PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — If you are looking for a fun activity on Saturday night, horses, bull riding and a rough stock rodeo is happening at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo.
It's all a part of a fundraiser for the non-profit organization, Sober Cowboy. The event is called 8 Seconds for Addiction Xtreme Roughstock Rodeo.
Sober Cowboy was founded to change the stigma about addiction in cowboy culture.
“You don't have to be drunk to be a cowboy,” said Lacey Singleton.
Sober Cowboy is a group of rodeo athletes, western industry ranchers and cowboys recovering from addiction.
“To help as many people as we can in the Western farming and agriculture industries to get the help that they need that they don't receive from downtown AA groups, they're more likely to stick with their own. So, providing that resource to get addiction recovery is what we do,” said Singleton.
As a cowgirl, Singleton said she struggled with alcohol.
“When I began to go through the sober journey, I went out to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, and I feel like the only sober person there, or the only one that's even thinking that way,” said Singleton.
She said trying to get sober while living the cowboy lifestyle was very isolating.
“I lost a ton of friends through getting sober because it just wasn't a part of what a cowboy is,” said Singleton.
Singleton realized there were not many resources in the Western industry for addiction recovery, so she started Sober Cowboy.
“Now that we've started this movement, it has been a world of difference in seeing how many people support it, and how many people felt that way and were suffering in silence,” said Singleton.
Sober Cowboy has 30 members in active recovery. They are hosting the 8 Seconds For Addiction Rodeo Fundraiser on Saturday night to raise money and awareness.
“It's going to be an extreme rough stock rodeo. We're going to have bareback horses, saddle bronc horses Ranch, bronc horses mini bulls and the big bulls. So, we've got lots of guys coming out to ride eight seconds to prove that they can go 8 Seconds for Addiction,” said Singleton.
There will be vendors and resources from other recovery groups in Pueblo, all of your favorite fair food and non alcoholic beer options.
“We don't have to drink to have fun or to be cowboys, so we're hoping that people just come out and enjoy a night with families and these guys that... either are sober or are proving to be sober or getting there. We're just supporting all of the people in this community and showing them that we back them up for a night of sober fun here at 8 Seconds for Addiction,” said Singleton.
The rodeo starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday night at the Colorado State Fairgrounds, Big R Arena. People can buy tickets at the door or online.
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