Hear the word “prison” and you think of people who have committed crimes. Hear the words “Angola Prison,” and you think of people who have committed serious offenses such as murder, armed robbery and rape.
Yet the 5,127 male inmates who live in the Angola prison give back to the community of St. Francisville in extraordinary ways.
One way they give back is through live entertainment. Every Sunday in October for the past 38 years, the prisoners have competed in a rodeo competition.
From bareback riding to Angola bull dodging, these prisoners do it all. The rodeo begins with an introduction of the show. The Angola Rough Riders charge into the arena and set the tone for the day.
These prisoners wave their banners of red, white and blue as they charge around the arena before the howling crowd.
This is followed by the Grand Entry. Riders from throughout the area show off their horses as they parade along with the music in their performance apparel.
Next comes the part that the crowd has been waiting for: the Bust Out, Bareback riding, Bull dodging and Guts & Glory.
The Bust Out opens the rodeo for the prisoners. All eight chutes are opened at once and it is the last prisoner riding that hopes to gain enough points to win the title of “All-Around Cowboy.”
Bareback riding is common to most rodeos.
The rider must stay on the bull for a minimum of eight seconds with one hand in the air to qualify for a top score. The winner of this round walks away with the “event champion” buckle.
In Bull dodging, two prisoners wrestle a calf to the ground as quickly as they can.
A favorite event of onlookers is the Guts & Glory competition. It is here that the prisoners attempt to retrieve a poker chip that is tied to the horns of a bull. This is the most dangerous, most exciting and most-anticipated event of the rodeo.
All prisoners who participate are volunteers for the rodeo.
According to Burl Cain, one of the wardens, “Lives are changed with the rodeo, and with the money that is made, chapels are being built within the Angola boundaries.”
But not all prisoners participate in the rodeo. Some choose to participate in the arts and crafts show held outside of the arena.
All of the crafts are handmade, and they range from leather key chains to rocking chairs to purses and belts.
Some prisoners are allowed to sell their crafts personally to the crowds. The prisoners are allowed to keep their profits, but usually the money will go toward supplies or one of the many volunteer groups located on the grounds.
Calvin Donaldson, a 51-year-old inmate from New Orleans, has been at Angola for 22 years.
He has sold crafts at the show about seven times, and for him it helps to pass the time of imprisonment.
“It’s a hobby. It’s something for us to do. My family can come and support me as I try to sell the things that I spend so much time making,” Donaldson said.
Richard Thomas, also from New Orleans, has been at Angola for 29 years.
He has participated in the arts and crafts show for 15 years, and he said he believes that this is good for everyone.
“The money that I make can be used for attorney fees or supplies. The rodeo and arts and crafts show give us something to look forward to at the end of each week,” he said.
An inmate steps from behind bars and takes a break in the ring before patricipating in one of the crowd-pleasing events. (Charles Costello)
A prisoner in traditional stripes holds onto his horse for dear life while entertaining the crowd during one of the Sunday rodeo shows. The shows are held annually every Sunday in October. (Charles Costello)
