Dayton’s Inaugural Black Rodeo will bring culture and community to Welcome Stadium

A new event is saddling up in the Gem City, bringing rodeo culture, family entertainment and scholarship opportunities to the Miami Valley.

The Inaugural Dayton Black Rodeo is scheduled for June 20 at Welcome Stadium, aiming to introduce Dayton residents to the history and culture of Black cowboys while creating a family-friendly experience.

Kodi Rowden, a Dayton native, hopes her team of organizers can make the rodeo an annual tradition.

Rowden is the face of the Dayton Black Rodeo brand. The event began as just a vision last year, heavily inspired by her mother’s lifelong passion for Southern soul music, trail rides and cowboy culture.

**Kodi Rowden, organizer of Dayton’s Inaugural Black Rodeo.** CONTRIBUTED

What started as an idea has become a community-focused event designed to educate, entertain and most importantly give back.

“We wanted to turn it into an event that would be good for community,” Rowden said.

The rodeo will feature live entertainment, rodeo competitions, a petting zoo, vendors, food trucks and activities for children. According to Rowden, most of the attractions are included in the admission, allowing families to enjoy the event without having to pay for additional entertainment.

The event is hoping to boost local business by encouraging attendees to support the vendors and food tucks participating in the rodeo.

Beyond the entertainment, Rowden said the event’s biggest goal is to educate citizens about the historical impact of Blacks cowboys’ history in American history.

“People need to know and understand that this is Black culture,” Rowden said. “This is more than just offering entertainment. This is a lifestyle.”

To help highlight that history, Rowden and her team plan to include a museum exhibit inside the venue where attendees can learn more about cowboy culture and the contributions of Black cowboys throughout the history of the U.S.

Rowden says the education component is important because many people are unaware of the role played by Black cowboys in the American West and the rodeo industry.

The event will also serve as a fundraise for scholarship opportunities. What began as an idea to offer one scholarship has expanded into plans for multiple opportunities for local students.

In addition to the rodeo itself, Rowden hosted a “Meet the Cowboys” kickoff event on June 9. Proceeds from the event will support the scholarship efforts.

As the first rodeo approaches, Rowden hopes residents will embrace the opportunity to support something new.

“Take a chance on us, be at the first, don’t wait five years from now,” she said. “I want people to be proud to say, ‘I went to the first rodeo.’”

For Rowden and her team, the Dayton Black rodeo is more important than a single event. It is an opportunity to celebrate culture, invest in education and create a lasting tradition for the Dayton community.

With one eye on history and the other on the future, organizers hope the Dayton Black Rodeo will become a tradition that continues to educate, inspire and unite the community for years to come.

Casey Brewer, reporter

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