Fort Worth police

Cowboys of Color Rodeo Highlight of Fort Worth Stock Show on MLK Jr. Day

There are things you expect to see at the Fort Worth Stock Show; cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and cowboys. On Monday, a crowd favorite featured bucking broncos and bucking stereotypes.

"I've been coming here 30-years, since I was a kid," explained Timesha Brown as she sold programs on the concourse outside the Cowboys of Color Rodeo, one of her favorite events. "Well, growing up I didn't know there were, like, black cowboys."

"I'm a calf roper," said Stephen Robinson, who is also a Fort Worth police officer. "As far as I can remember, I've known cowboys to be black, white, Hispanic, all races."

Robinson said Hollywood movies helped perpetuate cowboys stereotypes he bucks when he steps in the arena.

"You watch old Westerns, there's mostly whites and Hispanics in Westerns," said Robinson. "They never mention any black cowboys, but there's a lot of us out here."

The rodeo was held on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The civil rights leader didn't mention mutton busting or calf roping, but his dream was alive among the competitors in the arena, and in the audience watching them.

"This is my second time coming here," said 7-year old Markus Hendrix. "He's gonna talk about this for the rest of the week or so," explained Markus' dad, Todd Hendrix.

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