About:
The North Star Gay Rodeo Association was founded by five
individuals in October 1989.
After an overwhelmingly positive experience at the Phoenix
Finals Rodeo, they immediately began to pool resources and ideas in order to
bring gay rodeo to the Upper Midwest.
Organizational meetings were held in November and December
of 1989, complete with drafting and ratifying bylaws, election of officers and
filing for incorporation with the State of Minnesota.
By mid-January, 1990, NSGRA had the necessary components in
place to accomplish its second major goal: membership in the International Gay
Rodeo Association. That goal was quickly reached in Phoenix as the Board of
Directors officially recognized NSGRA as a member association. NSGRA, primarily
representing Minnesota and Wisconsin, participated in its first Parade of
States that very weekend at the Road Runner Regional Rodeo.
In the 29 years since we joined the IGRA family, NSGRA has
achieved great successes. We gained 501(c) 3 status with the IRS. We have
raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity with no paid staff. We have
hosted 14 IGRA sanctioned rodeos. We have hosted the Twin Cities Pride Dance
Tent for more than a decade running. We have had our Mr. NSGRA run for and
become Mr. IGRA. We have had North Star contestants win coveted champion event
buckles at IGRA Finals Rodeos. We are proud of Jorge Sanchez, MsTer NSGRA 2018, who ran for and was sashed as MsTer IGRA 2019. It has been a busy 29 years!
While we have achieved much, we prefer to look forward not
backwards. We are in the process of planning our 2020 North Star Regional Rodeo
and we seek to build close ties to other non profits that share our goals of
building community and helping those in need. We want to be relevant and fun
for our membership whether you wish to compete or volunteer. We welcome all
adults who want to belong regardless of age, gender identity, sexual preference,
race, religion and so on. We are strive to be welcomoing and inclusive.
Please consider joining NSGRA—you’ll be glad you did! |