At rodeo events, Ivan McClellan has suffered a broken arm and cuts, and he has run from bulls and jumped over and ducked under fences. It ain’t easy being in rodeo — even for a photographer documenting the people living and playing in the western culture and lifestyle. The job can be perilous.
“I’m taller than most people, and I always crouch down to get the shot from the angle I want,” he said. “That’s the most harmful thing I do.”
McClellan grew up in Kansas City on five acres of land, and the extent of his “cowboying” happened after church. The family would drive by a ranch, and he would beg his grandma to stop, so he could ride a horse. It exposed him early to cowboy culture.
The Northeast Portland resident doesn’t do rodeo himself, but McClellan has found a niche as a rodeo photographer, particularly traveling to Black rodeos and immersing himself in the world of Black cowboys and cowgirls. He shoots portraits, behind-the-scenes photos and some action, all with his trusty Fuji X-E1 camera and 32mm Zeiss lens, and created the living photo collection called “Eight Seconds.”
And, it has led to big things, including work for western outfitter Tecovas and other ad campaigns, and some exhibitions, including showing “Eight Seconds” in his first solo show in Portland at Blue Sky Gallery through June 29. He’s also produced a book, “Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture.” But, the biggest thing has been the formation of the Juneteenth Rodeo in Portland, a celebration of Black rodeo culture and commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States in 1865.
It was a sold-out show 10 days in advance at the Juneteenth Rodeo at Expo Center in 2023, leading to McClellan moving the rodeo to Veterans Memorial Coliseum for 2024. It sold out 11 days in advance this year — 7,200 seats for the rodeo starting at 3 p.m. June 16 at VMC.
“It’s the first event of its kind in the Northwest,” said McClellan, explaining the success of Juneteenth Rodeo. “And, Beyonce put out a chart-topping country album and people want to show up in their outfits. We sold half our seats on the day she dropped the album.” Seriously, there’s a connection there, he added.
The event at Veterans Memorial Coliseum will be like any other rodeo, what with bull riding, barrel racing and other events, a mechanical bull for the public to ride, line dancing, cotton candy. There’ll also be a deejay (DJ O.G. One), a comedian (X Mayo) serving as rodeo clown, and high-quality lighting and sound.
Cowboys and cowgirls will have $60,000 in prize money to try to win in five events. Tecovas, a top brand for cowboy boots and western-style apparel, is one of the sponsors.
“We’re not trying to reinvent rodeo. People have been doing rodeos for hundreds of years, and there are darn good ones in Oregon, including Pendleton Round-Up,” McClellan said. The Molalla Buckeroo and St. Paul Rodeo are also big rodeos around Fourth of July.
“We’re focused on the production. For a Black rodeo, we’re at the top of the heap. We attract a lot of high-quality athletes here, and reach out to athletes that are up-and-coming.”
It’s a fitting tie-in for the rodeo to be associated with Juneteenth, he added. “I can’t think of a more liberating thing to do on Juneteenth than go out and compete for your own entertainment and profit with skills that Black folks and people who farm and ranch have had since Black folks were enslaved. It’s great to see them exposed, doing what they love and what expresses their individuality.
“It’s not a celebration, but a demonstration of freedom.”
The 41-year-old McClellan, who’s married with three children, moved to Portland in 2011. He’s a freelance photographer with a day job in photo software. He attended a Black rodeo in Oklahoma and “(rodeo) got its hooks in me, as it gave a lot of context to how I grew up and the people around me.”
He added: “I didn’t think Black people could be a cowboy, because I didn’t see them in films and on TV. But, I’ve now seen thousands of people living the lifestyle and expressing themselves.”
McClellan has become a better horse rider, but he leaves the rodeo to the great cowboys and cowgirls out there. He enjoys taking portraits and behind-the-scenes photographs, and admits that taking action sometimes doesn’t go well considering his level of equipment. McClellan credits Black rodeo photographer Ron Tarver for being his mentor; he met Tarver at the first rodeo where he shot photographs.
“I thanked him a lot,” McClellan said. “He’s still hanging on fences and rodeoing. He’s my North Star as far as where the work can go.”
Documenting Black rodeo means a lot to McClellan.
“There’s something special about shooting your own culture,” he said. “There’s just a viewpoint and closeness you can get when you’re working within the bounds of a culture you understand.”
He also thanks Tecovas for being his sponsor; he’s a featured part of the Tecovas brand ( tecovas.com ). “We have a great relationship, and they’ve been supporting my work for a long time,” McClellan said. “They’re one of the big western brands to reach out and say, ‘We need to do better.’ They’ve integrated Black folks into their campaigns regularly.”
What makes Black rodeo unique? “All of them are different,” he said, alluding to Native American, Hispanic and Black rodeos. “Our event fits the rodeo mold, but you might see a different swagger that athletes have, they might dress differently, maybe have some bling.”
The Juneteenth Rodeo will start with a rider atop a horse carrying a Pan-African flag. A singer will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which some people call the “Black National Anthem.” McClellan doesn’t call it an anthem, because the United States already has a National Anthem, but “it’s about Black identity and pride in our culture.”
And it’s likely McClellan will snap a few images at his own rodeo.
He continues to work on his profession. McClellan said he really improved when he walked around downtown Portland, met people and took their photo.
“I have thousands of street photos that I don’t know what to do with,” he said. “That’s what I tell young photographers: Shoot every day, and do stuff that speaks to your soul.”
Check out more about McClellan and all his work at eightsecs.com .
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