A free and welcoming rodeo is continuing in El Reno even after the recent death of its passionate director.
Paul Boyd died by suicide in June. His family says he wanted to escape chronic pain that even repeated surgeries couldn’t fix.
Boyd presided over Oklahoma’s gay rodeo — officially called the Great Plains Rodeo — for almost a decade. The GPR breaks some traditional rodeo rules. Women are allowed to compete in bull riding, and men are allowed to compete in barrel racing. Some “camp” events like steer decorating are also on the schedule.
Boyd’s husband Shane Broce said Boyd was persuasive when it came to keeping the rodeo operating.
"Paul always had a way of getting people to volunteer. He could talk you into something thinking you were getting a bow on it, and you’d show up, and he’d put you to work,” said Broce.
Boyd died just six weeks ago and the rodeo starts Saturday. Broce said everyone involved in leadership is trying to help.
"I think we’ve all just assumed different roles. We’ve just assumed different pieces of the puzzle, and picked up what we’re good at,” said Broce.
If you do happen to make it to El Reno, Broce and fellow co-director Weston Crow-Tucker ask that you wear paisley on Saturday in honor of Boyd.
“That was Paul’s signature. If you saw him anywhere, he always had a paisley shirt on, and the crazier the better.”
Registration for the Great Plains Rodeo start at the Canadian County Expo Center Friday night. The rodeo is free and profits go to charity. For more information, click here.
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