8 Seconds Rodeo founder–Ivan McClellan. Photo: 8 Seconds Rodeo

Black cowboy culture took center stage at the Liacouras Center when the 8 Seconds Rodeo came to town.

By Denise Clay-Murray

When Au‘Vion (A.V.) Horton was a child in his hometown of Hope, Arkansas, his mother took him to his first rodeo.

As someone who was already fascinated with parts of the cowboy culture — he was already fascinated with all things horses — the rodeo was a highlight for him.

Especially when the bull riders came out.

“When I went to my first rodeo, the bulls came up, and I was like, yeah, that’s something I want to do,” he said.

When his high school’s Future Farmers of America chapter held its annual rodeo, he wanted to participate in the bull riding competition. But in order to do that, he had to get permission from his grandmother, who was acting as his guardian while his mother worked out of town.

Fans watching the 8 Seconds Rodeo exhibit.–Photo: 8 Seconds Rodeo

The thought of her grandson on a bull’s back was a non-starter for her, Horton said.

“She told me no,” he said. “No, you’re not doing that. That’s dangerous. So, I came back around and told her, this is for my grades. So, I lied to her so I can ride bulls, and I hid it for like, two years. Last year I had won, like, my first competition. And then that’s when I came out and told them. I thought they were gonna be mad, but they were just surprised.”

When the 8 Seconds Rodeo put the culture of Black Cowboys in the spotlight at the Liacouras Center last Saturday, audiences saw Horton, and Tank Adams ride bulls, and The Bluebird Riders and Kandra Demery compete as barrel racers for $60,000 in prize money.

But most importantly, you’ll see that despite what you may have been taught, there is a culture of Black rodeo…and it’s thriving.

Mutton Busting event—Photo: 8 Seconds Rodeo

“You can’t reclaim what you’ve owned all along,” said Ivan McClellan, founder of 8 Seconds Rodeo. “We’re not reclaiming the culture. We’re spotlighting it, and we’re and we’re illuminating it to the world and saying, this is 100% as much a part of Black culture as our innovations in music, and our excellence in sports.”

McClellan, a photographer, artist and designer by trade, got connected to Black rodeo in 2015 when he was invited to a rodeo in Oklahoma. He didn’t know that something like it existed, and once he saw it, he was hooked, McClellan said.

“I saw people doing the cupid shuffle in their boots,” he said. “I saw thousands of Black cowboys, women riding around barrels at 50 miles an hour with acrylic nails, clutching the reins and braids blowing behind them, young men riding horses in Jordans and basketball shorts…and I just fell in love with the culture. I was trying to take pictures and eat a smoked turkey leg and drink a Strawberry Pop all at the same time. I was just over overwhelmed and in love with it immediately.”

After publishing a book on Black rodeo and working with brands to get these athletes noticed and paid, he also noticed that these rodeo stars were getting paid less than their white peers. So, in 2023, he decided to create something that would introduce the culture to those who may not know about it and reinforce it for those who do, McClellan said. And 8 Seconds Rodeo was born.

The 8 Seconds Rodeo has done shows on the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, but the show at the Liacouras Center will be its first on the East Coast. While McClellan’s move to Chester County last October played a part in making Philadelphia the rodeo’s first East Coast show, the culture of Black cowboys in the region overall and in the city, also helped, he said.

Photo: 8 Seconds Rodeo

“You know, I say we’re not bringing the rodeo to Philadelphia. We’re building the rodeo in Philadelphia,” he said. “It’s a very specific event to this region. In this area, we’re not just pulling up the tour buses, doing our show and leaving. I’ve been embedded with the cowboys here for months and have great relationships with cowboys and cowgirls that grew up in Philadelphia, like Aaron Brown, who grew up in the Fletcher Street Stables and now runs the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy. I’ve been to the Fletcher Street Stables and hung out with the Cowboys down there. They’re all going to be in attendance at the rodeo, and they’re super excited, you know, to have their culture celebrated in this way.

Horses have been riding up and down the streets of Philadelphia for hundreds of years with Black men on their backs. It’s, it’s just amazing to see how far it’s come.”

In addition to the barrel riding, bull riding and bronco busting competitions being held as part of the rodeo, there will also be chances for the audience to get some hands-on connection to the rodeo, McClellan said. When the doors opened at 3pm., attendees were able to learn line dances, with DJ Diamond Kuts providing the soundtrack, ride a mechanical bull, learn how to rope a steer, and watch the athletes warm up before the competition. There was a chance for children to win $500 by riding a sheep in a Mutton Busting competition; and a chance to get that new cowboy hat or cowboy boots from one of the Black-owned businesses vending at the event.