At a certain point in the climb to Trustee status, inmates earn the opportunity to participate in the Angola Rodeo, held each spring and fall in an arena that holds more than 7,500. The day consists of 11 events, including bull riding. The
The first inmate rodeo at a state prison in Angola, Louisiana, was held in 1965.
beast in question is a 2,000-pound Brahma bull, and most times the inmate rider has never been on the back of a bull before. All is not fair in prisons and
rodeos.
If that isn't exciting enough, the finale also includes a pair of poker-themed events. "Convict Poker" begins with four inmates sitting in chairs, playing a friendly game of cards at a table in the middle of the arena. A bull is released into the pen, and the last inmate to remain seated when the animal charges the poker table earns the win. Poker face most definitely required.
