Back of the Chutes

A man sitting on a bench with his head bowed, wearing a cowboy hat, plaid shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots, with several other men standing and sitting nearby in a dimly lit indoor setting.

New Mexico State Fair Rodeo, 2022

These photographs are from the New Mexico State Fair Rodeo in 2022, part of the Fair’s PRCA rodeo nights at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque.

I have photographed the fair for years, but the rodeo always feels like its own world. The stands are loud and bright, and the arena is pure speed, dust, and instinct. Behind the chutes it gets quiet. You see the small routines that hold people together, kids dressed like tiny cowboys, hands taped up, gear checked, a last look at the ground, a prayer, a deep breath. Then the gate opens and everything turns into eight seconds that can change a night.

What I love about the State Fair Rodeo is how much of New Mexico fits inside it. Families come dressed up and ready. Riders show up with pride and nerves. Clowns and crews do the hard work that keeps people safe. There are moments of celebration and moments that hurt to watch, because the sport is real and the consequences are real. The rodeo is a performance, but it is also labor, risk, and community.

I made these photographs to hold both sides at once, the spectacle in the arena and the human life just out of frame.

A cowboy on horseback at a rodeo arena, with clothing items hanging on a trailer wall and shadows cast by the setting sun. New Mexico State Fair
A rodeo scene in black and white where a cowboy has fallen off a bucking horse, with another cowboy riding nearby, and people watching and cheering in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A young boy dressed as a rodeo clown stands in an indoor arena, holding a helmet, with other rodeo performers and spectators in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A bull and a person competing in a rodeo event, with an audience watching from the stands. New Mexico State Fair
A cowboy wearing a hat and cowboy boots sitting on a bench with others in cowboy hats and attire in the background, inside a dimly lit indoor setting. New Mexico State Fair
Silhouettes of two musicians with guitars performing on stage, backlit with bright lights, and an audience watching in the foreground. New Mexico State Fair
A man with a mustache and beard, wearing a cap and sunglasses on his head, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket inside an indoor space. New Mexico State Fair
A man dressed in Western attire standing beside a horse in a rodeo arena, with a trailer in the background, captured in black and white. New Mexico State Fair
Two men wearing cowboy hats and western attire in a backstage area, one squatting and the other standing, surrounded by bags and equipment. New Mexico State Fair
A man wearing a cowboy hat, a jacket with racing patches, and a tie, standing next to a horse, with a wooden wall and a shirt hanging in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A man sits on a leather couch with a young girl in a rodeo arena, surrounded by people in cowboy hats and Western attire, with a large audience in the background. New Mexico State Fair
Three young cowboys at an indoor rodeo event, one sitting on a fence, another standing, and a third with rodeo gear, including a vest and fringed chaps, in a black-and-white photo with a crowd and arena lights in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A rodeo event with a cowboy riding a bull in an arena. A person in cowboy attire is standing nearby watching. Spectators are seated in the stands behind the arena, observing the event. New Mexico State Fair
Four teenagers standing against a brick wall, with their arms around each other, smiling and looking at the camera in black and white. New Mexico State Fair
A woman wearing a cowboy hat and western-style shirt holds a flag during an outdoor event. New Mexico State Fair
A woman lying on a hospital bed, receiving a medical vaccination, with medical staff and other people nearby. New Mexico State Fair
A young boy with a mischievous smile, wearing a woven straw hat, plaid shirt, and a leather vest, holding a motorcycle helmet, standing near metal bars, in black and white. New Mexico State Fair
A man in cowboy attire standing with his back to the camera in a dimly lit indoor setting. He wears a cowboy hat, a striped shirt, and chaps. New Mexico State Fair
Four children sitting on a bench against a brick wall, smiling, in a black-and-white photo. New Mexico State Fair
A young boy in a patterned shirt and jeans is playing with a jump rope outside near a staircase, with other people and a trash can in the background, in a black and white photo. New Mexico State Fair
A rodeo athlete falls off a bucking horse in an arena, with spectators watching from the stands. New Mexico State Fair
A young boy wearing a large straw hat and patterned shirt, standing in front of empty stadium seats, looking directly at the camera with a slight smile. New Mexico State Fair
A woman draped in an American flag riding a horse with a mask. The background shows a building and outdoor setting. New Mexico State Fair
A cowboy riding a bucking horse during a rodeo event, with spectators in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A group of cowboys and cowgirls wearing Western hats and plaid shirts sitting on a rail at a rodeo arena, with spectators watching from the stands in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A man sits on a stool in a cattle pen, tilting his hat forward. He appears to be praying or reflecting, with cows behind the pen in a black-and-white photograph. New Mexico State Fair
A young boy sitting on a bench at a livestock event, wearing a cowboy hat, with a water bottle beside him, while two men are standing and conversing in the background under a metal shelter. New Mexico State Fair
Black and white photo of a young man wearing a cowboy hat and a denim jacket with a 'Jesus Saves' patch on the back, leaning on a railing. New Mexico State Fair
Four young boys dressed in cowboy and hockey gear standing beside each other in a line, with spectators around them, at what appears to be an indoor sports or entertainment venue. New Mexico State Fair
A person riding a bucking horse in a rodeo arena with a crowd of spectators in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A rodeo scene in black and white, featuring a cowboy riding a bucking bull, surrounded by spectators and rodeo officials. New Mexico State Fair
Two rodeo cowboys, wearing cowboy hats and Western attire, standing on a dirt rodeo arena in an indoor stadium with audience in the background, one holding a lasso. New Mexico State Fair
A cowboy riding a bucking horse during a rodeo event, captured in black and white, with an audience watching from the stands. New Mexico State Fair
Three young boys dressed as cowboys sitting on a bench, wearing cowboy hats and plaid shirts, inside an indoor arena with bright ceiling lights. New Mexico State Fair
A rodeo rider jumps off a bucking bull in a rodeo arena, with spectators and officials observing in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A young man with a black eye and blood on his face being assisted by two men wearing cowboy hats. New Mexico State Fair
Rodeo cowboy falling off a bucking horse during a rodeo event. New Mexico State Fair
A black and white photo of cowboys on horseback in a rodeo arena, wearing cowboy hats, with a sign that reads 'EAST CORRIDOR' in the background. New Mexico State Fair
A young woman dressed in cowboy attire, including a hat, sitting on a horse, with a 'Miss' sash, in front of a building and a vehicle. New Mexico State Fair
Man on horseback holding American flags at a rodeo event, with other riders and trucks in the background. New Mexico State Fair
Two young boys in cowboy hats standing behind a metal fence, with one boy facing sideways and the other facing away, at a rodeo or similar event. New Mexico State Fair
A woman dressed in western attire with a cowboy hat sitting on a horse, using her phone, at an outdoor equestrian event. There are other horses, people, and flags in the background. New Mexico State Fair
Three young boys stand in front of stalls at a fairground, with rides and game booths visible in the background. They wear casual clothes and cowboy hats, and one holds a water bottle. New Mexico State Fair
Black and white photo of cowboys with hats at a rodeo with spectators in the background. New Mexico State Fair
Two men in cowboy hats riding horses, each holding an American flag, at a rodeo or parade. One is wearing a sheriff's badge, and the scene is in black and white. New Mexico State Fair