪ LATE NIGHT

♪ MIDNIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE

♪ I DIDN'T FEEL SO GREAT

♪ UNTIL I SAW A CITY

♪ WHEN I WAS YOUNGER

♪ AND OPEN LIKE A CHILD

♪ MAN, IT'S BEEN A WHILE

♪ SINCE I FELT THAT WAY

♪ MORE AND MORE I HESITATE

♪ 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW

♪ LOVE AND LOVE AND NOTHING ELSE ♪

♪ IT'S ALL I NEED

YOU GOT TO DO GOOD TODAY.

I'M GOING TO BE GOOD. YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOOD.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY

AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET LOTS OF TREATS.

[MAN] ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, WHO'S READY TO RODEO TEXAS STYLE?

[ CHEERING ]

WHO'S GOING TO BE IN THE TOP 20 THIS YEAR

AND GET INVITED TO WORLD GAY RODEO FINALS?

NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE UNTIL THE INVITATIONS

ARRIVE IN THE MAIL.

WADE EARP, COMING UP.

SWEET. THAT CATCH IS GOING TO PUT HIM IN FIRST PLACE.

NICELY DONE, WADE.

MORNING. HOW ARE YOU DOING, DAVID?

[MAN] OKAY, NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR DAVID RENIER

OUT OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

WHOO-HOO. 1.29.

YOUR NEW LEADER, DAVID RENIER.

DAVID RENIER, COMING OUT ON HIS HORSE EASY.

HE THROWS THE LOOP.

BEAUTIFUL CATCH.

IT DON'T GET MUCH FASTER THAN THAT.

NO BULL RIDING OR CHUTE DOGGING FOR WADE.

WADE'S STILL NURSING THAT SHOULDER INJURY.

SO HE'S GOT TO RELY ON HIS HORSE, DIGIT,

FOR EVERY POINT.

WADE EARP COMING UP NEXT IF HE CAN GET HIS OLD DINOSAUR,

DIGIT, UNDER CONTROL.

GO.

OH, NO CATCH.

COMING UP NEXT, GOAT WRESTLING.

FASTEST TIME WINS.

[ YELLS INDISTINCTLY ]

DAVID RENIER IS UNSTOPPABLE THIS WEEKEND.

DAVID, DON'T YOU EVER GET TIRED OF WINNING?

I DON'T LOOK AT IT AS IF I DIDN'T DO WELL.

I LOOK AT IT AS I WENT IN, I DID MY BEST.

I DID PRETTY GOOD. BUT AT SOME POINT

OR ANOTHER, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CATCH UP.

WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO A RODEO.

GETTING READY, TRYING TO GET BACK INTO IT.

A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT THAN JUST HOPPING ON

AND GOING HEE-HAW.

THE HARDEST PART IS GETTING BACK AFTER AN INJURY.

BECAUSE MEMORIES ARE FRESH

AND SCARS ARE STILL FRESH.

AND SOMETIMES THE PAIN'S STILL THERE.

[MAN] WELL, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE!

GOOD MORNING!HAPPY SUNDAY.

WHAT CAN WE GET FOR YOU?

I WANT A BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS.

[WADE] CHAR IS A GREAT COMPETITOR, YOU KNOW.

SHE HAS A BIG RODEO SPIRIT.

SHE NEEDS TO COVER A BULL.

AND WE'RE CLOSE.

I DON'T CARE IF I'M RIDING TWO,

I DON'T CARE IF I'M RIDING TEN.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A RIDE TODAY.

THERE'S OTHER RIDERS TODAY.

THERE'S ONE GAL THAT I KNOW OF, I JUST MET HER.

HER NAME'S ALANA. SHE'S A GREAT GIRL.

A TOUGH GAL, FROM WHAT I HEAR.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ALL YOUR REALLY GOOD GIRL BULL RIDERS,

YOUNG LIKE THAT, YOU ALL ARE BLONDE AND CUTE LIKE THAT.

I'M, LIKE, WHERE'D YOU ALL GET, LIKE,

PUT IN A LAB TOGETHER?

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE STEPFORD BULL RIDING WIVES.

[WOMAN] BULL DRAW WILL BE HAPPENING BY THE TOWER.

IT'S A RANDOM DRAW OF THE BULLS.

AND THAT'S THE ANIMAL THAT WE GET TO PULL IN THEIR CHUTES.

IT'S ALL PURE RANDOM. WE DON'T KNOW

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET UNTIL THIS MOMENT.

CHAR HAS 65, HARRY HOLSTEIN.

I GOT HARRY HOLSTEIN.

HE'S THE WHITE WITH THE BLACK SPOTS.

HE'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN LAST TIME I WAS ON HIM.

THIS IS A NICE BULL. YOU REMEMBER THIS BULL?

YES, HE IS. YES. YES, I DO.

I BEEN ON HIM A TIME OR TWO.

SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO RESIN YOUR ROPE,

YOU'RE GOING TO RESIN YOUR HANDLE.

AND LOOP UP AROUND.

AND THIS WHOLE KNOT'S NOT GOING TO SLIDE.

SO YOU'RE SET NOW. SO WHEN YOU'RE DONE...

I MET A REALLY GREAT GUY. HIS NAME IS ANDY.

HE'S A NEW BULL RIDER. THIS WAS HIS SECOND RODEO.

I'LL REMEMBER THAT.

HELL, I MIGHT EVEN BUY YOU A BEER IF YOU DO IT.

BABY.

AND I ALMOST JUST KIND OF BROKE DOWN

AND CRIED A LITTLE ABOUT HOW MUCH HE WANTS IT

AND HOW MUCH HE WANTS TO BE A BULL RIDER.

AND HOW MUCH HE WANTS TO MAKE HIS RIDE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, BABY?

LOOK AT ME.

YOU'VE ALREADY GOT IT.

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO GET IN THAT CHUTE

AND CALL THAT GATE?

YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH HAVE EVER DONE THAT?

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE BALLS TO EVEN DO THAT?

I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WANT IT.

TRUST ME, GOD, I KNOW IT, YOU KNOW.

IT DON'T. IT REALLY DON'T. TRUST ME.

[MAN] ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, DO YOU ALL WANT TO SEE SOME BULL RIDING?

[ CHEERING ]

WE'VE GOT TWO WOMEN RIDING BULLS TODAY.

OUR FIRST FEMALE CONTESTANT UP FOR THE DAY

WILL BE ALANA OUT OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

ALANA LOADING UP IN THE CHUTES.

SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S READY TO GO.

COME ON, ALANA!

[ HORN BLOWS ]

HEY, ALANA, HOW ABOUT 68 POINTS?

UP NEXT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR CHAR DURAND

FROM FORT LUPTON, COLORADO.

SHE SAYS, "I THINK I CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER

ON HARRY HOLSTEIN."

THAT'S A BIG-ASS BULL, FOLKS.

CHAR GETTING READY THERE IN THE CHUTE.

OUCH.

GIVE HER A NICE ROUND OF APPLAUSE, FOLKS.

THAT'S ALL SHE'S TAKING HOME TODAY.

AND YOU WERE RIGHT THERE.

YOU WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE POCKET.

YOU DID GOOD. YOU DID VERY GOOD.

YEAH. TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR ME.

I WAS VERY PLEASED. NOT A PROBLEM.

I APPRECIATE IT.

IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.IT MEANS A LOT.

DO WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN HERE?

THANK YOU. AW. THANK YOU.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHO'S GETTING THE BUCKLES,

YOU GOT TO JOIN US AT AWARDS TONIGHT.

IN BULL RIDING FOR THE LADIES,

YOUR BUCKLE FOR WOMEN'S JUNIOR BULL

GOES TO ALANA--

[ CHEERING ]

[CHAR] I CAN HONESTLY SAY THIS IS THE WORST SEASON

I'VE EVER HAD SINCE I STARTED RODEOING.

[MAN] SO I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU THIS MORNING

WITH A LESSON ON ATTITUDE.

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS AN ELDERLY WOMAN

WHO WAS LOSING HER HAIR.

AND SHE GOT DOWN TO THE POINT

WHERE SHE HAD THREE STRANDS OF HAIR.

AND SHE GOT UP THAT MORNING

AND SHE LOOKED IN THE MIRROR

AND SHE SAID, "I'M GOING TO BRAID MY HAIR TODAY."

AND SO SHE TOOK THOSE THREE STRANDS OF HAIR

AND SHE BRAIDED IT.

AND THE NEXT MORNING SHE WOKE UP

AND SHE HAD TWO STRANDS OF HAIR

AND SHE LOOKED IN THE MIRROR

AND SHE SAID, "I'M GOING TO WEAR PIGTAILS TODAY."

AND THE NEXT MORNING SHE WOKE UP

AND SHE HAD ONE STRAND OF HAIR.

AND SHE SAID, "FANTASTIC.

I'M GOING TO WEAR A PIGTAIL TODAY."

AND THE FOURTH MORNING SHE WOKE UP

AND SHE HAD NO HAIR.

AND SHE SAID, "THANK GOD, I DON'T HAVE

TO WORRY ABOUT DOING MY HAIR TODAY."

SO I TELL YOU THAT STORY, AND I KNOW IT HITS HOME

FOR US HERE AT IGRA.

AND IF WE LOOK AT ATTITUDE

AND WE THINK OF TY,

REMEMBER THE ATTITUDE THAT TY HAS.

AND REMEMBER THAT THAT IS THE ATTITUDE

THAT WE ALL WANT TO HAVE.

[WOMAN] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MS. TY TEIGEN,

MARCHING IN THE--

IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE TOUGH.

I WAS SICK EARLIER IN THE YEAR

AND WASN'T ABLE TO COMPETE THIS YEAR.

BUT I'M FEELING SO MUCH BETTER

AND ON TRACK FOR A COMEBACK.

AND MY HAIR'S COMING BACK.

THAT'S WHAT I TELL ALL THE BALD GUYS.

MINE'S COMING BACK.

I HAD A FRIEND TEXT ME AS SOON AS WE FOUND OUT.

IT'S SAD. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW...

THAT TY PASSED.

[MAN] THERE MAY BE SOME OF YOU THAT WILL LOOK AT THIS

AS A EULOGY, AND THAT'S OKAY.

ALONG WITH OTHERS WHO WILL SEE THIS

AS A CELEBRATION OF LIFE, AND THAT, TOO, IS OKAY.

THE COLORADO GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION

ASKS THAT YOU JOIN US AS WE PAY TRIBUTE

TO OUR GRAND MARSHAL, TY TEIGEN,

WHO PASSED AWAY THIS PAST SUNDAY.

WE ASK THAT ANYONE WANTING TO JOIN US IN THE ARENA,

PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME.

[WADE] GOD TAKES SO MANY THINGS FROM HER.

TRAGEDY IN THE FACE OF TOUGH THINGS AHEAD.

YOU STILL, AS SHE SAID,

PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES.

PULL IT UP AND GO ON.

FOLKS, UP NEXT, IT'S TRAVIS GARDNER.

AND TRAVIS' MOM.

TRAVIS SAYS MAKE SURE, MOM, YOU BETTER DO A GOOD JOB

OR HE'S SENDING YOU TO--

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]COME ON, MOM!

GO, MOM, GO!

MOM'S GOT IT DONE!

TRAVIS, WAITING FOR YOU.

YEAH, MOM DOES IT.

GOOD JOB, MOM.

BUT IT'S OKAY. HE'S STILL MY CHILD.

I DON'T CARE WHAT SEX HE IS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

HE'S MY KID AND I LOVE HIM NO MATTER...

[MAN] CHAR, THIS ONE'S FOR THE BUCKLE.

HERE WE GO, CHAR.

COME ON. GET IT.

SQUEEZE! SQUEEZE!

SQUEEZE! SQUEEZE!

OH!

CHAR!

AWESOME. THAT WAS AWESOME.

ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, GIVE HER A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

SHE'S ONE BRAVE COMPETITOR.

"DEAR WADE, OUR CONGRATULATIONS.

"YOUR COMPETITION HAS RESULTED

"IN SUFFICIENT POINTS EARNED IN YOUR DIVISION

"TO RECEIVE AN INVITATION TO COMPETE

IN THE FINALS RODEO IN THE FOLLOWING EVENTS."

EVEN THOUGH I GET THIS INVITATION,

I HAVE TO KIND OF BRING MY "A" GAME.

DIGIT BETTER BE READY FOR THIS.

WE GOT SOME HARD WORK AHEAD OF US.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS.

THIS IS WHAT WE WORK FOR ALL YEAR LONG, YOU KNOW.

YOU TRAIN, YOU WORK YOUR HORSES,

YOU TRAVEL, UPS AND DOWNS.

EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH TO GET THERE.

YOU KNOW, MONEY, AND THE PRICE OF GAS,

THE DROUGHT WE BEEN EXPERIENCING,

AND THE PRICE OF HAY, ALL THAT.

IT COMES DOWN TO THIS ONE WEEKEND.

FINALS IS GOING TO BE BIG.

IT'S GOT TO BE BIG.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME SMALL ATTENDANCE

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT SOME OF THE SMALLER RODEOS.

SO YOU'RE HOPING THAT AT FINALS

YOU HAVE LARGER NUMBERS, YOU HAVE BUTTS IN SEATS.

YOU KNOW, KEEP IGRA ALIVE.

GOOD BOY.

IGRA! RODEO WEEKEND!

♪ OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE

♪ BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT

♪ WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAIL

[MAN] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE CONTESTANTS

FOR THE WORLD GAY RODEO FINALS.

JOHN BECK,

[ CHEERING ]

CHRIS SHERMAN.

[ CHEERING ]

I'M NOT REALLY IN THE RUNNING TO BE ALL-AROUND COWBOY.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE REASON I'M THERE.

MY DAD'S ACTUALLY COMING FOR HIS FIRST GAY RODEO.

LUKE LANCASTER.

[ CHEERING ]

FINALS ARE GOING TO BE GOOD.

I'M READY TO ROLL.

DAVID RENIER.

[ CHEERING ]

I HATE TO LOSE MORE THAN I LIKE TO WIN.

AND WADE EARP.[ CHEERING ]

YOU WANT THAT TOP PRIZE.

YOU WANT TO LAND THE ALL-AROUND COWBOY AT FINALS.

WHAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

THE TOP 20 IN EACH OF OUR EVENTS.

THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ALL YEAR LONG

TO GET HERE THIS WEEKEND.

♪ OH, SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED ♪

♪ BANNER YET WAVE

♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE

♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

IT'S TIME FOR SOME RODEO.

I'M TAPING MY DISLOCATED SHOULDER FROM FLORIDA.

TAPING IT JUST TO PROTECT IT.

THIS COWBOY'S GOING TO GET ON THE BACK

OF 2,000 POUNDS OF PISSED-OFF POT ROAST.

I'M HOPING I'M NOT TOO RUSTY.

IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE I CLIMBED

ON A BULL OR A BRONC.

BRINGING OUT A RIDER NAMED WADE EARP FROM WHERE ELSE

BUT RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS, TEXAS,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

YEAH, WADE'S COME OUT STRONG ON THE BULLS,

BUT HE JUST, COUPLE SECONDS

BEFORE THE WHISTLE, HE'S COMING OFF.

I MEAN, IT'S HARD. HE'S AN OLDER FELLOW.

AND WHEN THE BULLS START BUCKING REAL HARD,

IT'S HARD TO COVER THEM SOMETIMES.

GOAT WRESTLING COMING UP NEXT.

CHRIS SHERMAN ON THIS NEXT TEAM

FROM MANGUM, OKLAHOMA.

NOT PRETTY.

RICHARD SIMMONS.

ONLY ONE OF US GOT THE MEMO, THOUGH.

HERE HE GOES.

HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE IT.

YEAH, I WAS PROUD OF HIM BEING THERE,

BUT IT MADE ME NERVOUS.

I WAS, LIKE, DAD, I WAS SO NERVOUS.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME, HE'S, LIKE,

"SON, YOU THINK YOU'RE NERVOUS, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN

IN THE MEN'S BATHROOM ABOUT 10 MINUTES AGO."

OKAY, NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR DAVID RENIER.

DAVID RENIER FROM SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

DAVID'S RANKED NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONALLY.

HE'S COMING TO THIS RODEO IN FIRST PLACE.

NICE, CLEAN CATCH.

AND HERE COMES WADE EARP ON HIS TRUSTY OLD HORSE, DIGIT.

HERE COMES WADE.

NO CATCH.

ALL RIGHT, AS WE MOVE INTO POLE BENDING,

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER A COUPLE OF THINGS.

HORSE AND RIDER IN THIS EVENT TRYING TO GET THROUGH

THOSE POLES JUST AS FAST AS THEY CAN.

THEY CAN TOUCH THEM, THEY CAN MAKE THEM WIGGLE,

THEY CAN MAKE THEM WOBBLE.

AS LONG AS THEY DON'T FALL DOWN, IT'S ALL GOOD.

UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU BREAK THE PATTERN,

THAT'S A NO-TIME.

AND REMEMBER, THE FASTEST TIME WINS.

UP NEXT, DAVID ON THAT EASY HORSE.

[MAN] DAVID RENIER'S DOING REALLY WELL THIS WEEKEND.

HE'S BEEN ON HIS GAME.

DAVID AND EASY MAKING IT LOOK SO BREEZY.

I'M DOING GOOD. I WOULD HAVE LIKED

TO HAVE DONE BETTER IN POLES JUST NOW,

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME.

THE BEST OF THIS WEEKEND WILL WIN

THAT ALL-AROUND COWBOY BUCKLE,

THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN ALL OF IGRA.

HERE COMES JUNIOR BULL RIDING.

LUKE LANCASTER COMING OUT OF CHUTE NUMBER TWO.

OOH, THAT LOOKED PAINFUL.

DAVID RENIER, TWO-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION

OUT OF THE GATE. WADE AND HIS HORSE, DIGIT.

HERE THEY COME.

INTO THAT LAST BARREL. NOW, GET AROUND IT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HELP THEM OUT.

MAKE SOME NOISE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AT FINALS RODEO

WHEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND PLACE

IS LESS THAN A TENTH OF A SECOND.

THAT'S IT FOR TODAY, FOLKS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER GREAT EXCITING DAY

OF RODEO TOMORROW.

COME ON BACK AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS.

[ THUNDER ]

[MAN] WE HAVE HAD A MIRACLE IN TEXAS.

[WOMAN] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD, BUT PRAYERS ANSWERED.

IT IS RAINING IN TEXAS.

THANK GOD FOR THE RAIN. WE BEEN PRAYING FOR RAIN.

WE'RE INSIDE, SO THAT'S ALL BETTER.

BUT THIS IS THE FIRST SUBSTANTIAL RAIN

FOR WAY TOO LONG.

COME ON IN AND MAKE YOURSELF NICE AND COZY.

THE MORE ENCOURAGING THING IS THAT PEOPLE

JUST CONTINUE TO SHOW UP.

THEY JUST CONTINUE TO COME THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

[MAN] YEAH, I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT RODEO.

I MEAN, WE'VE STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT TO GO,

BUT LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME DOWN.

AND THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF GAY RODEO.

I'VE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST

ATTENDED FINALS RODEO IN IGRA HISTORY.

FROM THE FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, WE LOOK AT THE BOOKS,

I THINK WE'RE IN A STRONG POSITION.

SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR US.

I REALLY NEED TO DO WELL TODAY.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS IT.

MAKE OR BREAK.

THOSE ARE VERY COOL BOOTS.

THE FLAMES COMING OFF THE DICE.

[MAN] DAVID RENIER FROM SAN DIEGO HOPING TO CONTINUE

A HUGE DAY FROM YESTERDAY.

TEXAS COWBOY WADE EARP,

HE KNOWS HE'S GOT IT IN HIM TO DO BETTER.

COME ON, OLD MAN. YOU CAN DO THIS.

OH, IT'S A TIGHT RACE.

WADE EARP.

AND STICKS IT.

NICE TIME, TOO, WADE.

DAVID AND EASY.

DAVID RENIER, NO TIME.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE BRONC RIDER TODAY.

IT'S WADE EARP FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.

IF HE WANTS A SHOT AT THAT ALL-AROUND COWBOY BUCKLE,

HE'S GOT TO STAY ON THIS HORSE FOR SIX SECONDS.

ALL RIGHT, KIDS, IT'S GETTING LOUD IN HERE.

KEEP IT UP. I LOVE IT WHEN IT GETS LOUD.

YOU GOT IT, WADE EARP.

THAT BRONC RIDE IS GOING TO MAKE

THIS ALL-AROUND COWBOY CONTEST INTERESTING.

WE'LL FIND OUT TONIGHT AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY

JUST WHO THE NEW WORLD GAY RODEO ALL-AROUND COWBOY IS.

[MAN] WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED THIS WEEKEND.

OUR CONTESTANTS, YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB.

AND NOW FOR THE ALL-AROUND COWBOY.

[WADE] YOU KEEP GOING THROUGH IT

OVER AND OVER IN YOUR MIND.

MY HEART WAS JUST POUNDING.

IT WAS, LIKE, THIS IS IT.

[MAN] THE NEW WORLD GAY RODEO ALL-AROUND COWBOY IS...

MR. WADE EARP.

[ CHEERING ]

[WADE] TO WIN ALL-AROUND COWBOY AND TO HAVE IT HAPPEN

IN YOUR HOME STATE IN FRONT OF A HOME CROWD

WITH AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WERE UP THERE...

I DON'T THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY BETTER.

THAT'S HOW YOU WANT IT TO GO.

AND GO OUT ON TOP. THE BEST OF THE BEST.

[ RATTLING ]

BEEP.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T COVER?

I WILL GET UP, DUST MYSELF OFF,

PACK MY GEAR BAG, AND PUT IN

MY VACATION DAYS FOR THE NEXT RODEO.

[MAN] WHY STILL HAVE THE GAY RODEO?

I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE

TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE AND BE OPEN.

AND AFTER YOUR RIDE OR AFTER YOUR EVENT,

JUMP THE FENCE AND KISS THE LOVER OF YOUR CHOICE.

WHETHER THEY'RE A COMPETITOR, OR A VOLUNTEER,

OR A DANCER, OR A ROYALTY MEMBER,

WE ARE A GREAT PLACE TO BELONG.

THE CHALLENGE FOR EACH OF US

IS TO FIND WHERE WE FIT.

FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S RODEO.

GAY RODEO IS AN OUTLET FOR US

TO, LIKE, BE WHO WE ARE

AND COMPETE IN EVENTS IN SPORTS THAT WE LOVE.

AND NOT BE JUDGED FOR IT.

THEY'RE NOT JUST COMPETITORS I COMPETE WITH,

THEY'RE FAMILY TO ME.

[WADE] YOU HAVE YOUR BLOOD FAMILY, THE PEOPLE

THAT YOU'RE BORN INTO.

AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR CHOSEN FAMILY.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM BEHIND YOU

BEING THERE WHEN WE FALL DOWN,

HELPING YOU GET BACK UP.

[MAN] IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE

WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE AND NOBODY REALLY CARES.

AND THAT'S WHAT IGRA IS.

A LOT OF TIMES IT CAN BE REALLY HARD,

BUT YOU CAN BE A COWBOY AND STILL BE GAY

AND WHO YOU ARE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE IT.

IF YOU'RE TAKING RISKS IN THE ARENA IN A RODEO,

AREN'T YOU A COWBOY REALLY?

MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BE FORGIVING

AND SAY, OKAY,

THERE ARE OTHER KINDS OF COWBOYS.