Earning Their Stripes

I first photographed the Louisiana State Prison Rodeo at Angola in 1985, months after I started my first job at The Alexandria Daily Town Talk. The event was small back then, and I was given the freedom to roam around the rodeo grounds, photographing who and what I wanted.

The rodeo has always been one of my favorite assignments and I went back last fall to shoot it again. The plan was for it to run in the travel section of The Dallas Morning News, but due to scheduling snafus, the story and photos fell through the cracks and when the oversight was realized, there was not time to get it into the paper before the rodeo kicked off again today.

The event has seen tremendous growth and regularly sells out every weekend. Here is the story and a few of my favorite photos.

                                 Earning their Stripes

 The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola has the reputation of being one of the toughest prisons in the country, and every fall the institution drops its guard and shows off its wild side.

   Thousands of people make their way to the remote site every Sunday in October for the annual fall rodeo. What began in 1964 as an informal recreational activity for inmates has turned into a professionally run rodeo that attracts visitors from around the world. An arts and crafts festival featuring the work of the inmates adds to the attraction.

   Billed as the "Wildest Show in the South," the rodeo features inmate cowboys with little or no riding experience competing in some not-so-average events. The day starts off with  “Bust Out,” where eight riders on eight bulls are turned loose from their gates at the same time, and ends with “Guts and Glory,” where several dozen inmates square off against a wild bull, trying to grab the prized medallion tied between its horns.

   LaRue Gaude made the two-hour drive with her family based on a recommendation from a friend. She loves craft shows and is amazed by what she has seen. “It’s unbelievable that the inmates can do this in prison,” she says of the arts and crafts that are on display.

   Her 12-year-old granddaughter Miranda Fernandez came to see the rodeo, specifically the inmate poker event and the bareback riding competition. “I like horses and know how wild they can get.”

   The thought of coming to a prison for an afternoon of fun did strike Roy Henry as a bit odd, but that didn’t stop him from bringing his wife, son, grandson and future daughter-in-law. “You’re going  to a maximum security prison with an infamous reputation, but this is as nice as any festival we’ve been to.” The Henry family was looking forward to the inmate poker event, and were also going home with a truck-load of crafts.

   Fans aren’t the only ones who get something out of the rodeo. Along with a small amount of prize money and special belt buckles for the top cowboys, the event breaks the monotony of prison life for the inmates and gives them something to look forward to.

   Daniel Richardson, a 26-year-old inmate from Covington, La., came to the rodeo as a teenager to watch his uncle compete, and now he is giving it a try. “I’m at peace when I compete,” he says. “It’s the only time I get to be myself. I’ve found something I’m good at and I want to make the most of it.”

   For inmate Malcolm Navarro, 25, of Morgan City, La., this is his first rodeo. He sees the possibility of winning some prize money as a way to help his mother. He also likes the change in the day-to-day prison life the rodeo offers. “I get to do something I never really did,” he says. “It’s just a real good adrenaline rush, something totally different.”

   Warden Burl Cain says that the break in monotony is an important aspect of the rodeo. “Hopelessness is our enemy. Our greatest challenge is to give the inmates hope.”  The chance to compete, interact with people and eat good food is used as a reward for inmates who follow the rules and stay out of trouble. Another benefit of the rodeo is the positive PR it generates for the prison. “It brings taxpayers in and shows them that we can change peoples lives,” Cain says. 

   In a state that prides itself on celebration and reverie, the Angola Prison Rodeo proves that a good time can be had anywhere, even behind bars.

                        

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