Cowboys of Color Rodeo Carries On While Honoring Founder’s Legacy.

For the first time in decades, a familiar presence will be missing from the arena at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

Cleo Hearn, the longtime rodeo producer and founder of Cowboys of Color, died last November, leaving a lasting void in a tradition he helped shape for more than 50 years.

Hearn launched the Texas Black Rodeo in 1971, which later became Cowboys of Color, highlighting the often overlooked truth that Black, Hispanic, and Native American cowboys played a major role in settling the West.

This year’s Cowboys of Color rodeo will take place without Hearn riding into the arena on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a moment organizers say will be both proud and emotional.

While his absence will be deeply felt, organizers say the event will continue his mission by celebrating diversity, excellence, and respect within cowboy culture.

Cowboys of Color takes place Monday, January 19, at 2 PM. Tickets are available at https://www.fwssr.com.

For a deeper look at Hearn’s legacy, visit and read Bo Evans’ full story.

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Remembering Cleo Hearn: A True Trailblazer of Western Heritage. Cowboys of Color Rodeo Celebrates Diversity at Fort Worth Stock Show. Rodeo Season Is Official When the Dirt Rolls Into Dickies Arena. Seven Days Out: Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Rides Back Into Town.