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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
02:54The Arizona Gay Rodeo
02:55In the Arizona Gay Rodeo
02:58Grab a couple of days
02:59And sit back and she's ready to ride
03:01All right, all right
03:03All right, all right
03:04two days of cowboys cowgirls and cow people starting with Miss
03:09International Gay Rodeo Association 2025 Miss Tequila Mockingbird this whole
03:16thing what's it about like well this is the first rodeo of the year this is
03:20Arizona gay rodeo so there's about 14 different rodeos that happen throughout
03:24the country so the cowboys cowgirls cow queers they compete all year long and
03:28then the best of the best are invited to work a rodeo finals we're the face of
03:32the organization we help raise the funds we help make it fun so while they're
03:36out there sweating we're sweating in makeup how did it all come about the
03:40gay rodeo it started 50 years ago this year in Reno Nevada and we've been doing
03:45it ever since to perpetuate and continue the country Western lifestyle for queer
03:49people and then everybody's welcome at gay rodeo not just the tough and right so
03:54we we have a really inclusive set of rules and we are very welcoming you know a lot
04:00of our contestants are straight we're not just for gay people and we're an
04:02amateur rodeo so we want to be really open to everybody you're amazing out
04:06there thank you thanks Tequila of course first things first rodeo school with our
04:13very own cowboy JR nice to meet you my name is Martin I am JR this is
04:18Enya and yeah so what happens today was that you are taught the basics you're taught the
04:23techniques yeah and then from that you get to try the actual event all right so it
04:28puts you with the real animal and then you'll do shoe-dogging for instance right
04:32going out there wrestling the animal throwing down to the ground and that's
04:36the event
04:43I mean obviously coming from Ireland we don't have much experience with rodeos
04:47but one of the things I always had my head was that was such a hyper masculine
04:52sport I'm saying that as a gay man but I never thought it would be a place where a
04:57gay man could be welcomed to be totally honest with you I suppose I was very
05:02narrow-minded coming into this you know I'm just kind of baffled that you never
05:06connected to you like rodeos and the gay community but I suppose it's a bit
05:10similar to how these are so consumed by this this is like rural life to them
05:14we're in Ireland GAA you know people who live in rural Ireland are like consumed by
05:18the GAA so I suppose it's similar in that sense good morning everybody welcome
05:23to Phoenix there's some safety rules stay out of the way of the cattle the
05:29cattle will run over you once in a while
05:35no on-site ambulance during the rodeo still you know if you guys want to try
05:40something today I would do cap roping and go dressing go dressing is probably one of the most fun events
05:44so you run up you put underwear on a goat and you run back to do that in California
05:48sounds fun
05:49in the opposite way
05:51turns out that learning the ropes actually meant learning to rope
06:01nice to meet you Jen
06:02pleasure to meet you
06:03what are you roping me into
06:04this is one of our entry events this is an event that anyone can do you don't need a horse
06:10up and around
06:12don't think you got it
06:14up
06:15see that's the problem already
06:16I mean my wrist is too stiff
06:18so I keep
06:20I mean a lot of people go on about how hard it is to let Sue but let's be honest here
06:30I learned very very quickly
06:32or so I thought until I saw Enya loving it under the guidance of her mentor Janet
06:37this should be a class in itself learning how to reel this rope in
06:41I think I'm doing this right am I
06:43lassoing looks a lot easier in the cartoons but there's actually a technique it's all in the wrist
06:47how you like pull the rope and stuff like that
06:49oh
06:51I was going to lasso a calf and I nearly got Janet in a headlock god love her
06:55I would say I'm still a novice but I'm getting better put it this way I wouldn't rely on me in an emergency
07:04I 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've been promised by the animal welfare officer that this gay rodeo takes really good care of its animals
07:21and of its riders
07:25it'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 in charge
07:31while I ran for cover lovely Jen my lasso teacher was killing it in the ring
07:37Jen's philosophy is a simple one grab life by the horns
07:41you find something you love you figure everyday life comes with its own stresses for all of us
07:47and those stresses get amplified whether you get a new boss at work
07:50or you work in a high stress job you're a firefighter a pub a doctor
07:55this is an escape from all that
07:57so to be able to go somewhere and breathe
08:01and it's just you against the animals
08:03nothing else matters
08:04what Jen said about life coming with its stresses and the need for escape
08:13resonates here more than most places especially now
08:17there was a sense that this safe space is under threat in the uncertain atmosphere of American gender politics
08:24something that our friend J.R. a member of the Air Force is all too aware of
08:29in the past month there's been a lot going on with in terms of all the policies and federal regulations
08:35that have been put in place that are really impactful to us in a negative manner
08:40and so there is a lot of uncertainty and fear around all these things
08:46like how where will it stop does it just stop with the trans athletes
08:51does it stop with trans people you know there's a court case going on about marriage equality
08:58and bringing that back into question and so you know we don't know how much more there is to go
09:05and we have uh we have uh four years of this stuff
09:08like we do tend to look to the U.S. when it comes to progressiveness
09:12especially on civil rights and things like that
09:15there's a real sense that all of that's kind of getting rolled back now
09:19yeah so it's interesting that you say that
09:22we talked about how when the U.S. takes a step forward everyone comes with us
09:27and then when we take a step back everyone also falls back
09:30and so we don't want to just watch as to see what comes next and where will it end
09:35we want to take that stand now so that the world doesn't revolve backwards as well
09:41from talking to people you know I get a real sense that they feel as though with these new policies
09:47that rights have been rolled back and which is kind of crazy in 2025
09:54um and they're really fighting to maintain their foothold
09:58but at the same time they're promoting the sport and I fear that in time with the way policies are at the moment
10:05and how conservative this sport was traditionally that this sport may in fact roll back also
10:14from U.S. servicemen like JR to teachers and doctors
10:18everyone here is here because they want to be
10:21it's a tribe and a way of life
10:24Savannah and Tater both spend their weekends on the road chasing rodeos
10:29tell me about this kind of lifestyle
10:31it's expensive it doesn't pay you back in a single bit
10:34really it really doesn't
10:36you pay a lot of entry fees and everything like that and you know on technicality we're just here for the fun of it
10:42and if we bring money home cool but usually you come home with not a lot
10:47I suppose it's like if you could do anything for free
10:50you would still do this
10:52oh yeah
10:53so what events have you got steer riding
10:55calf roping 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
11:05so he's gonna grab the back legs
11:09and I'm gonna hold here and he's gonna pull the underwear onto the goat
11:13well I 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 rink ready 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
11:46but jesus
11:47even 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
11:56our rodeo school cowboy JR
11:59was first in line
12:01and I gotta say
12:02he competed in style
12:03and took home the trophy
12:05I'm impressed
12:06I'm impressed
12:07well done
12:08we'd managed to avoid being thrown into the ring with wild animals
12:12and putting undies on a goat
12:13but I still feel we earned a real cowboy hat
12:17try this one
12:18that goes sheriff eyes
12:20I really like this white one
12:22I reckon we could take over Arizona
12:24Dolly Parton and Kelly Rogers
12:26yeah
12:27Dallas who shot JR
12:29where is JR actually
12:31look at the part with real cowboy hats
12:40Enya and I were ready to take on the rodeo
12:43while Enya's lasso mentor Janet
12:45was preparing for the next event
12:47with a real horse
12:48what's this girl's name
12:49this is crush
12:50crush
12:51you want to put the brad on
12:52yeah do you want to show me
12:53yeah I'll show you
12:54so first things first
12:56is always
12:57you always prepare yourself
12:58in case the horse goes free
13:00you'll never know
13:01they're horses
13:02don't tell me that
13:05so growing up
13:06there's a lot of wild horses
13:07within my estate
13:08my neighbourhood
13:09and I kind of had
13:10negative experiences with them
13:12which wasn't the horse's fault
13:13so
13:14to be beside one today
13:15it was a bit unnerving
13:16but like Janet
13:17just made the whole experience
13:18really relaxing
13:19and
13:20yeah it was
13:21it was really good
13:22to kind of get that experience
13:23and I kind of got over my fear a bit
13:25feel the fear
13:26do it anyway
13:27I feel like a pro now
13:28what is it that you love so much about it
13:29that keeps you coming back
13:30the people
13:31the people
13:32the relationships
13:33yep
13:34have you made friendships
13:35this is family
13:36ah that's lovely
13:37like a community
13:38oh yeah
13:39everybody helps each other
13:40I'd always thought rodeo
13:42was a dangerous place
13:43yet this was a safe space
13:44for this community
13:45a rainbow rodeo
13:47where people found companionship
13:48and comfort
13:49so are you like
13:50mom and son
13:51what's the deal
13:52well at my first rodeo
13:54uh Jen kind of adopted me
13:56uh
13:57I had no idea what I was doing
13:58we tend to become one big family
14:00ah
14:01so if we see someone struggling
14:02we help them
14:03even though
14:04in the future
14:05chances are they're gonna beat us
14:06it doesn't matter
14:07cause they win
14:08it's like
14:09we win
14:10and I mean
14:11this isn't your full time job
14:12what did you do
14:13I worked for the
14:14philadelphia police department
14:15you were a cop
14:16yes I was a cop
14:17yes I was a cop
14:18yeah
14:19and how about yourself
14:20I noticed you've got fantastic nails
14:21ah thank you
14:22well did it represent anything
14:23or
14:24ah no I just found a colour
14:25at Walgreens that I liked
14:26and
14:27and would you feel comfortable
14:28you know being yourself
14:29at other rodeos
14:30that wouldn't be gay rodeo
14:31or
14:32honestly uh
14:33if you had asked me five years ago
14:34I would have said no
14:35uh
14:36I started coming into my own
14:38rather recently
14:39it can be a bit intimidating
14:40I work in a very conservative industry
14:42and I'm still
14:43very careful
14:44about who I tell
14:45uh
14:46that I do this
14:47that I'm
14:48openly by
14:49because it could cost me
14:50my job
14:51in a lot of places
14:52do you think that
14:53with the new policies in
14:54that those rights
14:55are gonna be rolled back
14:56it's becoming a little bit
14:57more conservative
14:58is it a little bit more precarious
14:59being out
15:00there's a
15:01time that we didn't have
15:02all these rights
15:03and we got them
15:04we just gotta roll the tape
15:06and do it again
15:07I actually think it's gonna bring
15:08a lot of our community
15:09closer together
15:10we need more of a sense of community
15:12today more than ever
15:13thank you all for being here
15:14thanks for talking to me guys
15:15I love you
15:24this community clearly means the world to them
15:27and the more we talked
15:28the more I could sense a real fear
15:30that politics and power mongers
15:32might bring about the end of their world
15:36I wanted to find out more from a lady
15:38who seen Hard Knocks
15:39how did you get into the gay rodeo stuff
15:42well it started out when I was volunteering
15:44for about 30 hours a week
15:45for HIV AIDS epidemic
15:47back in the 80s
15:48and I realized that they needed help
15:51and people were looking at them
15:52like a leper
15:53so that started the compassion
15:55and then my love of horses
15:57has been there since I was five
15:58so
15:59how has the landscape changed
16:01from when you got into the rodeo
16:02to now
16:03I've been marching and doing everything
16:05I mean from San Francisco
16:06across the United States
16:07Woodstock
16:08you name it
16:09and now
16:10it's gone
16:11all of our rights are gone
16:13LGBTQ do not exist
16:15transgender do not exist
16:17he's an idiot
16:19I'm sorry
16:20our president
16:21do you think those people are worried
16:23are you getting that sense
16:25we're worried
16:26we're scared
16:27we are
16:28it's going backwards
16:29instead of forwards
16:30yeah
16:31well history is doomed to repeat itself
16:33if you don't learn the first time
16:34it's so unusual
16:35because you're so forthcoming
16:37with your opinion
16:38well actually a lot of people are afraid
16:40to give their opinion
16:41it seems like it's extremely divisive
16:42at the moment
16:43my history
16:44I was born and raised in Germany
16:46and left there when I was 12
16:47to come to Colorado
16:49but I went
16:50every summer for three four months
16:52I went back and stayed with my grandmother
16:53who
16:54whose husband was an SS officer
16:56for Hitler
16:57he led the death camp patrol
17:00with the tanks
17:01that was hard for me to digest
17:04so I'm watching all this happen
17:08and it just breaks my heart
17:10there are protests going on already
17:11everywhere
17:12everywhere
17:13we've lost thousands
17:14and people are losing their jobs
17:15just because they believe
17:17in being kind
17:20seriously
17:21I hope I'm wrong
17:22but for the time being
17:23I'm going to enjoy my life
17:24yeah
17:25I'm going to enjoy my life
17:26I'm going to be grateful
17:27for every moment I have
17:28on the top side
17:29and you know what
17:30that's the place I disagree for
17:31even amongst all that
17:32in this popular space
17:33we're going to enjoy ourselves here
17:35and we're going to be ourselves
17:36well here we can let Lou
17:37make the most of it
17:38stand in your power
17:39be who you are
17:40and love who you are
17:41serious words but now time for some serious fun
17:51and the only thing I have in common with a horse
17:53is two left feet
17:54any kind of dancing
17:55any dance experience at all
17:56I wouldn't be familiar with line dancing
17:59but I've seen it
18:00and it looks like it's something I'd enjoy
18:03so this is a line dance that is really easy
18:06the whole point of it is actually to be a good introductory beginner line dance
18:10one
18:11one
18:12two
18:13step together
18:14step
18:15touch
18:16point
18:17together
18:18rocking
18:19chair
18:20eighth of a turn
18:21rotating on your toes
18:22and then back
18:23how's that feel?
18:24yeah yeah yeah yeah
18:25okay step
18:26six
18:27seven
18:28come out tonight
18:29it's going to be a good time
18:30we can enjoy that
18:31great job
18:32I'll stick to the comedy
18:33I'll stick to the comedy
18:41we were having great crack
18:42but it was time to stand aside and watch the main event
18:45which involves a large angry animal with gigantic horns and the deadliest ride in the world
18:51and by deadly I mean properly dangerous
18:54one time for the risk takers
18:58one time for the troublemakers
19:01you guys the real bull riders?
19:03I think he's a real bull rider
19:05this is my first time at a rodeo in London
19:07how do you feel about that?
19:08excited
19:09yeah?
19:10yeah
19:11I would be prick in it
19:12according to him you're the pro
19:14okay yeah
19:15yeah yeah yeah
19:16don't be all humble
19:17I've been making a boat tour for three years now
19:21and I've been riding for like ten years
19:23so what like
19:24what kind of injuries can you expect from this kind of
19:26especially the bull riding?
19:28so I've gotten
19:30my arm broken four times and reconstructed four times
19:34popped out the shoulder last year at finals
19:37messed up both of my knees
19:40broken hand
19:41broke my thumb
19:43broke my nose
19:44and too many concussions to count
19:46but
19:47and you're going back up there?
19:49yeah
19:50yeah
19:51I think like after the first time you broke your arm
19:55that's what my mom said too
19:56yeah?
19:57yeah
19:58so are you excited?
19:59nervous?
20:00yeah I'm excited
20:01yeah?
20:02well listen
20:03I'll be cheering you on
20:04thank you
20:05and so you're a newbie?
20:06pretty much
20:07yeah this will be my third ride ever actually
20:09any advice for the newbie?
20:12how to not break an arm?
20:13just squeeze your legs and let down
20:15yeah?
20:16yeah that's it
20:17I'll be cheering you on
20:18from the safety behind this fence
20:20best of luck
20:22thank you
20:23in my business we say break a leg
20:25but I don't think that's right
20:26I just like you know I go out on the weekend for a buzz like these people are just hopping on balls for the crack and just getting flung around like I don't get that aspect but look each to their own live and let live
20:33I just like you know I go out on the weekend for a buzz like these people are just hopping on balls for the crack and just getting flung around like I don't get that aspect but look each to their own live and let live
20:50this is the guy we were talking to earlier he's like considered a pro by the rest the one with all the injuries
20:57yeah after seeing him blessing himself in the shoe
20:59I'd bless himself too
21:00I'd bless himself too
21:06look at the horn there me
21:07that one was a bad one
21:13it's going under the bull that I'd be afraid of
21:16under us on top of us
21:18anywhere near us
21:19oh here we go
21:20oh god
21:23how do you think that went?
21:24tough
21:27well
21:28I don't think there's been many words to describe it it didn't go very well
21:31I think you did great you went up there for how long?
21:33I think it was
21:34oh
21:35three jumps
21:36three jumps
21:37so one and a half seconds maybe
21:38you only have to do six seconds
21:42what I'm saying is
21:43that sounded really bad
21:45like yeah if I would do even two seconds
21:47but like you did 1.5 seconds in your first attempt
21:50yeah
21:51and it was lots of fun
21:53but
21:54that was amazing
21:55my goodness that's the scariest bull I've ever ridden
21:56I mean
21:57yeah
21:58yeah
21:59third time's a charm though
22:00will you go back up?
22:01I believe so
22:02those bulls are as big as cars
22:05jeeps
22:06fridges
22:07would you do it?
22:08not for all the money on the wall man
22:09not for all the money on the wall
22:10no way
22:11and at gay rodeo when the going gets tough
22:17the tough
22:18get partying
22:19swapping the dirt and dust for glitz and glitter
22:21and instead of busting bones
22:23busting a few moves
22:25oh yeah
22:26JR dragged any ounce of the floor
22:28sure you can say no to a man who can whip a pair of undies onto a goat and wreck our time
22:32I've never actually danced before with anyone
22:36I was never asked to dance in school
22:38so for JR to do that
22:40and he was a great teacher as well
22:42that was a really wholesome experience
22:47it's such a lovely atmosphere here
22:49when they say like it's a place where everyone should feel welcome
22:53like they mean it
22:54I definitely get that sense here
22:56rodeos are tough
22:58full of people tough enough to stand together
23:00and be who they are
23:02tough enough to show kindness
23:04in a changing world
23:05that was fad
23:07that was absolutely amazing crack
23:10it was a great tie
23:12tie ends to a great weekend
23:14I never considered going to a gay rodeo
23:16didn't even know they existed before this
23:18would I go again?
23:19the best crack
23:20yeah the best crack
23:21go on there
23:26hey Maritain
23:30are you ready to dive into the world of aesthetics?
23:33cause your face is a bit too elongated
23:35like a horse
23:36doing what I'm doing
23:37I don't think it's healthy
23:38I don't
23:39the Toome County Galway part of me is saying
23:41would you ever cop onto yourself?
23:43on to yourself
23:44me
23:45yeah
23:46ha ha
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