A look behind the scenes of the distinctly American, rough-and-ready subculture of professional rodeo. From the breakneck rodeo action to cowboy life on the road, we follow a year of competition. The subjects include Fred Whitfield, the first African American all-around rodeo champion; up-and-coming bull riders Kagan Sirett and Mike Moore; and top bull rider and rodeo clown Don "Hollywood" Yates, who is training to switch from rodeo to professional wrestling. We witness the exhilaration and hardship of these modern-day cowboys, who compete under the ever-present threat of injury and even death. And then there are personal dramas--Fred has his first child and Kagan and Mike cope with serious injuries, as the whole crew crisscrosses the West in pursuit of gold championship buckles. The physical toll and financial hardship these unsung athletes continually face is extreme, yet they remain deeply committed to a sport and a lifestyle that is struggling to fend off extinction.