Abstract
The Reno Gay Rodeo Collection comprises organizational records collected by Dennis McBride that document the National Reno Gay Rodeo from 1977 to 1988. It includes newspaper clippings, notes, and ephemera, as well as legal documentation from two lawsuits fought unsuccessfully in 1988 to retain the Reno rodeo. The two lawsuits were the Silver State Gay Rodeo Association vs Lawlor Events Center (1988), and the Lantry, et. al. vs Third Judicial District Court, NV (Nevada Supreme Court dismissal, 1988).
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Scope and Contents Note
The Reno Gay Rodeo Collection comprises organizational records collected by Dennis McBride that document the National Reno Gay Rodeo from 1977 to 1988. It includes newspaper clippings; notes, ephemera; as well as legal documentation from two lawsuits fought unsuccessfully in 1988 to retain the Reno rodeo. The two lawsuits were the Silver State Gay Rodeo Association vs Lawlor Events Center (1988), and the Lantry, et. al. vs Third Judicial District Court, NV (Nevada Supreme Court dismissal, 1988).
- 1975
- Reno Gay Rodeo founded in Reno, Nevada by Phil Ragsdale
- 1976
- First gay rodeo held in Reno
- 1982
- The National Reno Gay Rodeo draws more than 20,000 individuals
- 1984
- Last National Reno Gay Rodeo
- 1996
- First annual Big Horn Rodeo
- 2004
- The gay rodeo returns to Reno
Access Note
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Original order has been maintained
Biographical / Historical Note
Founded in Reno, Nevada in 1975 by Phil Ragsdale, the Reno Gay Rodeo was the inspiration for gay rodeos that today are held throughout the world. The first gay rodeo was held in Reno on October 2, 1976, and served as a fund-raiser for local charities. While only 125 people attended that first event, the National Reno Gay Rodeo grew to eventually draw more than 20,000 spectators and participants in 1982. The Reno rodeo ended in 1984, but reemerged in Las Vegas in 1994 with a Gymkhana, an equestrian sporting event, and in 1996 with the first annual Big Horn Rodeo. In 2004 the gay rodeo returned to Reno, hosted by the High Sierra Rodeo Association.
Preferred Citation
Reno Gay Rodeo Collection, 1977-1988. MS-00503. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2005 by Dennis McBride; accession number 2005-008.
Processing Note
Material was processed by Dennis McBride in 2005. In 2014 as part of a legacy finding aid conversion project, Hana Gutierrez revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards. Subsequently Hana Gutierrez entered the data into ArchivesSpace.