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Kimberly Marsh, The Oklahoma Eagle
Tulsa Cowboy Stephen Reagor was the first African American to win a world title in College National Finals Rodeo while competing for Bacone College in Muskogee. Photo courtesy of Okmulgee Roy LeBlanc Invitational Rodeo
If you want to tame a steer that won’t heed your command, Bill Pickett offered a four-step process: Jump on it, bite its nose, grab its horns and wrestle it to the ground.
Well, maybe leave that to the legendary Black cowboy and Oklahoma icon that turned bulldogging into a popular rodeo event called steer wrestling — minus the biting.
This weekend, thousands of cowboys, cowgirls and fans from across the country will get to witness that spectacle as part of the 70th Okmulgee Roy LeBlanc Invitational Rodeo at the Bob Arrington Rodeo Arena.
Tickets are only sold in person starting at 8 a.m. Friday with gates opening at 8 p.m. Saturday will feature a parade at 4 p.m. before 8 p.m. entry time.
Held annually on the second weekend of August, the event is the “daddy of them all,” says promoter and rodeo announcer Marcous Friday.
The LeBlanc history
Historically, Black cowboys, who were often former slaves or Civil War soldiers, worked long hours in challenging conditions on Oklahoma and Texas ranches and cattle trails in the late 1890s.
They were often overlooked in the American West, as cowboys were commonly portrayed in the media by white men. However, historians believe that African Americans made up about 25% of the cowboy population in the 1800s.
The idea for the invitational began when Roy LeBlanc entered an Oklahoma rodeo of white cowboys in the 1950s, but was denied entry. He joined a group of 22 Black men to launch what would become the state’s longest-running, invitation-only, African American rodeo.
“People wanted to see Black cowboys,” said rodeo organizer Kenneth LeBlanc. “They said they could turn on the TV and watch white cowboys all day long in rodeos. But they’d seen very few Black contestants. They just didn’t know there were Black cowboys.”
Living legends grace Okmulgee
The event has since evolved into a multi-generational cultural anchor, fueled by three generations of LeBlancs, including Roy’s father Charles and sons Kenneth and Clarence of Okmulgee.
Many first-time world champions have also come through the Okmulgee-based invitational on their way to professional contests, Friday said. Clarence LeBlanc was the first African American to win a world title in professional steer wrestling. He and the family are also part of an Oklahoma Hall of Fame showcase of Clarence’s journey to champion status.
Myrtis Dightman, the 90-year-old bull rider known as the “Jackie Robinson of Rodeo,” was also a competitor in Okmulgee, according to Friday. Dightman was the first African American to ever compete at the National Finals Rodeo.
Texas cowboy Fred Whitfield graced the LeBlanc Invitational and became an eight-time world champion calf roper before retiring in 2019. Charlie Sampson, known as The “Compton Cowboy of Los Angeles,” also participated before going on to become the first African American to win a world title in professional rodeo in 1982.
This year’s invitational is being marked by the annual parade in Okmulgee and a “white out” as attendees are encouraged to wear white in a show of unity and celebration of the anniversary.
It’ll feature steer wrestling, barrel racing, calf roping and bull riding contests.
As an alternative to steer wrestling, women compete in a modified version, called steer undecorating. Instead of jumping off to wrestle it to the ground, the riders reach across its back to grab a ribbon.
Another crowd-favorite is the Pony Express relay, featuring 12 to 14 teams in a fast-paced race. It pays tribute to the historic Pony Express mail service, when riders on horseback ran as fast as they could to deliver the mail from Missouri to California, swapping horses every 10 to 15 miles.
