Rodeo as Refuge, Rodeo as Rebellion: Gender, Race, and Identity in the American Rodeo by Elyssa Ford

Abstract

Reviewed by: Rodeo as Refuge, Rodeo as Rebellion: Gender, Race, and Identity in the American Rodeo by Elyssa Ford Diana M. Vela Rodeo as Refuge, Rodeo as Rebellion: Gender, Race, and Identity in the American Rodeo. By Elyssa Ford. (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2020. Pp. 288. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.) Any serious book-length study of race- and group-specific rodeo is a welcome addition to this growing area of scholarship. Elyssa Ford’s goal is to provide “a comparative analysis that will reveal the similar stories of rodeo creation and involvement, its varied uses over time, and the role of history and identity within each rodeo” (7). Ford examines five groups: the charreada (and the escaramuza who compete within the charreadas), pa’u riding in Hawaii, Native American rodeo, Black rodeo, and gay rodeo. These rodeos are examined against the dominant “heterosexual, White competitors to find stories of other people” (5). The three chapters that work together most seamlessly toward the stated goal are those on the charreada, the Native American rodeo, and the Black rodeo. These chapters offer a helpful comparison of how the rodeos are similar while differences among them emerge: the charreada focuses more on groups, team, and cultural unity, with Black rodeo placing a larger emphasis on reclaiming “their cultural heritage as residents of the American West” (114) and on training and education. Ford points out that Native Americans did not turn by choice to ranching, and by extension rodeo, as with the previous two groups. However, because of their “connections to animals and land,” this group has used “ranching and rodeo to adapt to the changes forced on them by the government” (99). Ford examines the disparity in opportunity for these specific groups to compete in the White-dominated rodeos sanctioned by the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association (WPRA). Talent, drive, and experience do not completely compensate for access to a high dollar horse for any of the groups discussed above. All three groups promoted, and continue to promote, their heritage within their rodeos in distinct and definable ways. There are few studies of gay rodeo. While this subject’s fit within the book is not as neat as the previous three—a point the author acknowledges by noting that its “origins have more to do with a desire for a place for gays and lesbians to live the so-called Western lifestyle” (152)—she finds points of connection and draws comparison to the charreada, which is more focused on providing a like-group celebration than an education or experience for others and outsiders. Men and women compete together [End Page 219] but are judged separately, and of the rodeos discussed in this book, gay rodeo is the most equal and welcoming to all competitors. The chapter on the pa’u riders, while interesting, does not seem to fit despite the author’s suggestion that history, traditions, and gender relationship function “in many of the same ways as the other rodeo circuits” (50). That island riders are geographically cut off from the PRCA and WPRA circuits makes comparisons and the study of the evolution of Hawaiian rodeo difficult. The pa’u riders are unique. The book suffers a bit from inaccuracies and lack of clarity. The author states “rodeo is a place where man dominates beast in a re-creation of the so-called taming of the West” (12). This entirely discounts the very real and widely acknowledged display of ability, skill, technique, showmanship for both horse and rider, as well as the partnership between horse and rider. Additionally, Ford says that barrel racers are “refused admittance to the PRCA” but fails to clarify that this is because barrel racing is not a PRCA event, nor does the WPRA want it to be at this time. Despite these oversights, among others, this book is still a good exploration into a field that deserves much more study. Diana M. Vela National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Copyright © 2021 The Texas State Historical Association