05/11/2026
𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀.
This has been grinding my gears for a while.
Rodeo committees put an enormous amount of work into giving us somewhere to compete and a great event to watch. Ground preparation, quality stock, facilities, volunteers—the work starts long before we even arrive.
So when an event appoints official photographers and videographers and publishes its media conditions, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
Over the past nine months, I’ve noticed more people turning up with cameras and sizeable lenses, photographing competitors and posting those photos online.
Wanting great rodeo photos is understandable. Assuming the event’s rules don’t apply to you isn’t.
Here’s why it matters.
𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮.
As a parent, I want to know who is photographing my child, where those images are going and how they’ll be used.
Agreeing to an association’s photography arrangements doesn’t mean families are comfortable with anyone photographing their children and publishing those images wherever they choose.
𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Being in the arena doesn’t make that disappear.
𝟮. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀.
A split-second image can leave out everything happening before and after it. Something that looks dramatic or “cool” can give a misleading impression when shared without context.
Those images can travel well beyond your page, into the hands of people who don’t understand the sport—or are looking for reasons to campaign against it.
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, accurately representing what happened and taking animal welfare seriously.
𝟯. 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.
There’s a reason access to certain areas is controlled. Horses, livestock, competitors and arena crews are moving quickly. Knowing where you can stand, when you need to move and how to stay out of the way matters.
𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲.
𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯.
Official photographers and videographers invest in equipment, travel, editing and learning their craft. Their work captures our memories, promotes our events and gives our sport visibility.
The committee has approved them to be there. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
If an event has closed media arrangements, respect them. The notice shared here allows photography for personal use and requires prior written consent from ABCRA before sharing content publicly or on social media.
𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲.
Want to get into rodeo photography? Contact the committee. Ask what approval you need. Learn the sport and the safety expectations. Come through the right channels.
We all love a cracking photo of a great run. But getting the shot doesn’t come before respecting the competitors, their children, the committee or the people working there.
𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
🚫 Reminder for All Rodeo Attendees 🚫
A friendly reminder that recording video or taking photos for anything beyond personal use is prohibited. 📸 Our official photographers, Gavin Little Photographer. The Chute Shooter. & Emma Fiddler Photography are the only ones approved for public and social media content.
If you’d like to share content online, please get prior written consent from ABCRA. Thanks for supporting our talented photographers and respecting these guidelines!
Enjoy the rodeo! 🤠
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