Young Riders

The sound and fury of a modern rodeo is a study in generational shift.  As the contestants in this traditional competition come increasingly from a new generation, they bring with them a totally new perspective and interpretation. Gucci sunglasses and Stetson hats, cell phones and bull-riding, it’s clear that something completely new is being forged in the collision of classic and contemporary. Many of these contradictions are not apparent to those who embody them, partly because they’ve internalized so many of these modern elements that they literally cannot imagine leaving them behind. For these youths, the rodeo is not an exercise in anachronistic romanticism, or else we would expect some devotion to historical purity. This is a vibrant expression of self in a changing world, and they are leaving an indelible imprint.