Rodeo brings Black cowboy culture to Portland over Juneteenth weekend

In the grand scheme of things, eight seconds isn’t a long time. But for cowboys and bull riders like Kamal Miller, those seconds can feel like a lifetime. “The goal in bull riding is to get eight seconds,” explains Miller. “Once you get that eight seconds, you get your score and hopefully, you take first place.”

Miller — who has been a cowboy since he was six years old — was one among many cowboys who traveled from across the country to participate in the inaugural “8 Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo” at the Portland Expo Center. The sold-out event — the city’s first Black rodeo — took place Saturday to a crowd of hundreds that brought out their shimmering boots and cowboy hats.

The event saw not only athletes compete in bull riding or bareback riding (riding a horse without a saddle), but also children who gave mutton busting a go — a comparatively more tame version of the sport. Rodeo attendees could also participate in roping lessons or ride a mechanical bull.