International Gay Rodeo Association

International Gay Rodeo Association
SportRodeo
Founded1985; 39 years ago (1985)
Countries United States
Most recent
champion(s)		United States
Official websiteIgra.com
Grand Entry at the Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo, put on by the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association in 2005
Bull rider at the 2007 Atlantic Stampede, put on by the Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association

The International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), founded in 1985,[1] is the sanctioning body for gay rodeos held throughout the United States and Canada. They are the largest group coordinating rodeo events specifically welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) as well as heterosexual participants and spectators. IGRA is composed of many regional gay rodeo associations, and sanctions a season of rodeo events which culminates in an annual World Gay Rodeo Finals. IGRA events are intended to allow all competitors, regardless of sexual and gender identity, to compete in rodeo sports without discrimination. The organization helps spread appreciation for Western culture and the sport of rodeo, while serving as a fundraising vehicle benefiting many charitable organizations.[2]

Competitors compete for prize money and the title of All Around Cowboy and Cowgirl at each rodeo. The winners of each event receive trophy buckles designed by the hosting association. At season's end the contestants with the highest points in each event receive invitations to the World Gay Rodeo Finals presented by IGRA. The event was renamed in 2009 from the previous "International Gay Rodeo Finals" moniker it held from its onset in Hayward, California.

The original intent of these rodeos was fundraising, and while highly competitive and structured rodeos still serve the primary purpose of being fundraisers. The money raised at the rodeo is donated to the designated charities of each association. In total IGRA and all the associated associations have donated to furthering the individual causes of all charities that are benefactors of rodeo funds.

In 2010, the IGRA archives dating from 1975 were deposited in the library collection of the Autry National Center in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, which also houses the Museum of the American West.[3][4]

  1. ^ Pimentel, Bob. "The History of Gay Rodeo," Out in All Directions: The Almanac of Gay and Lesbian America, Warner Books, 1995. ISBN 0-446-51822-0
  2. ^ "About Us," International Gay Rodeo Association, accessed 3 July 2011 Archived March 29, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Autry Libraries awarded NHPRC grant". Libraries.theautry.org. 2010-07-02. Archived from the original on 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  4. ^ Hinton, Gregory. "Better Two than One: The Shirts from Brokeback Mountain," pp. 118-122 in The Brokeback Book: From Story to Cultural Phenomenon, ed. William R. Handley: Bison Books, University of Nebraska Press, 2011 ISBN 978-0-8032-2664-7