Although "western" movies and Wild West shows strove to popularize one image of the American West, the reality of the region was much more complex. Rodeos offer a glimpse into the construction of the West and the position of gender and race within it. Just as we often imagine a single "West," we also tend to think of a single rodeo, often one featuring tough, bull riding cowboys. Through an analysis of archives, newspaper and magazine articles, and personal accounts, a different version of the rodeo appears. Larger themes of gender, access, and meaning surface, and although many aspects of each theme are discussed here, this dissertation focuses on race and the experience of women. By studying these themes and six different rodeos and rodeo-related events, the American rodeo emerges as a place of cultural performance and historical meaning, gender discrimination, and racial inequality.

Despite the differences in events, organization, and reasons for participation in the different rodeos, it is possible to draw out two similarities shared by all women, regardless of race. First, women encounter a variety of limitations on their participation in the rodeo. Following a severe restriction of their competitive opportunities in the 1930s, women struggled to regain a foothold in the rodeo and continue to face limitations on their participation. Second, even though the rodeo is often thought of as a masculine sport, for most female competitors it is not viewed as a place for them to escape their femininity, but instead it often becomes a place for them to embrace their identity as women.

Women of color share these two similarities with white female riders, but they also experience the rodeo in a slightly different way. Because of historic issues of racism, separate race-specific rodeos were formed by groups like African Americans and American Indians. These rodeos provide an opportunity to compete in a comfortable environment, although it is one where much of the same gender limitations exist for women. For many riders, these rodeos offer more than a welcoming competitive environment; they often become an educational opportunity and an important place for celebration.