MLK Day Stock Show rodeo inspires future Black riders
Noah Festenstein [email protected]
To Denver area local Sadie Jackson, the opportunity to perform at the National Western Stock Show represented something more than rodeo.
The 17-year-old from Centennial competed in calf roping and barrel racing during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo at the Denver Coliseum.
“Events like this give African American cowboys and cowgirls like me a chance to show what we can do,” Jackson told The Denver Gazette on Monday night.
Sadie Jackson, 17, riding her horse during the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo for the women's calf roping event on Monday, Jan. 15 at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo.
Noah Festenstein [email protected]
Sadie Jackson, 17, riding her horse during the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo for the women’s calf roping event on Monday, Jan. 15 at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo.
The senior from Grandview High School entered the Coliseum dirt grounds to a roaring ovation from the crowd. She sprinted in with her horse for the barrel racing event.
Riders of all ages competed and showed their skills on Monday night.
Events consisted of horseback rodeo, calf roping, steer wrestling, mutton busting, the barrel racing and live performances. The night ended with the main event — bull riding.
Trevoris Zeno, a bull rider from Beaumont, TX, holding on tight to his bull during the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo at the National Western Stock on Monday, Jan. 15, at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo.
Noah Festenstein [email protected]
Trevoris Zeno, a bull rider from Beaumont, TX, holding on tight to his bull during the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo at the National Western Stock on Monday, Jan. 15, at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo.
Besides the bull riding and horseback rodeo events, riders as young as 5 years old got the chance to shine. Adults and kids competed separately. Some kids even performed just as good as their adult counterparts in the same event.
Riders came from all over the country.
Each ride in each event came with sportsmanship, cheers, laughter and most importantly, no known injuries.
Jackson said she wants to use the platform to show Black riders can do anything, even in areas where they are underrepresented.
“I am excited about tonight because I can inspire other future African American cowgirls and cowboys,” Jackson added. “There are not a lot of us out there.”