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.