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Solomon Asante is living an adventure in the Valley
By Ethan Greni
By all accounts, soccer, or football, is the world’s most popular sport. “The beautiful game” is played in nearly every country around the world and garners global audiences during events like the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics and the UEFA Champions League.
The United States is another matter, however.
In the United States, the four sports traditionally considered to be the “Big Four” are American football, baseball, basketball and hockey. Soccer is on the rise, with the country’s top professional league, Major League Soccer, continuously growing and expanding. But it still has a way to go before it turns the Big Four into the Big Five.
Still, even if soccer remains an afterthought for the casual American sports fan, the United States has funds and resources devoted to the sport that some countries can’t compete with, so there are plenty of incentive for players from those countries to make their way here.
Enter Solomon Asante, the 31-year-old captain of Phoenix Rising FC. He says growing up in the West African nation of Ghana made it difficult to advance to higher levels in soccer.
“It wasn’t easy, because the infrastructure is not like here,” Asante says. “We were lacking a lot of things, (like) pitches, so it was a bit challenging.”
Despite the obstacles in his way, he says he knew early on that he was a gifted player. He couldn’t have reached this point without help.
“When I was a kid, I knew I had the talent, and I started working toward that talent because that was the only thing I knew how to do best,” Asante says.
“I realized my talent, and I started working toward it, and then when I was going (through different levels), I came across so many people, with the coaches and top-class players, and now I’m here with a family. So, yeah, everyone has helped me.”
He says it was his former coach at Tout Puissant Mazembe, a professional club in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who persuaded him to come to the United States after he led Phoenix Rising.
“I think 2014, ’15, ’16, I had a coach back home, one of the French-speaking countries, Congo DR, Patrice Carteron, he came here in 2017,” Asante says about the former Phoenix Rising coach.
“So, he spoke to me. He told me to join him, and I think it was good opportunity. There was nothing more I could do there. I had to come here and get a new adventure.”
Adventure is certainly a good way of describing Asante’s time in the Valley. In just three seasons, he has won two USL Championship MVP awards and reached the USL Championship Final twice.
“Everything is perfect; everything is good so far,” Asante says. “They’ve taken me as one of their family. Everything is OK. They’ve taken very good care of me. The only thing I can do is pay them back, to try and get trophies and try and get awards for them.”
He’s far from his family, so the opportunities to communicate with them are limited to late at night Phoenix time, when it is early morning in Ghana.
“After practice now, when I go back to the apartment, I have to get some rest. Then, maybe around 10 p.m., I have to wake up and speak to the family back home,” Asante says. “So, I speak like four or five hours before I go back to sleep again.”
While that may sound like a nightmare schedule for some, Asante says it doesn’t bother him.
“No, I’m used to it, I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I’m used to it,” Asante says.
After defeating El Paso Locomotive
FC in last year’s Western Conference Final, the team traveled to Tampa Bay in late October for the Final match on November 1.
On Halloween, the day before the Final, the match was canceled after multiple Tampa Bay Rowdies players tested positive for COVID-19. In lieu of a USL Championship title, both clubs were named champions of their respective conferences.
It was an ending nobody wanted to see, but Asante says he doesn’t dwell on things he can’t control.
“It was frustrating,” Asante says. “We had an ambition. We were ready. We wanted to get the cup because we’ve worked for it and we’ve waited for it for a long time. So, for it to be canceled, it was so bad for us, but as players, what can we do? We just have to let it go and keep going.”
Phoenix won’t have to wait long to get back to Tampa Bay, as the club will return to Florida to take on the Rowdies on May 15, in its third match of the season.
Th at match could be seen by some as a sort of unoffi cial Final for last season, but Asante says Phoenix Rising won’t see it that way.
“No, for us, every game is a game — if it’s quarterfi nals, semifi nals, Finals, regular game,” Asante says. “Every game, we approach it like a normal game, and we are going to do our best. We are going to do what we know how to do best to win.”
Still, it is a game he says he’s looking forward to.
“It’s going to be amazing, a place that we wanted to be last year, and then here we come now,” Asante says. “It’s going to be one of the good games, one of the nice environments. We will be happy to be there.”
Rising fans, however, can look forward to the team’s newest venue at Wild Horse Pass, part of the Gila River Indian Community. Th e stadium seats 10,000 spectators and will be open at 50% capacity when the season begins April 30 against San Diego Loyal SC.
“I think every club wants to get everything for its own,” Asante says.
“For Phoenix Rising to get its own stadium is amazing. It’s going to change a lot for us because we have two training pitches, and everything is nice here. We know that this is our stadium. We cannot let the fans down. As the players, we are going to do everything possible to keep going, to keep winning for the club, but I think it’s an amazing place.”
While he knows winning a USL Championship title is the most important goal, he admits winning a third consecutive MVP award is another objective he has in his sights.
“For sure, I want to get the third one,” he says. “I have had the MVP twice. Going for a third one isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be very diffi cult, and I know that. I’m planning on trying to work extra hard.
“And then to achieve the MVP, and then overall the cup, the Final cup, that’s the most important, because we’ve got the Western Conference (title) twice, but we don’t have the Final cup. We’re going to work very hard for this cup.”
Phoenix Rising
phxrisingfc.com
CELEbRATINg27YEARS!
Venues stretch after an 18-month forced hibernation
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski called Camp-In-A-Box; Thinker Player W ith steady vaccine rollout and falling cases, Arizona’s long-shuttered museums, sports Creator Boxes aimed to give kids hands-on activities that they can do at home; and the 100% Outside, 100% Fun Adventure Play experience, which opened in late October. On May 10, the museum will close venues, art galleries, stores, restaurants to the general public for 19 days to and more may finally welcome the public dismantle its outdoor Adventure Play back inside. experience and prepare the museum’s
Around Arizona, residents are interior exhibit spaces for visitors. returning to their favorite attractions The museum will be open seven days a as businesses plan safe openings. Many week, May 29 to Labor Day, September high-profile community and cultural 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thereafter, hubs are already open for business. operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 4
The Entertainer! Magazine brings p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. COVID-19 readers examples of what is happening precautions will remain in place upon around the state. reopening, including limited-capacity ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS/ CHASE FIELD and timed ticketing. Mask requirements and social distancing will be enforced. Admission price is $14.95. Members and
Finally, baseball, in person. Chase children younger than the age of 1 are Field is allowing fans in the ballpark, but free. unoccupied seats are zip-tied and cash In addition to reopening its indoor transactions aren’t permitted. Let’s go spaces, the museum will once again offer gold or from a variety of gemstones, cheer on the boys. in-person summer camps with reduced and all are from the Heard Museum’s
Info: dbacks.com number of campers per week. CMoP permanent collection. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF PHOENIX Camps begin May 31. CMoP Camps are $235 for members and $280 for nonmembers. Highlights in the exhibition include the miniatures fabricated in silver, such as a treehouse made by Shawn Bluejacket After being shuttered for more than COVID-19 precautions, including (Shawnee), which has a removable roof 14 months, the Children’s Museum of mask requirements and social and is fully equipped with a slide and a Phoenix will reopen its interior spaces on distancing, will be enforced. table with a hinged tabletop that, when May 29. The museum closed its doors on Info: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org opened, reveals a bundle of carrots March 13, 2020, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic HEARD MUSEUM that Bluejacket painted on the interior. Other silver highlights include a yo-yo and has remained closed since then. The Heard Museum continues to by Daniel Sunshine Reeves (Navajo), a
During its closure, the museum celebrate its reopening with “Small teapot with coral inlay by Darrell Jumbo continued to fulfill its mission of Wonders,” which displays a range of (Navajo), and a tray and teapot set by engaging the minds, muscles and intricately made small-format works Elizabeth Martha Whitman (Navajo). imaginations of children and the grown- including jewelry (rings, brooches, For those who enjoy jewelry, there ups who care about them with daily earrings and buckles) and specialty items is an assortment of brooches, many activities posted in English and Spanish such as silver seed pots and fetishes or in animal and insect forms, as well as on social media platforms; the creation stone carvings. It runs through the fall. complex figurative works by Denise of a virtual summer camp program Each work of art is shaped in silver, Wallace (Chugach Sugpiaq/Alutiiq) and more traditional works in silver with inset turquoise. The exhibition is curated by Chief Curator Diana Pardue and Assistant Curator Velma Kee Craig (Diné). Info: heard.org
Children's Museum of Phoenix
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM
The MIM in North Phoenix has been open for a bit, and even concerts are happening here.
May shows include Marilyn Clark Silva (May 2); Arouna and Zaza Diarra (May 8); Giovanni Kiyingi (May 15); “NOLAZ: The Music of New Orleans” (May 21); Davina and the Vagabonds (May 22 and May 23); “MusicaNova Orchestra Presents: Centuries of Brass” (May 27); and “Blues in the Round” featuring Hans Olson, Eric Ramsey and Mike Eldred (May 30).
May will see the MIM’s “Experience Central Africa” on Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 16. It’s included with paid admission; free for members. Experience diverse music and dance traditions of Central Africa with live performances, curator talks and other family-friendly activities.
To support social distancing, the MIM is limiting the number of guests at each activity. Participation will be on a firstcome, first-served basis.
Info: mim.org
PHOENIX ART MUSEUM
Phoenix Art Museum has many virtual and outdoor events to provide socially distanced art-engagement opportunities for the community, including a special screening of “Great Art on Screen” on Mother’s Day, May 9.
Discounted admission days for designated front-line workers and medical first responders will be treated to reduced admission from May 5 to May 16. Designated workers must present a work badge, ID, business card or pay stub at the museum’s visitor services desk upon check-in. The offer is not available online.
Info: phxart.org/art/exhibitions
PHOENIX RISING
Phoenix Rising FC, Arizona’s highestlevel professional soccer team, recently moved its facilities and venue from South Scottsdale to Wild Horse Pass.
It increased seating capacity; improved VIP luxury suites, speed entry and exit
from the stadium complex; and added training fi elds.
“Since the launch of Phoenix Rising FC in 2016, fan support has been consistently increasing,” said Phoenix Rising FC Governor Berke Bakay. “Prior to COVID-19, 23 consecutive matches at Casino Arizona Field were sold out due to our amazing supporters. Th is move will immediately increase stadium seating by more than 35% and also provide room for future expansion.”
Th e new training facility and stadium made its debut on April 30 for the home opener.
Info: phxrisingfc.com
PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY
Th e Phoenix Th eatre Company is returning to indoor performance, just in time for its 102nd season. After a pivot to virtual and outdoor programming, Th e Phoenix Th eatre Company welcomes audiences back to its three-stage complex starting in June to kick off a season highlighting stories of extraordinary everyday heroes and beloved characters that inspire hope and unity.
“We are unbelievably grateful to welcome back audiences to our home,” says Michael Barnard, producing artistic director. “Our stages may have been darkened, but our spirits are undimmed. Over the last year, we’ve faced creative and fi nancial challenges, and what’s lifted us up is our community. Now I am beyond grateful to announce our 102nd season, fi lled with stories of resilience and tenacity.”
As the theater company moves performances indoors, it will continue to monitor local health trends and work closely with public health agencies and Actors’ Equity Association to keep artist and community safety a priority.
When the theater company opens in June, face masks and temperature checks will be required for all staff and patrons. Th e indoor theater’s ventilation systems exceed recommendations by public health offi cials, and cleaning and disinfecting will occur frequently. Seating will not be socially distanced. As vaccines become more available and accessible, safety protocols will be updated to ensure patron and staff comfort and wellbeing.
Indoor performances resume June 2 with a summer series featuring “Becoming Dr. Ruth,” “Daddy Long Legs” and “Pump Boys and Dinettes.” Th e 2021-22 season starts August 18 with “Steel Magnolias.”
Tickets to the summer series are on sale.
Info: phoenixtheatre.com
TEMPE HISTORY MUSEUM, GALLERY AT TCA
Th e city of Tempe offi cials safely opened the Tempe History Museum and the Gallery at TCA in April. Additionally, Tempe Public Library expanded its in-person services beginning April 5.
Tempe History Museum reopened for passive visitation of indoor exhibits. Visit the webpage for hours and exhibit information, tempe.gov.
Th e museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays.
Th e Gallery at TCA, located within Tempe Center for the Arts, is open for indoor exhibitions. Other areas within the TCA remain closed. Visit the website for hours and exhibition information. Th e gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays.
Safety protocols remain in place at all city facilities. Face coverings are always required, physical distancing must be in place, and capacity will be limited. Anyone who feels sick should stay home.
Remaining closed until further notice are Westside Multi-Generational Center, Tempe City Hall, Edna Vihel Arts Center, Tempe Center for the Arts (all areas except the gallery), Pyle Adult Recreation Center and all city senior centers.
Heard Museum
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The Insider’s Guide to Arizona Entertainment
A REAL LIVE WIRE
The Sugar Thieves are getting back to the stage
By Kristen Castillo
The Sugar Thieves, like most bands, watched their shows succumb to COVID-19 pandemic cancellations. Now, as restrictions are being lifted, the Phoenix roots rock band is making a comeback.
Its latest show is 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at Murphy Park Amphitheater in Glendale. The concert is free, and all guests are required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.
“We’re looking forward to the inperson experience,” says lead vocalist Meridith Moore. “We love seeing people in real life and being able to exchange energy and conversation. Even with masks on, you’re still able to have that energy exchange, so that’s nice.
Moore said the band took a break from rehearsals to observe CDC guidelines for the coronavirus. Just before the pandemic, the Sugar Thieves laid down tracks for albums and took the quarantine to mix and master them. The results are “Anytown USA” and the vinyl release “Driftin’ Away.” There’s also a CD called “Dreamin’.” Unfortunately, the band couldn’t promote them through concerts.
“We did a very unofficial release,” Moore says. “We had folks messaging us on Facebook and via email to order them, and we physically mailed them out. We never had a big CD release party. Hopefully we’ll do that in the fall.”
The new music doesn’t stop there. The Sugar Thieves will release an EP, “Good Old Time Tonight,” on Fervor Records toward the end of May.
“Fervor Records mostly works with song placement, so our music will go into their catalog and they will shop it to TV shows and movies,” she says. “Hopefully one or more of our tunes will be picked up for a popular TV series.
“It’s just nice to have another iron on the fire. We worked with their producer, Will Prinzi, who wrote a couple of brand-new songs with us. Some of the music on the EP are renditions of songs we already released, while others are new. They’re fresh.”
Throughout the pandemic, the Sugar Thieves have made adjustments to stay connected with fans. The band held live, acoustic performances online broadcasted from its home. It was a new experience for the group.
“It’s very weird to perform a concert in your living room to a device,” Moore says. “It’s not natural for artists. We work together with our audience to make a show successful. We use their energy and they use ours, and we share that.”
Despite it being a foreign performing environment, Moore says the band’s fans could connect personally and intimately — more so than prior to the pandemic.
“If anything, it might be kind of fun for them to see our living room,” Moore says. “It’s intimate. They get to see our kids running around in the background while we’re performing. We’ve brought our fans into our home on many occasions to produce these shows, so that’s been kind of neat. But again, it’s never going to be like that in-person experience. But I definitely think it was better than nothing for sure.”
Though not the same experience as live music before the pandemic, the band is looking forward to seeing music lovers in person.
“We’re certainly missing everybody’s faces, so even though it’s an in-person show, everybody’s masked up,” Moore says. “We certainly missed that, and hopefully in the next year, we can get back to some normalcy where we don’t have to all have masks on.
“It means a lot to us that our fans are still there. We miss that concert environment. We feel very lucky and very blessed that we have a stage to come back to. This is such an important time for artists to have the support of their fans.”
The Sugar Thieves
WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 8 WHERE: Murphy Park, Downtown Glendale COST: Free admission INFO: visitglendale.com/events or sugarthieves.com
11 GRATEFUL FOR HER JOB
Jody Jackson exudes grace as a sports reporter
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Bumgarner, after his no-hitter, made Jody Jackson is in the midst of a hectic couple days. The Diamondbacks’ game was postponed in the eighth inning, due to inclement weather, and two statements and dropped his headset. David Peralta shared he was disappointed in his performance and that led to a stellar game. “That’s what I love about the live interviews,” she says. “You never know it created a double header the what’s going to happen. I look forward following afternoon. to the day when we can do in-person
It added even more work to Jackson, interviews for the post-game show. who keeps a busy schedule as an “The guys are always on the headset anchor and reporter for Bally Sports. anyway. Wrapping up with Nick when She handles it all with grace and he said hi to his mom, Kimberly, was professionalism. so adorable. It was so honest and raw.
“It’s been kind of hectic with all the David took his anger and channeled it games,” says Jackson, a Tempe resident. into something positive. We didn’t know “I’m just grateful to be working.” he was mad until after the game. He’s
May 15 will be Jackson’s 21st always looking joyful. I think that’s what anniversary with Fox Sports Arizona/ people love about him.” Bally Sports. Prior to that, she was a Sports is in Jackson’s blood. When she reporter/anchor with WIVB-TV in drove in a car with her mom, they would Buffalo and a reporter/update anchor listen to news and sports on the radio. with WQAM radio Miami/Fort Other times, she pretended to be a news Lauderdale. anchor.
Her career has been filled with “I watched a lot of sports growing up,” highlights. While in Florida, she she says. “I thought I would go into print reported on the Marlins vs. Cleveland journalism so I could tell stories. I love Indians World Series in 1997. In 1999, media. she covered the Stanley Cup between the “It’s pretty special being a reporter Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars. and covering all the different sports. I
“It ended up with Buffalo fans feeling don’t cover quite as much football. I was dejected again,” she says. “I came here, covering everything and going out and and here the Diamondbacks go to the doing stories on every different team in World Series. I had only been here a town. It evolved over the years.” year and a half. That was just a thrill Upon moving to Arizona, she worked to be able to see a team go out and beat as a beat reporter, but it evolved, as she the Yankees in the World Series. A lot says, into live hosting and reporting. 93), who works in real estate. Their leadership to management and everyone of people have memories of that series. “We’re not really a talk show. We’re a children are involved in Little League in production, the trucks — had a lot Arizona, for a long time, wanted to have sports program,” she says. “I think we’re sports, too. more work than I have. There’s a lot a championship of any sort.” entertaining. We’re not exactly ‘Live Recently, Fox Sports evolved into Bally behind it with the graphics and the
Recently, she’s had a little fun with with Kelly and Ryan.’ We frame it with Sports. She calls the transition easy — music that was created. It looks great. the Diamondbacks during post-game life events.” for her. “For me, it’s been great. It re-energizes interviews. Newbie outfielder Nick Sports is also a big part of her family’s “With my job, it didn’t change so everyone to have a new look, a new Heath blew kisses to his mother after lives. Her husband is Chad Ackerley, a much,” she says. “But there are so many name, but the same coverages that we’ve having a multi-hit game. Madison football player at Arizona State (1990- people in our company — from the always had.”
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UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | IN CLOSING
TROUBLE’S COMING
Royal Blood’s Ben Thatcher talks playing music with his best friend
By Claire Spinner
Ben Thatcher sits in his home studio, talking thoughtfully about getting his start in music.
The 33-year-old drummer of two-piece rock act Royal Blood says he began drumming in church, thanks to his minister father, in Rustington, a small village in West Sussex, England. His brothers followed a similar track, playing in the Christian rock band Delirious.
“I loved playing drums at church, and it would be in front of like 500 people every week, so you really do cut your teeth playing and performing there,” Thatcher says.
“I don’t really get nervous playing shows or anything now because I’ve done it from such a young age.”
Thatcher met the other half of Royal Blood, singer/bass player Mike Kerr, when they were teenagers. Kerr was from the nearby town of Worthing, West Sussex. Briefly, they played in another group, before deciding to start hitting the stage on their own. Nearly 10 years later, the duo has released its third record, “Typhoons.” The album was one of the most anticipated of the year, but Royal Blood’s start was not as meteoric as its rise.
Thatcher laughs and says the band was created because they were bored with their small towns.
“We both love music and we’ve lived in very sleepy towns,” he says. “We honestly couldn’t even get a gig at the start, so we ended up playing open-mic nights. We’d normally get through about two songs before they’d tell us to get off the stage.”
Despite the early struggles, Thatcher and Kerr were picked up by Warner Bros. in 2013. Before the release of their self-titled album, the duo was already garnering attention from industry veterans. Thatcher and Kerr have been compared to some of the most highly respected two-piece acts, like the Black Keys and the White Stripes. They have received praise from many of the most iconic modern rock bands. Matt Helders, drummer for the Arctic Monkeys, even wore Royal Blood merchandise during one of his band’s shows, and Queens of the Stone Age, one of Thatcher’s personal influences, took the band on tour in 2017.
“It’s a real comfort knowing that people like our music and champion us,” Thatcher says. “I think that we’ve been lucky to become part of this really great music community. There’s a lot of hate in the world, so to have these people that you really respect and even grew up kind of idolizing is amazing.
“That being said, it brings a lot of pressure, but we’ve never done anything to please anyone apart from ourselves. So, it’s just great having those people love what we do.”
Royal Blood received national recognition following the release of its debut single “Out of the Black,” which allowed the band to tour the world. The touring experiences inspired the duo.
“Travel really broadens the mind and, as I said, we are from very small villages, and a lot of our friends haven’t even left that area,” Thatcher says.
“So, for us to go out and see the world and play to so many people and so many different cultures, it was really eye opening. It’s crazy because it does change you. It’s something that I would never take for granted. I’m really grateful for it. Being able to play music with my best mate all around the world, especially with music we’ve written, it’s like living the dream. It’s unheard of.”
Between 2013 and 2017, Royal Blood released two critically acclaimed albums, 2014’s “Royal Blood” and 2017’s “How Did We Get So Dark.”
The third record, “Typhoons,” was released in late April. Royal Blood took on a dance feel with the heavy, distorted bass assuming a keyboard or synth role. Inspired by Daft Punk and Justice, this change is something Thatcher and Kerr have wanted to do for a while.
“I guess it was always in us,” Thatcher says. “Whenever we’d get off stage, we’d always want to carry the part on after the show. We’d blast disco and pop and R&B — all music you could dance and party to. So, we thought, why not start that dance party from the stage?”
Royal Blood’s fanbase is into rock music, and the duo doesn’t want to abandon that.
“It’s something we love doing and pride ourselves on,” Thatcher says. “This was us evolving and trying something different. We took a few risks. And it was fun to make.”
The album’s upbeat sounds are juxtaposed with Kerr’s deeply personal lyrics, which reflect his sober lifestyle.
“I actually think it’s quite an uplifting album, even if the lyrics sometimes say differently,” Thatcher says. “But I think, for me, a lot of the songs are about getting from a bad place to a good place.”
The album represents Royal Blood’s willingness to change and to produce music that’s unlike commercial radio. Thatcher says “Typhoons” was a victory for the band, and a project that felt cathartic.
“I think we’ve found writing fun again,” Thatcher says.
“We’ve found that spark of why we are in a band and making music together. The first album wasn’t originally meant to be heard by anyone, so we didn’t care about the response, but when it came to writing the second album, we almost lost that spark because there was just so much pressure.
“But with the third album, we’ve felt like we had proven ourselves already. We thought we would take risks and have fun with it. What it came down to was that as long as we were buzzing off of it, we were going to put it out there, and maybe other people will buzz from it, too.”
THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MAY 2021
KEEPING THE TRADITION ALIVE
Black Rodeo recalls the history and culture of West
By Laura Latzko
The Arizona Black Rodeo is about more than entertainment. The event gives contestants a place to compete and spread awareness about African American contributions to Southwestern heritage.
“African Americans played a huge part in the history and culture here,” says Lanette Campbell, the rodeo’s founder and director.
“If we don’t preserve that heritage and that information, it’s going to get lost.”
Now in its 10th year, the Arizona Black Rodeo is at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
Before the Arizona Black Rodeo was established, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo visited Arizona until it cut back on its events. It was then the local rodeo was founded. It’s co-sanctioned with the Bill Pickett circuit, so qualifying times can be used in the traveling rodeo.
During the rodeo, cowboys compete in bull riding, steer wrestling and calf roping, with cowgirls in steer undecorating and barrel racing.
Riders can also participate in the Pony Express relay races, in which they race around barrels on horseback, passing off batons to their teammates.
The Arizona rodeo draws between 50 and 110 contestants annually. In May, Campbell expects at least 90 contestants, vying for more than $21,000 in prize money.
Like previous years, the rodeo will have contestants from around the country, including Arizona, California, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
The Compton Cowboys, a group dedicated to promoting equestrian and farming heritage in the inner city, will take part in this year’s rodeo.
The Arizona rodeo attracts cowboys and cowgirls at different levels and ages.
“When you have a love for it and a passion for it, it is something you want to continue to do,” Campbell says.
Although many contestants are skilled in their events, going professional can be challenging because of the expenses like entry and travel fees and costs associated with horses.
Campbell says many of the contestants have regular jobs and rodeo in their spare time. After taking time off during COVID, many of the contestants are eager to get back to doing rodeos.
“Most of these guys haven’t rodeoed in a while, so they are biting at the bit to get here,” Campbell says.
The Arizona rodeo begins with the Black National Anthem; grand entry festivities; and a salute to the Buffalo Soldiers, a group of African American soldiers who served in the West following the Civil War. Local Buffalo Soldiers re-enactment groups will arrive on motorcycles and horseback.
Grand marshal duties will be shared by Chandler Councilmember OD Harris and civil rights activist and National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Benjamin Chavis.
This year, medical front-line workers will be honored, and the reigning Miss Tucson, Abby Charles, will be highlighted.
During the rodeo, line dancers from a local American Legion chapter in South Phoenix will perform.
Growing up, Campbell spent the summers in Safford, where she helped feed and clean up after her family’s horses, cows and chickens. Like Campbell, many attendees have a connection to farm animals and agriculture. Heading to rodeos helps them reminisce.
“You find a lot of people have come from that background,” Campbell says. “They grew up on a farm, and then they moved to the city and they didn’t stick close to their roots. Then, you see a rodeo and remember it, and it stimulates something in you.”
Getting young people involved is important to organizers like Campbell. They need to keep the tradition alive and develop homegrown talent. She noticed it’s worked. The Arizona Black Rodeo Kids Round Up gives children the chance to get close to and ask questions about horses and learn more about rodeo events.
The association gives back to high school kids who participate in rodeos or are interested in animal-related careers through scholarships. They also have scholarships to help young kids to pay for rodeo fees.
The day before the main rodeo, the association will put on a children’s rodeo.
“It’s just a great family event,” she says.
Arizona Black Rodeo
WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, azblackrodeo.wixsite.com/azbr, 1 and 7 p.m., Saturday, May 15, $20 general admission, $40 for VIP tickets, free for children 3 and younger.
