Gay Rodeo Saddles Up

RAWHIDE, ARIZONA - About 5,000 people are expected to gather for the Road Runner Regional Rodeo this weekend at Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass.
Road Runner Regional, hosted by the Arizona Gay Rodeo Association, is the first rodeo at Rawhide since it opened in December on the Gila River Reservation, just south of Ahwatukee Foothills.
Rawhide relocated from Scottsdale.
This year, the AGRA is expecting to attract larger rodeo audiences than ever, in addition to international media, thanks to the buzz created by the film Brokeback Mountain, a love story between two cowboys that is in theaters now.
The rodeo weekend will feature traditional events like bull riding and calf roping, but also events that are unique to gay rodeo like steer decorating and wild drag race.
In recent years, this year especially, wider audiences are embracing gay rodeo.
"There is growing appreciation of what gay people bring to society and that we're really just normal people and we do normal things," said Brian Helander, president of the International Gay Rodeo Association, who will be competing at the rodeo.
from AZ Central