Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Dale Gomez moves steer into chutes for the chute dogging competition, where contestants try to wrestle the animal to the ground, during the Zia Regional Rodeo at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Posse Arena in the North Valley. The rodeo, in its 16th year, included traditional events such as the chute dogging on Aug. 18 and bull riding and gay rodeo events such as dressing goats in underwear and racing while in drag.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Clyde Mitter, Mr. International Gay Rodeo Association, prepares to ride into the arena for the grand entry of the Zia Regional Rodeo. The rodeo opened Aug. 18 at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Posse Arena in the North Valley.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Cowboys watch the Zia Regional Rodeo contestants attempt to wrestle a steer to the ground. The chute dogging competition was one of several traditional rodeo contests at the gay rodeo on Aug. 18 at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Posse Arena in the North Valley.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Nora Lynn-Manns, 7, watches the pole bending competition from the stands at the 16th Zia Regional Rodeo at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Posse Arena in the North Valley. The pole bending competition was one of several on the rodeo's opening day.

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Growing up on her family farm in Waverly, Iowa, Diane Vossler never dreamed she'd be a rodeo star.

Especially not in a gay rodeo.

But Vossler, a cowgirl and massage therapist who lives in Stanley, N.M., spent the weekend at the Zia Regional Rodeo in Albuquerque marking her 11th year in gay rodeo.

"I never envisioned being in rodeo ever. I just saw a lot of gay girls riding and I was like, `I can do that.' You have to work at it, but I can do that," said Vossler, who goes by the rodeo name Craze.

Vossler was one of nearly 100 contestants who spent the weekend calf roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

Along with a place to display their talents, the rodeo gives gays and lesbians who enjoy horse life a place to feel comfortable.

With many straight rodeos, "you kind of have to hide your identity completely," said Dan Johnson, the manager of Sidewinders country western bar in Albuquerque.

The gay rodeo "just makes it easier to be yourself and have a great time and show the world we're just like anybody else," said Johnson, who along with his partner, Mike Spencer, served as the grand marshal of the event.

The event at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Posse Arena in the North Valley was much like traditional rodeos except for the the rainbow flags, drag queens and a few racy sex toys for sale under the main tent.

Differences aside, the contestants and supporters turned out in the punishing August heat from all over the country to have a blast.

"Gay rodeo, (it's) just like anybody else, if you are into horses, rodeo events, you want a venue and a place to display your talents," Johnson said.

Participants in the rodeo's 13 events included students, a nurse, former Marines and Navy members and ranch hands.

"Plus we add some other fun things, goat dressing, other things that go along with the gay venues," Johnson said.

Yes, the weekend's events did include dressing goats in underwear, wild races by people in drag and some steer decorating. The events drew bleachers full of onlookers.

But not everyone at the gay rodeo is gay. The only requirement is that participants be gay-friendly and members of a gay rodeo association.

Allen Thomas, 31, said he got hooked after years of watching rodeo on TV and finally getting the nerve — and health insurance —to sign up.

Thomas chose goat dressing; chute dogging, where contestants try to wrestle a steer to the ground; and the biggie: bull riding.

"It is a little scary. It's a little bit of an adrenaline rush; that's one of the reasons I do it is for the rush," said Thomas, an electrical engineering student and part-time bartender in San Antonio, Texas.

"It's hard to understand why somebody would do that, but if you tried it once, you'd understand. You'd either be totally petrified of it or you'd love it; it's kind of like one of those love-hate things," he said.

Thomas didn't score as many points as he would have liked, he said, but he still hopes to qualify for the International Gay Rodeo Association Finals this October in Denver. The top 20 contestants qualify for the finals, he said.

While Thomas is addicted to the rush, Vossler and others said they attend for the camaraderie.

"The friendship, going from state to state, over the years you get to know a lot of the new contestants, but there's a whole bunch of us older ones that just keep coming back for more," said Vossler, 49.

The gay rodeo circuit started in the 1980s, said Johnson.

Most states west of the Rocky Mountains have gay rodeo associations, he said, and membership is expanding.