In 2023, Ivan McClellan founded 8 Seconds Rodeo to highlight the essence of Black cowboy life, offer Black athletes higher wages than they were accustomed to, and introduce the world of Black cowboy culture to those unfamiliar with its extensive history. That first rodeo at the Portland Convention Center drew a sold-out crowd of 2,000 attendees for an “electric” all-Black rodeo experience. “This is not a reclamation story,” McClellan said. “This is something that we’ve always done, and something