Ivan McClellan Returns - From Behind the Lens to Center of the Arena

Ivan McClellan is a photographer, writer, and storyteller who’s shining a light on Black cowboy culture in a way that’s never been done before. When we first talked back in 2020, Ivan was in the early stages of immersing himself in this world—capturing rodeos, meeting cowboys, and telling stories that had largely been overlooked. Now, nearly five years later, he’s once again forging his own path by creating Eight Seconds Rodeo, an electrifying, high-stakes event that’s bringing some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the country together to compete for serious prize money, all while celebrating a rich and important legacy.

In this episode, Ivan shares the inspiring story of how Eight Seconds Rodeo came to life—from a passion project sparked by tragedy to a must-see event that’s redefining the rodeo world. We dig into the challenges of launching something this big from scratch, the power of storytelling to shift culture, and what it means to build something bigger than yourself. Ivan also talks about his new photography book, his creative process, and how he stays grounded while juggling everything he’s got going on.

If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to go back to our first podcast conversation, where we discuss Ivan’s early life and upbringing, as well as his journey into professional photography and the world of Black rodeo. It’s super inspiring to see how his career has grown and evolved over the last few years– and also to see how he’s continued to be such a humble, hard-working family man. 

Whether you’re a longtime rodeo fan or just love hearing stories about people chasing big, meaningful dreams, this conversation is for you.

As always, you can find links to Ivan’s work, Eight Seconds Rodeo, his book, and our first conversation in the episode notes. And if you’re near Portland or Philadelphia in 2025, do yourself a favor and check out one of his rodeos. You won’t regret it.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Ivan McClellan!

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• Eight Seconds
• Eight Seconds Rodeo
• Ivan on Instagram
• Ivan’s first appearance on M&P
• A long list of excellent press on Ivan and Eight Seconds
• Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/ivan-mcclellan-2/
• Support M&P on Patreon

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 3:20 - Checking in with Ivan
• 7:05 - Eight Seconds Rodeo beginnings
• 9:35 - Knowing Ouncie
• 14:35 - The first step and conquering doubt
• 16:05 - Choosing Portland
• 18:35 - Someone to run the rodeo
• 22:50 - Stories of the first rodeo
• 26:50 - Year two
• 29:05 - What’s in store for 2025
• 32:35 - Balancing helping others and being the face
• 38:05 - The driving force
• 39:20 - The story of Ivan’s photography book
• 46:35 - Is a written book in store?
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