Arizona Black Rodeo Celebrates Our Western Roots, Provides Fun for Local Families

One of our great, local Black community traditions – the Arizona Black Rodeo – returns to the Rawhide Western Town & Event Center on the Gila River Indian Community every spring.

Thousands of Valley residents pack the stands for two shows on one magical night at Rawhide to see Black cowboys and cowgirls (competitors of all races participate) show off their bull riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, steer undecorating and barrel racing skills! These rodeo competitors go hard in the dirt!

The atmosphere is filled with old school music, families, good food and Black history!

The crowd is always electrified when a bull, calf or horse charges out of the gate during the rodeo events.

Between events, the crowds are entertained by line dancers from Shades of Distinction, a local urban line dance group.

The Arizona Black Rodeo is a great family event that does a wonderful and important job of preserving Black Western American culture. History notes that one out of every six cowboys was an African American and the rodeo continues to celebrate the black cowboys and cowgirls who blazed trails into what was then the New West.

To learn more about the annual Arizona Black Rodeo (presented by the Arizona Informant Foundation), visit azblackrodeo.com.

2018 AZ Black Rodeo Images

By DLSmith Photography