Contestants

the culture that rides with style

Midwest Black International Rodeo returns to Bakersfield.

You won't find them in Hollywood's old Western movies, except maybe as slaves or comics. You won't find them in history books either. They are the black cowboys of the late 1800s. From the plantations of the South to the plains of Texas, black cowboys made their mark on the subduing of the vast western territories, keeping the peace with indigenous peoples, "putting out fires" as buffalo soldiers sent to hot spots, and later as cowboys in America's cattle industry and gaining fame and glory in the rodeos of our nation.

Midwest Invitational Rodeo contestants are a diverse group in the sense that we are Nurses, Counselors, Business Owners, Construction Workers, Teachers,  and Office Managers. And yes, some are Ranchers, Horse Trainers, and full time COWBOYS. Some were raised in the country, some in the inner cities. But we all share a common love for the sport of Rodeo and the Cowboy Way of Life!