International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) Collection
name: label: Donor
content: International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA)
topic: label: Topic
content: LGBTQ+
label: Topic
content: Rodeos -- United States
label: Topic
content: Cowboys
label: Topic
content: Posters
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated to the Archives Center by the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), Inc., through Michael Lentz, Director, in December 2024.
setName: label: See more items in
content: International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) and its Member Associations. Collection contains rodeo programs, posters, and ephemera.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: "With ten years of gay rodeo history already in the record books, a gathering of rodeo junkies gathered to formalize the future of gay rodeo in Denver in September of 1985. Nine months of preparation already had been invested in efforts to assure the continuity, growth, and heritage of the Country/Western lifestyle in the gay community. Colorado, Texas, California, and Arizona were each represented by five delegates. The convention opened by recognizing the newly formed Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association and their four delegates.

"The five founding states of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) elected Wayne Jakino as their Founding President and formally adopted the Articles of Incorporation in the state of Colorado. They ratified the bylaws, approved events, standardized rodeo rules, and committed the organization to the fostering of national and international amateur rodeo and other equestrian competition and related arts, crafts and activities which encourage the education on or preservation of "Country/Western" lifestyle heritage.

"History has recorded 14 gay rodeos (nine Reno rodeos, three Colorado rodeos, one Texas rodeo and one California rodeo) prior to the formation of IGRA. The convention also scheduled the sanctioned rodeo season for 1986, running from November 1, 1985 to October 31, 1986:

Texas - November, 1985;
Arizona - January, 1986;
California - March, 1986;
Colorado - June, 1986;
Oklahoma - July, 1986;
Convention - September, 1986 (in Denver).

"As with any large organization, there are losses as well as gains. Over the years Oregon, the Cowboy State (Wyoming), Silver State (Nevada), Tri-State (Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky), Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia) and Big Sky (Montana) were not able to keep their individual members active and their organizations have since dissolved. Two of those associations were able to reorganize and become involved with IGRA. That was the state of Nevada, who joined as the Nevada Gay Rodeo Association (NGRA), and the Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Assocition (PNWGRA).

"The International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) currently has many Member Associations representing states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces. IGRA is going strong and hopes that you will get involved with one of our Member Associations or perhaps promote the formation of a new association where IGRA is not active."

Source

This edited history was taken from the International Gay Rodeo Association website: http://gayrodeohistory.org/GayRodeoHistory.htm last accessed April 2025.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.2 Cubic feet (7 boxes, 18 map-folders)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1979-2024, undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1634
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Ephemera
label: Type
content: Newsletters
label: Type
content: Posters
label: Type
content: Magazines (periodicals)
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged in three series.

Series 1: Member Associations, 1979-2024, undated

Series 2: International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), Conventions, 
Dance Contests, and Ephemera, 1992-2019

Series 3: Magazines and Ephemera, 1988-2014
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., archivist, supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist, 2025.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera
label: Genre/Form
content: Newsletters
label: Genre/Form
content: Posters
label: Genre/Form
content: Magazines (periodicals)
scopecontent: label: Content Description
content: Archival material from the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), including newsletters, posters, programs, and ephemera. A nation-wide range of materials from Member Associations of IGRA. Posters and programs are noted for the variety and inventiveness of their graphics. Programs contain a listing of events, sponsors, advertisers, buckle sponsors, and illustrations. Ephemera is most often brochures and broadsides advertising rodeos, dance contests, or other events associated with IGRA and member associations.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials in the Archives Center

Michio and Aveline Kushi Macro-Biotics Collection (NMAH.AC.0619)

The Shamrock Bar: Photographs and Interviews (AC.0857)

John-Manuel Andriote Victory Deferred Collection (NMAH.AC.1128)

Archives Center Wedding Documentation Collection (NMAH.AC.1131)

Division of Science, Medicine, and Society HIV/AIDS Reference Collection (NMAH.AC.1134)

John-Manuel Andriote Hot Stuff: A Brief History of Disco Collection (NMAH.AC.1184)

Joan E. Biren (JEB) Queer Film Museum Collection (NMAH.AC.1216)

World AIDS Institute (WAI) Collection (NMAH.AC.1266)

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) Records (NMAH.AC.1282)

Helping Persons with AIDS (HPA) Records (NMAH.AC.1283)

DC Cowboys Dance Company Records (NMAH.AC.1312)

Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers (NMAH.AC.1334)

David Hadley Rockwell New York Disco Ephemera Collection (NMAH.AC.1342)

Leonard P. Hirsch Federal Globe Records (NMAH.AC.1357)

Corbett Reynolds Papers (NMAH.AC.1390)

Mark Segal Papers (NMAH.AC.1422)

The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection (NMAH.AC.1428)

Academy of Washington Records (NMAH.AC.1458)

Matthew Shepard Papers (NMAH.AC.1463)

I'm From Driftwood Records (NMAH.AC.1503)

Archives Center Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection (NMAH.AC.1513)

Magie Dominic Caffe Cino Collection (NMAH.AC.1596)

Walter S. Albano Papers (NMAH.AC.1599)

Bishop V. Gene Robinson Papers (NMAH.AC.1600)

The Division of Political History holds artifacts related to gay activist Franklin Kameny and a variety of political buttons. They also hold LGBT related artifacts from Joan E. Biren (JEB). The Division of Medical Science holds artifacts related to the LGBT community.