Cowtown Rodeo—the oldest weekly rodeo in the United States—opened on May 22, 2021, for its 67th season in rural Salem County, New Jersey. The rodeo offers a slice of classic Western lifestyle with events such as bull riding, tie-down roping, and barrel racing, for spectators to enjoy each Saturday evening all summer long.
Cowtown is owned and operated by the Harris family, who have been farmers and ranchers on the same land dating back 13 generations. The Harris family raises nearly all of the stock on their sprawling 1,700-acre property in Pilesgrove, New Jersey. Participants—both men and women—come from all over the country to compete in the various rodeo events.
Cowtown Rodeo is located just 7 miles from exit 1 on the Jersey Turnpike and 36 miles south of Philadelphia in Pilesgrove, New Jersey. It's also the only rodeo in the state.
Spectators tailgate in a large field behind the rodeo arena in the hours leading up to start time. Country music, grilling, and beer drinking are prevalent with a noticably convivial atmosphere.
Bull rider Jason Scales, of Ridgeway, VA, tapes his wrists prior to the night's opening event. Scales has been bull riding for three years, mainly at Cowtown.
The staging area behind the chutes acts as an unofficial green room for riders to ready their gear and mentally prepare to get on the back of an unruly 2,000-pound bull.
With recently lifted outdoor mask mandates in New Jersey, a crowd of approximately 4,000 was able to pack the stands to enjoy the first event of the season. Last year the season was delayed opening for six weeks due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with capacity restrictions to boot.
Prayer is a pillar of rodeo culture. Knowing the risk of devastating injury, riders find solace and comfort in prayer prior to the evening's events.
Bull riding is one of the most intense and exciting events at the rodeo, requiring acute mental and physical toughness. Bull riders are required to last 8 seconds on a bucking bull to receive a score—all while using just one hand.
Team-roping is the only team event in rodeo. The steer gets a headstart and two mounted ropers, called a header and a heeler, attempt to lasso the animal in the fastest possible time.
Cowtown Rodeo hosted a packed house for its 67th season opener. Attendees travel from all over the Mid-Atlantic area to witness the spectacle every summer.
Tie-down ropers await their name to be called prior to entering the ring.
Barrel racing is typically a female-only event. Riders race around in a cloverleaf pattern in the fastest time. Speed, as well as control, are vital.
Shortly after the main rodeo ends, 'slack' rodeo begins. Slack is for the overflow contestants and events that might get a bit redundant for the primetime Saturday night performance. Typically attended by hardcore rodeo fans scattered in the stands, slack events carry as much weight towards the National Championships in terms of points and lasts for about an hour after the highlighted events.
The key to tie-down roping is the personal relationship between roper and their bronco. The calf receives a head start as they race towards the advantage point. Once that point is reached, the roper is then allowed to pursue the calf, attempting to rope the calf in the fastest time possible.
The evening officially ended around 11:15 PM when most of the parking lot had cleared out and the bulk of attendees had gone home.