A portrait of western rider Nick Michelle. Nick first found his love for western riding when in 2012 he attended a western riding course in Camelford in Cornwall. After completing the course he travelled to Montana in 2016 to work on a ranch. Upon his return to the UK, he discovered the British Rodeo Cowboy Association and joined straight away to keep the western spirit alive in Devon.

Nick Michelle herding cattle at Hemborough Farm.

Matthew Faircroft-Robert’s belt, that he bought in Canada in 2016. Matthew buys all his clothing from the U.S or from Canada so that he looks the part when he is riding. He feels that it is important to commit to the whole culture of western riding to be a part of that community.

A rider getting his horse ready to ride at The Crescent Arena in Cullompton, Devon.

A portrait of western rider Dave Swift, standing next to his horse in his riding ring. Dave first discovered western riding when he was 19 when he Travelled to the U.S to Nevada to work as a ranch hand for a year, gaining a deeper insight into being a working cowboy.

Nick Michelle’s riding boots, standing on the ground of Hemborough farm. The rodeo riders wear original gear to compete and ride in.

Matthew first discovered Western riding when he started watching a Canadian TV program called ‘Heartlands’. The show was about modern day cowboys who worked on a ranch. Matthew’s fascination with western culture grew as he embarked on a journey to the States, visiting the town where ‘Heartlands’ was filmed. It was here that he attended rodeo events and helped out on ranches as a work hand.

Upon his return home he knew that this was a passion that he had to fullfill once back in the UK. Matthew says that “ It was hard at first because I had to borrow a horse as I did not have the money to get one straight away. After a year I had saved enough funds to get my own horse and learn how to Lasso in my spare time. However, I had no one else to share this passion with so I started researching for western events or rodeo shows in the UK. After some time of searching I discovered that Brian Rowden was hosting an event at his farm which is about half an hour from my home. I was delighted and have never stopped attending them since”.

Brian Rowden herding his cattle into the pen.

Rueben Linscott practicing his Lassoing on his grandfathers ranch in Devon. Rueben has been taught how to ride and lasso by his grandfather Brian Rowden, who runs the western rodeo events in Devon. He currently prefers lassoing as he believes it is “the hardest part about western riding”.

A landscape of Hembrough Farm. Hembrough Farm is owned by western rider Brian Rowden who runs his rodeo events there.

A portrait of Catherine Hoskin standing in her stables, after being out for a morning horse ride. Although Catherine feels that the western way of riding has more freedom, her passion lies with the relationship she has with the horses rather than the western culture.

A statue of a horse in Philip Heards house.

Philip Heard and his sons ride out on to the moor to tend their sheep and cattle from their home at Meldon Farm, near Okehampton. Philip learnt to ride when he was fourteen years old and decided that he wanted to take over the family farm when he was sixteen. He discovered western riding as it was a more appropriate way to ride when working the cattle across Dartmoor.

The use of a horse to do this job has many advantages, says Philip: “A horse is quiet as opposed to a quad bike. You haven’t got the engine popping away in the background. The cattle have a natural respect for the horse, they don’t get startled by it. With a quad bike, they tend to try and outrun it.”

The rodeo riders in the UK have special lasso ropes that unclip if the lasso gets too tight around the cattle’s neck.

Bodmin Moor. This stretch of land is where Dan Wilson and his family have farmed for generations. They have all used western riding as a way of working with the cattle.

A portrait of Philip Hearn. Philip was tutored in America by Horseman Bob King and now runs his own business in the United Kingdom using western riding.

Brian Rowden herding his cattle into the barn.

Dan Wilson and his Son, Callum Wilson getting Dan’s horse ready to ride on the moor above their farm.

The arch of Anne Louise Websters stallion.

Joe Wolter leaning on the gate to his stables, while taking a rest from tending his horse at The Crescent Arena. Joe competes in rodeo events around Europe during the summer, as there is more prize money to be won abroad. During the winter he trains at the Crescent Arena.

Michael Cheeltam waiting to ride at The Crescent Arena in Cullompton, Devon.

Philip Heard tending to his horses while they shelter from the rain. Philip owns fifteen horses on Dartmoor.

Dan Wilson riding across Bodmin moor.

Dan Wilson has lived in the remote Cornish Moorland area of Bollventor all of his life and grew up on his parent’s property - Outer Priddacoombe Farm. Dan learnt to ride horses at the age of five and became the third generation of a western rider in his family and a working cowboy. Dan remembers his childhood being “one of the best times of his life. It was just unreal to get to go out on the moors everyday with my sister. We would just ride for hours and hours, completely free”.

Nick Michelle coming through the gate at Hembrough Farm.

Brian Rowden started western riding 10 years ago after he visited America with his wife, Ruth, and best friend, Michael in 1998. They were travelling through Montana where they discovered a rodeo event happening as they were driving through the state. Brian says “We pulled in to check this event out and I instantly became hooked. It was wild and fast. Being a bit of an action man I immediately wanted to start western riding”.

Upon his return to the UK, Brian and his wife Ruth started going to The British Rodeo Cowboy Association events located in Kent. After a few years they decided to start hosting an event in Devon at their farm to try and encourage more people to ride western. He has been hosting these events for four years. All of his family attend and ride these events together embracing the spirit of western riding.

Philip Heard sitting on his horse as the sun sets across Dartmoors moorland.

British Rodeo Riders:

The British Rodeo Cowboy Association is a small group of riders who are based around Britain and follow the style and culture of western riding. Most have worked on ranches in America and Canada, gaining insight into what it is like to be a real working cowboy or cowgirl.

The British Rodeo Cowboy Association was set up in 1998 as the only organisation in Great Britain that caters for all western riding disciplines. The riders created the association so that they could relive the freedom and work that they found so exhilarating in America and bring it back to Britain. Other organisations set out to specialise in one form of western riding competition or another but the British Rodeo Cowboy Association is the only association where members are encouraged to try all aspects of the sport – from working with cattle through Reining, all the show classes to Barrel Racing and other mounted games.

The association has created a subculture of western riders in the UK, inspiring the younger generation to take up the life style of a working cowboy or cowgirl. They have become so engrained within the American way of life that they have started farming and herding cattle across Bodmin moor and Dartmoor, instead of using modern farm machinery. This project looks into the lives of the riders and the events that they attend to identify western riding in U.K.