The World's Only Prison Rodeo

By: © Nelson Taylor 2008

Festival Location: McAlester, OK, USA

Festival State: Oklahoma Festivals

Festival Type(s): Extreme Sports Events, Bizarre Festivals, Equestrian Events

The World's Only Prison Rodeo Media:

Founded in 1940, the Oklahoma State Prison Rodeo is the world's only rodeo held completely behind prison walls. Normal joes can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse inside a maximum security correctional facility while watching some real men-in-black teach cows and horses who is king. While watching your back to make sure you don't get shivved makes for an intense rodeo-watching experience, the crowd seems to enjoy it more when the inmates are all on the rodeo floor competing in an event called Money the Hard Way.

Every year, rodeo organizers let a Brahma bull loose in the arena with a $100 bill tied to one of his horns. Since $100 is worth about 4 months pay to these hardened criminals, be ready for one hell of a scrap for that c-note. Almost 15,000 show up for this two-night, September event. Ticket range from $6 to $15.