Button your shirt, fasten your belt, pull on your boots, and hang onto your gorgeous, well-made designer hat—we’re taking the seats of our tailored pants to the rodeo. Predating the formation of much of the Western United States, the rodeo is an art form, a means of community, and a home to families and competitors alike, all gathering to experience the joy that is cowboys and cowgirls competing in an assortment of events—a tale as old as time. The pageantry of Man vs. Man; the brutality of Man vs. Animal—the rodeo takes the most glorious parts of humanity: sport, tradition, entertainment, connection, and an enduring spirit that has been cultivated and protected over time.

Acutely familiar with rodeo-speak and the cultural significance of the sport is the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. A touring, interactive, and educational event, the organization was founded over 40 years ago with the aim to represent and celebrate the history of Black American contributions to the rodeo subculture. In particular, the eponymous organization celebrates Bill Pickett’s contribution—nicknamed both “The Dusky Demon” and “The Bulldogger,” he was the first African American man inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame and invented the athletic practice of steer wrestling, or “bulldogging” now central to the majority of rodeo events. In collaboration with SP5DER Worldwide, the Los Angeles-based and Atlanta-born lifestyle brand, the organizations presented The Sweet Tooth Rodeo in Houston, Texas for a dynamic convergence of sport and style, fashion-meets-rodeo.

Founded in 2019 by acclaimed rapper Young Thug, SP5DER confronts luxury through a lens of grit. It challenges preconceived notions of streetwear—the idea that it’s too casual for luxury, too urban for regional identity, or too hype-driven for conceptual substance—by offering visual commentary on a broader cultural narrative. In the case of its Fall/Winter 2025 collection, Sweet Tooth, that narrative turns its focus toward the texture, spirit, and complexity of the American South.

Houston’s Plaza Garibaldi became both a runway for fashion and a ring for thrill, hosting SP5DER-branded concessions, exclusive pieces, and its very own pop-up store. But clothing wasn’t the only allure: all proceeds from the evening supported the non-profit BPIR Foundation in their pursuit of educating the public and empowering Black cowboys and cowgirls, youth, and communities to inspire future generations of Black rodeo.

This collaboration showcases a fusion of energy; a celebration of history; a showcase of identity. But to call it a single “event” would be an understatement: in true rowdy fashion, the rodeo consisted of seven competitions and over 50 cowgirls and cowboys. The riders first took to modeling to reveal SP5DER’s new collection in the ring before competing in custom-designed button downs.

How does one become a good cowboy? Certainly, it takes enormous amounts of physical and mental preparation to leap from a horse onto a steer and wrestle it to the ground. A good cowboy knows that showmanship, or style, is just as important as technique. Fashion, like sport, takes muscle. Sport, like fashion, takes a certain amount of glamour. In the rodeo ring, the two are equivocal.