Helpmates of the Rodeo

Abstract

This article provides an ethnographic account of women as supporting agents for professional cowboys and the rodeo enterprise. This research draws from participant observation, field interviews, western folklore and historical accounts, and Internet group discussions to provide a frame for and interpretation of women's patronage of rodeo cowboys. The primary data are derived from interviews with rodeo cowboys and women who are involved in rodeo life in various supporting roles. Interviews with professional cowboys provide validation of the vital nature of supporting roles for the success of rodeo careers. The analysis places women's supporting performances in historical and ideological contexts and illuminates the gendered nature of the rodeo as a professional sport.