“These men tango with beasts. They dance with the devil. They ride. Traveling from one small town rodeo to the next across wide open spaces, bull riders live a life of legend and little. They put their bodies and heartbeats on the line. They are born with a Thirst for Grit.”
“Thirst for Grit” is my own personal glimpse into the lives and culture of rodeo bull riders in small-town Texas. I have traveled thousands of hot and dusty miles with these men over the last two summers and I’ve spent many hours at the buckin’ chutes and beyond to learn the way of the rodeo cowboy, to learn of what drives him to do what he does. He will risk life and limb and he’ll tell you that riding is in his blood. Some are adrenaline junkies while others are disciplined athletes. Some are rowdy womanizers and others are steadfast husbands and fathers. They share a brotherhood for those who will tighten his rope and nod his head to ride the beast, gunning for eight seconds, to thrill a crowd, a brotherhood built on toughness and loyalty.
I hope you enjoy this on-going photo essay, and I look forward to sharing more as the project continues to unfold. – Lance Rosenfield
Lance Rosenfield is a freelance commercial and editorial photographer based in Austin, Tx.
View is rodeo essay at rosenfieldphotography.com.
