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00:00Strikes midnight and we're struggling to keep up from climate change to the global political climate
00:06Things are heating up and the consequences can be life-changing
00:11Oh my god now look at that. It's like somebody dropped a nuclear bomb on the whole neighborhood
00:15Pushing people to the very edges of our society. Everybody's got their own story
00:19I like to think I'm just foul on the sun. In this series
00:22I'll be reaching out to people who are living on the edge some through choice
00:26Some to a lack of choice and others because that is where they feel most at home
00:31Stand in your power being who you are and love who you are in a world where life as we know it is changing so fast
00:37That it doesn't always make sense
00:43And on this adventure I'll be joined by some of Ireland's most intrepid personalities who I go in the window
00:49Like me are willing to get a taste of life on the edge. You got somebody who talks too much. Yeah, we do
00:56If someone hates themselves bring it on
00:59I mean, I probably should say this as a traveler
01:03But the van life is not for me
01:05In order for me to give up my modern comforts it really would want to be the end of the world
01:11While in Arizona, I went to my very first rodeo
01:15There were a load of people jumping on bulls
01:17Lassoing horses
01:19And I did this very peculiar thing called goat dressing
01:23Now goat dressing is basically two people running at full speed towards a goat
01:28And slipping a pair of knickers on them
01:30I said to my friend
01:32Is that what you doing out on County Kerry?
01:34And he said no, the opposite actually
01:37So you're taking the knickers off the goat?
01:39So you're taking the knickers off the goat?
01:40Now people might say we have it easy today
01:54With all our mod cons and technology
01:56Life is certainly more convenient
01:58Smartphones mean we don't need filofaxes or diaries
02:02We don't need banks to do our banking
02:04And here in Phoenix Arizona
02:06I don't need a cab driver to drive my cab
02:09Today the US is grappling with the challenges of modern life and old-fashioned values
02:15As everybody strives to find a place in this world
02:18Phoenix Arizona is cowboy country
02:21The land where real men do rodeo
02:24Rope and reins and lots of pain
02:26And saddling up with me is a comedian
02:29Whose wit is as sharp as a cowboy spurs
02:32Enya Martin
02:33Where's the driver?
02:35Welcome to America
02:37Man, isn't it?
02:40Every year Phoenix is host to a big rodeo
02:44But this ain't any old rodeo
02:46This is the gay rodeo
02:48And I'm ready for some books and sass
02:50With a little class
02:52Welcome to the Arizona Gay Rodeo
02:54We're having a couple of days
02:56We're having a couple of days
02:57We're sitting back and we're ready to ride
02:59All right, all right, all right
03:01All right, all right
03:03Two days of cowboys, cowgirls and cowpeople
03:08Starting with Miss International Gay Rodeo Association 2025
03:13Miss Chiquilla Mockingbird
03:15This whole thing, what's it about?
03:18Well, this is the first rodeo of the year
03:20This is the Arizona Gay Rodeo
03:21So there's about 14 different rodeos
03:23That happen throughout the country
03:25So the cowboys, cowgirls, cowqueers
03:27They compete all year long
03:28And then the best of the best are invited
03:30To World Gay Rodeo Finals
03:31We're the face of the organization
03:33We help raise the funds
03:34We help make it fun
03:35So while they're out there sweating
03:37We're sweating in makeup
03:39How did it all come about with the gay rodeo?
03:41It started 50 years ago this year in Reno, Nevada
03:44And we've been doing it ever since
03:46To perpetuate and continue the country western lifestyle
03:48For queer people
03:49And then everybody's welcome at gay rodeo
03:52Not just the tough, right?
03:54So we have a really inclusive set of rules
03:57And we are very welcoming
03:59You know, a lot of our contestants are straight
04:01We're not just for gay people
04:02And we're an amateur rodeo
04:03So we want to be really open to everybody
04:05You're amazing out there
04:06Thank you
04:07Thanks, Akilah
04:08Of course
04:09First things first
04:11Rodeo school
04:12With our very own cowboy, JR
04:15Nice to meet you
04:15My name is Martin
04:16I am JR
04:17This is Enya
04:18Enya
04:19So what happens to this
04:20Is that you are taught the basics
04:23You're taught the techniques
04:24Yeah
04:24And then from that
04:26You get to try the actual event, right?
04:28So it puts you with the real animal
04:30And then you'll do shoe-dogging, for instance, right?
04:33Going out there, wrestling the animal
04:34Throwing it down to the ground
04:36And that's the event
04:37I mean, obviously coming from Ireland
04:45We don't have much experience with rodeos
04:47But one of the things I always had in my head was
04:50That it was such a hyper-masculine sport
04:53I'm saying that as a gay man
04:54But I never thought that it would be a place where a gay man could be welcomed
04:59To be totally honest with you
05:00I suppose I was very narrow-minded coming into this
05:03You know, I'm just kind of baffled that you never connected to like rodeos and the gay community
05:08But I suppose it's a bit similar to how these are so consumed by this
05:12This is like rural life to them
05:14Where in Ireland, GAA, you know
05:16People who live in rural Ireland are like consumed by the GAA
05:19So I suppose it's similar in that sense
05:21Good morning, everybody
05:23Welcome to Phoenix
05:24There's some safety rules
05:26Stay out of the way of the cattle
05:29The cattle will run over you once in a while
05:31Oh!
05:33Oh!
05:34Oh!
05:35Oh!
05:36No on-site ambulance during the rodeo still
05:38You know, if you guys wanted to try something today
05:40I would do cap roping and goat dressing
05:42Goat dressing is probably one of the most fun events
05:44So you run up, you put underwear on a goat and you run back
05:46You do that in California
05:48Sounds fun!
05:49In the opposite way
05:56Turns out that learning the ropes
05:58Actually meant learning to rope
06:00Nice to meet you, Jen
06:01Pleasure to meet you
06:02What are you roping me into?
06:04This is one of our entry events
06:06This is an event that anyone can do
06:08You don't need a horse
06:10Up and around
06:12Don't think you got it
06:13Up
06:14See, that's the problem already
06:16Maybe my wrist is too stiff
06:18So I keep...
06:20Pick a lot
06:21Hang on, so...
06:22Fire hydrant
06:24I mean, a lot of people go on about how hard it is to let Sue
06:27But let's be honest here
06:29I learned very, very quickly
06:31Or so I thought
06:32Until I saw Enya loving it
06:34Loving it under the guidance of her mentor, Janet
06:37This should be a class in itself
06:39Learning how to reel this rope in
06:40I think I'm doing this right, am I?
06:42Lassoing looks a lot easier in the cartoons
06:44But there's actually a technique
06:45It's all in the wrist
06:46How you like pull the rope and stuff like that
06:50Oh!
06:51I was going to sit last through a calf
06:53And I nearly got Janet in a headlock
06:54God love her
06:59I would say I'm still a novice
07:00But I'm getting better
07:01Put it this way
07:02I wouldn't rely on me in an emergency
07:09I couldn't help but feel concerned for the animals
07:12I'm usually the one cheering when a matador gets a bathroom
07:15But I'd been promised by the animal welfare officer
07:18That this gay rodeo takes really good care of its animals
07:21And of its riders
07:23Come on now
07:24No, no, no then
07:25Yeah
07:26It'll take more than they promised to rope me in
07:28I need to talk to the production company first to see if I'm insured
07:31While I ran for cover
07:33Lovely Jen, my lasso teacher
07:35Was killing it in the ring
07:37Jen's philosophy is a simple one
07:39Grab life by the horns
07:41You find something you love
07:43You figure everyday life
07:45Comes with its own stressors for all of us
07:47And when those stressors get amplified
07:49Whether you get a new boss at work
07:51Or you work in a high stress job
07:53You're a firefighter, a cop, a doctor
07:55This is an escape from all that
07:57So to be able to go somewhere
07:59And breathe
08:01And it's just you against the animals
08:03Now
08:04Nothing else matters
08:06Pull it
08:08What Jen said about life coming with its stresses
08:11And the need for escape
08:13Resonates here more than most places
08:15Especially now
08:17There was a sense that this safe space
08:20Is under threat in the uncertain atmosphere
08:22Of American gender politics
08:24Something that our friend JR
08:26A member of the Air Force
08:28Is all too aware of
08:29In the past month
08:30There's been a lot going on
08:32With in terms of all the policies
08:34And federal regulations
08:35That have been put in place
08:37That are really impactful to us
08:39In a negative manner
08:40And so there is a lot of uncertainty
08:43And fear around all these things
08:46Like where will it stop?
08:48Does it just stop with the trans athletes?
08:51Does it stop with trans people?
08:54You know
08:55There is a court case going on
08:56About marriage equality
08:58And bringing that back into question
09:00And so
09:01You know
09:02We don't know
09:03How much more
09:04There is to go
09:05And we have
09:06We have four years of this stuff
09:07Like
09:08We do tend to look to the US
09:10When it comes to progressiveness
09:12Especially on civil rights and things like that
09:14But there is a real sense that
09:16All of that is kind of
09:17Getting rolled back now
09:19Yeah
09:20So it is
09:21Interesting that you say that
09:22We talked about how
09:23When the US takes a step forward
09:25Everyone comes with us
09:27And then when we take a step back
09:29Everyone also falls back
09:30And so
09:31We don't want to just watch
09:32As to see what comes next
09:34And where will it end
09:35We want to take that stand now
09:37So that the world
09:38Doesn't revolve
09:39Backwards
09:40As well
09:41From talking to people
09:42You know
09:43I get a real sense that
09:44They feel as though
09:45With these new policies
09:47That rights have been rolled back
09:49And
09:50Which is kind of crazy
09:52In 2025
09:53And they are really fighting
09:56To maintain their foothold
09:58But at the same time
09:59They are promoting the sport
10:01And
10:02I fear that in time
10:03With the way policies are at the moment
10:05And how conservative the sport was traditionally
10:07That this sport may in fact
10:09Roll back also
10:10From US servicemen like JR
10:12To teachers
10:13And doctors
10:14Everyone here
10:15Is here
10:16Because they want to be
10:17It's a tribe
10:18And a way of life
10:19Savannah and Tater
10:20Both spend their weekends
10:21On the road
10:22Chasing rodeos
10:23Tell me about this kind of lifestyle
10:24It's expensive
10:25It doesn't pay you back in a single bit
10:26That's all I get
10:27Really?
10:28It really doesn't
10:29You pay a lot of entry fees
10:30And everything like that
10:31And you know
10:32It's expensive
10:33It doesn't pay you back in a single bit
10:34That's all I get
10:35It really doesn't
10:36You pay a lot of entry fees
10:37And everything like that
10:38And you know
10:40On technicality
10:41We're just here for the fun of it
10:42And if we bring money home
10:44Cool
10:45But usually you come home with not a lot
10:47I suppose it's like
10:48If you could do anything for free
10:50You would still do this
10:52Oh yeah
10:53So what events have you got?
10:54Steer, riding
10:55Careful, open on foot
10:56Goat dressing
10:57There was that word again
10:59Goat dressing
11:00I had to find out what that's all about
11:03We can show you on the dog
11:05Yeah
11:06So
11:07He's gonna grab the back legs
11:09And I'm gonna hold here
11:11And he's gonna pull the underwear onto the goat
11:13Well
11:14I wish you the best of luck
11:15For two experienced old rodeo hands
11:17They seemed very excited at the prospect of the goat dressing
11:21So we made our way to the ring
11:23Ready to give goat dressing a go
11:25Do you think she was messing when she said that they bite?
11:27No, of course they bite
11:29There's the goat there look
11:31Ah, he's got horns
11:34He's got horns though
11:36This is like a fever dream
11:38I thought it was a joke
11:40I know they say no animals were harmed in the event
11:47But Jesus
11:48Even a goat has to have some self respect
11:50You have to hold the goat's legs
11:52And your partner has to put the knickers on the goat
11:54So yeah, that was eye opening
11:57Our rodeo skew cowboy, JR, was first in line
12:01And I gotta say, he competed in style
12:04And took home the trophy
12:05I'm impressed, I'm impressed, well done
12:07We'd managed to avoid being thrown into the ring with wild animals
12:12And putting undies on a goat
12:14But I still feel we earned a real cowboy hat
12:17Try this one
12:19That goes sheriff eyes
12:21I really like this white one
12:23I reckon we could take over Arizona
12:25Dolly Parton and Kelly Rogers
12:27Yeah
12:28Dallas, who shot JR?
12:30Where is JR actually?
12:32Lookin' the part with real cowboy hats
12:34Enya and I were ready to take on the rodeo
12:35While Enya's lasso mentor, Janet
12:36Was preparing for the next event
12:38With a real horse
12:39What's this girl's name?
12:40This is crush
12:41Crush?
12:42You wanna put the brad on?
12:43Yeah, do you wanna show me?
12:44Yeah, I'll show you
12:45So first things first
12:46You always prepare yourself
12:47In case the horse goes free
12:48You never know
12:49There are horses
12:50Don't tell me that
13:03So growing up
13:06There's a lot of wild horses
13:07Within my estate
13:08In my neighbourhood
13:09And I kinda had negative experiences with them
13:12Which wasn't the horse's fault
13:14So to be beside one today
13:15It was a bit unnerving
13:17But Janet just made the whole experience
13:19really relaxing and yeah it was it was really good to kind of get that
13:23experience and I kind of got over my fear of it feel the fear do it anyway
13:27okay I feel like a pro now what is it that you love so much about it that
13:30keeps you coming back the people the people the relationships yeah have you
13:34made friends this is family oh that's that's lovely like a community oh yeah
13:39everybody helps each other I'd always thought rodeo was a dangerous place if
13:44this was a safe space for this community a rainbow rodeo where people found
13:48companionship and comfort so are you like mom and son what's what's the deal
13:53well at my first rodeo Jen kind of adopted me I I had no idea what I was
13:59doing we tend to become one big family so if we see someone struggling we help
14:04them even though in the future chances are they're gonna beat us it doesn't
14:08matter because they win it's like we win I mean this isn't your full-time job what
14:13what did you do I worked for the Philadelphia Police Department you were
14:17a cop yes I was a cop and how about yourself I noticed you got fantastic
14:21nails ah thank you what did it represent anything or I know I just found a color
14:26at Walgreens that I liked and would you feel comfortable you know being yourself
14:29at other rodeos that wouldn't be gay rodeo or honestly if you asked me five
14:34years ago I would have said no I I started coming into my own rather
14:39recently it can be a bit intimidating I work in a very conservative industry and I'm
14:43still very careful about who I tell that I do this that I'm openly by because it
14:50could cost me my job in a lot of places do you think that with the new policies in
14:54that those rights are going to be rolled back that's becoming a little bit more
14:58conservative is a little bit more precarious being out there's a time that
15:02we didn't have all these rights and we got them we just got to roll the tape and do
15:07it again I actually think it's gonna bring a lot of our community closer
15:10together we need more of a sense of community today more than ever thank
15:14you all for being here
15:24this community clearly means the world to them and the more we talked the more I
15:29could sense a real fear that politics and power mongers might bring about the
15:34end of their world I wanted to find out more from a lady who seen hard knocks
15:40how did you get into the gay rodeo stuff well it started out when I was
15:45volunteering for about 30 hours a week for HIV AIDS epidemic back in the 80s and I
15:50realized that they needed help and people were looking at them like a leper so
15:54that started the compassion and then my love of horses has been there since I was
15:59five so how was the the landscape changed from when you got into the rodeo to now
16:04I've been marching and doing everything I mean from San Francisco across the
16:08United States Woodstock you name it and now it's gone all of our rights are
16:14gone LGBTQ do not exist transgender do not exist he's an idiot I'm sorry our
16:21president do you think those people are worried are you getting that sense we're
16:26worried we're scared we are it's going backwards and forwards well history is doomed to repeat
16:33itself if you don't learn the first time it's so unusual because you're so forthcoming with your
16:38opinion well actually a lot of people are afraid to give their opinion it seems like
16:42it's extremely divisive at the moment my history I was born and raised in Germany and left there
16:47when I was 12 to come to Colorado but I went every summer for three four months I went back and
16:53stayed with my grandmother who whose husband was an SS officer for Hitler he led the death camp patrol
17:01with the tanks that was hard for me to digest so I'm watching all this happen and it just breaks my
17:10heart there are protests going on already everywhere we've lost thousands and people are losing their
17:15jobs just because they believe in being kind seriously I hope I'm wrong but for the time
17:24being I'm going to enjoy my life yeah no I'm going to enjoy my life I'm going to be grateful for every
17:28moment I have on the top side and you know what that's the place I disagree for even amongst all
17:32that in this popular space we're going to enjoy ourselves here oh here we can make the most of it
17:39stand in your power be who you are and love who you are serious words but now time for some serious
17:51fun and the only thing I have in common with ours is two left feet any kind of dancing any dance
17:57experience at all I wouldn't be familiar with line dancing but I've seen it and I look it looks like
18:02it's something I'd enjoy so this is a line dance that is really easy it the whole point of it is
18:08actually to be a good introductory beginner line dance one two step together step touch point together
18:15rocking chair eighth of a turn rotating on your toes and then back how's that feel yeah yeah six seven
18:25we were having great crack but it was time to stand aside and watch the main event which involves
18:47a large angry animal with gigantic horns and the deadliest ride in the world and by deadly I mean
18:53properly dangerous one time for the risk takers one time for the trouble makers you guys the real
19:03bull riders I think he's a real bull rider this is my first time at a rodeo how do you feel about
19:09that no I did yeah yeah I would be prickulous according to him you're the pro yeah yeah yeah don't be all
19:17humble I've been making a pro tour for three years now and I've been riding for like 10 years
19:23years so what like what kind of injuries can you expect from this kind of the book especially the
19:28bull riding so I've gotten for my arm broken four times and reconstructed four times popped out this
19:36shoulder last year at finals messed up both of my knees broken hand broke broke my thumb broke my nose and
19:45too many concussions to count but and you're going back up there yeah yeah I think like after the first
19:53time you broke your arm that's what my mom said too yeah yeah so are you excited nervous yeah I'm excited
20:01yeah well listen I'll be cheering you on thank you I'm so you're a newbie pretty much yeah this
20:08be my third ride ever actually any advice for the newbie how to not break an arm just squeeze your legs
20:15and let down yeah yeah and that's it I'd be cheering you on from the safety behind this fence best to look
20:23in my business we say break a leg but I don't think that's right I just like you know I go out on
20:42the weekend for a buzz like these people are just hopping on balls for the crack and just getting
20:45flung around like I just I don't get that aspect but look each to their own live and let live this
20:52is the way we're talking to earlier it's like considered a pro by the rest the one with all
20:57the injuries yeah after seeing him blessing himself in the shoe I bless myself too
21:01is that one under the ball that I'd be afraid of under us on top of this anywhere near us
21:20oh here we go oh god how do you think that one's tough
21:25well I don't think there's been many words to describe it it didn't go very well
21:32I think you did great you went up there for how long I think it was
21:34oh three jumps so three jumps seconds maybe
21:38you only have to do six seconds
21:40what I'm saying is that sounded really bad like yeah if I would do it even two seconds
21:48but like you did 1.5 seconds in your first attempt
21:51yeah and it was lots of fun but that was amazing my goodness that's the scariest bull I've ever ridden
21:57I mean yeah yeah third time's a charm though
22:00will you go back up I believe so those bulls are as big as cars
22:05jeeps fridges would you do it
22:07not not for all the money on the wall man not for all the money on the wall
22:11no way
22:11and at gay rodeo when the going gets tough the tough get partying
22:19swapping the dirt and dust for glitz and glitter and instead of busting bones
22:24busting a few moves
22:25JR dragged any ounce of the floor
22:28so you can't say no to a man who can whip a pair of undies onto a goat and wreck our time
22:33I've never actually danced before with anyone
22:36I was never asked him to dance in school so for JR to do that and he was a great he was a great teacher as well
22:42that was really a wholesome experience
22:44it's such a lovely atmosphere here
22:49when they say like it's a place where everyone should feel welcome like they mean it
22:54I definitely get that that sense here
22:56rodeos are tough full of people tough enough to stand together and be who they are
23:01tough enough to show kindness in a changing world
23:05that was fab
23:07that was absolutely amazing crack
23:09it was a great tie
23:11tie ends to a great weekend
23:13I never considered going to a gay rodeo
23:15didn't even know they existed before this
23:17would I go again?
23:19the best crack
23:21go and lift
23:23eh
23:29hi maritain
23:31are you ready to dive into the world of aesthetics
23:33is your face a bit too elongated
23:35like a horse
23:37doing what I'm doing
23:38I don't think it's healthy
23:39I don't
23:40the Chewne County Galway part of me is saying
23:42would you ever cop on to yourself
23:44come on to yourself
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