Fan edits of rodeo stars and pro bull riders are racking up millions of views on TikTok, the comment sections flooded with thirst: "Hot," "husband," "I'm going to the next rodeo." The cowboy crush is suddenly everywhere, but it's not coming from just one corner of the internet. From fans of "Cowboy Carter" to city kids planning trips to the rodeo arena, the appeal cuts across music tastes, fashion aesthetics, and even political lines.
Just this March, the Houston Rodeo broke its all-time attendance record with 2.7 million visitors. The appeal of the cowboy is hardly a new invention, however: He's been a staple of American folklore and fantasy for generations, his swagger and silhouette embedded in many cultures' collective desire.
Social media has now cracked that desire wide open. The once niche crush has gone mainstream, algorithmically amplified and newly visible. Content creator Ania Boniecka tells PS, "Literally put a cowboy hat on any guy, and women will just go crazy."
"Literally put a cowboy hat on any guy, and women will just go crazy."The cowboy hat, the worn boots, the massive belt buckle hint at something more than style. The working, athletic man of the rodeo circuit isn't sculpted in a gym, but rodeo fangirls say a cowboy's strength is lived-in, utilitarian, tested by bulls and dirt and heat. "There's something about a guy that's manly, gritty, and can ride a big animal like a horse or a bull," says Kelly McKee, known online as Cowgirl Kellz, who lives next door to a rodeo in Mount Vernon, TX. "It's just really hot."
Beyond the physical, Boniecka points to a "cowboy code" that sets these men apart. It's a quiet strength, a sense of reliability, and an old-fashioned kind of honor. The cowboys who truly capture hearts, she says, aren't just handsome; they're kind, well-mannered, and quick to lend a hand. It's a stark contrast to some of today's louder, more theatrical brands of masculinity, like the social media-driven "manosphere," where toughness is performative, hyper-individualistic, and often associated with alt-right politics. Cowboys, Boniecka suggests, don't perform masculinity. They live it through action, humility, and community.
Rodeo athletes, Boniecka notes, are often driven by a deep love of the sport, not by a desire to be seen. "If you look at any of their Instagrams," she says, "it's really like they don't want to be showing themselves off. It's about how they can ride the bull, how they can ride the bronc." It's a kind of humble, hard-won dedication that adds a quiet intensity to their appeal, one that doesn't need to shout to be noticed.
The cowboy's cultural comeback also owes a lot to popular hits like "Yellowstone," which thrust Western landscapes and rugged swagger back into the spotlight. But, it's shows like Netflix's new "Ransom Canyon" that signal a new chapter in the rodeo crush. Unlike traditional Westerns that lean heavily on stoicism and ruggedness, "Ransom Canyon" leans into a cowboy's almost inherent sexiness with shirtless scenes, gripping chemistry, and characters whose vulnerabilities make them relatable, not just tough archetypes.
The rodeo crush has entered the world of celebrity relationships, too, after Bella Hadid hard-launched her relationship with pro horseman Adan Banuelos in 2024. She's since supported him in the stables and cheered him on during various competitions. But the model's also played a role in turning the cowboy archetype into a full-fledged TikTok fantasy.
For those inside the rodeo world, this growing spotlight feels both overdue and energizing. Kaitie Blue Kepler, a 27-year-old graphic designer and rodeo wife from Wickenburg, AZ, has witnessed firsthand the sport's revival. "The sport was dying not that long ago," she says, crediting "Yellowstone" with playing "a huge role in rodeo thriving today."
Wickenburg has long been known as a rodeo town, but in recent years, Kepler has seen it transformed. The team roping circuit has revived the local economy, with the town's winter season now revolving around rodeo. And while the sport's growing popularity owes much to digital culture, Kepler finds rodeo is actually an escape from that world.
"Cowboys are completely independent. They have sponsors, but they make little to no money, and they risk everything to do what they love. It's never been about internet popularity, but only passion," she says. That grit, and the tight-knit community around it, offers what she calls "an exit" from constant digital noise.
But from where Kepler sits, married to a competitive bull rider and surrounded by the rodeo lifestyle, the recent crush on cowboys feels almost surreal. "It's so crazy," she says, "because to me, the romanticization and that view of the cowboy has been a thing forever."
She gets why people are drawn in - there's a certain rockstar energy, especially with figures like Rocker Steiner, a divisive rising star some fans call the "rodeo bad boy." "It is almost like groupies at a concert," Kepler adds. But while that swagger might drive the crush, she says most cowboys are far from larger-than-life. They're guys you'll see walking through the crowd after their ride, grabbing groceries in their boots, doing what they love for little reward.
Still, there's no denying the appeal. The cowboy has long occupied a mythic space in American culture - part Marlboro Man, part lone wolf, part small-town sweetheart. The rise of rodeo crushes online is a reflection of that fantasy made modern: a quiet, capable masculinity that, to many, feels refreshing in an era of oversharing.
"A lot of them aren't there for vanity," Boniecka says. "They're not trying to be stars. They're trying to ride well. Some are students, some are supporting families, some just need to make a little extra cash. Most of them are humble, country guys doing what they love."
Boniecka's content often features rodeo riders in fun, trend-driven videos, and her DMs are regularly flooded with the same question, "How did you get cowboys to agree to this?" Her answer is simple. "The thing about rodeo is, you have access," she says. "Cowboys are just walking around. It's not like a hockey game where the players are behind glass. They're part of the crowd."
But Boniecka also notes that not everyone who goes to the rodeo is coming to crush on cowboys. Boniecka herself is married, but her connection to rodeo is deeply personal, rooted in her upbringing as an immigrant from Eastern Europe whose parents revered American Western culture as a symbol of freedom. "We couldn't even get denim under communism," she recalls. "It was like a luxury item." After her father passed away, engaging with the rodeo community became a way to feel close to him again. "Like he was looking over and smiling," she says.
McKee, on the other hand, is open about wanting her own rodeo romance. She was first drawn in by Kaitlyn Davis, a Texas influencer whose rodeo-star husband Cooper Davis sparked McKee's interest in the scene. "She's life goals," McKee says. "And I want to be her one day, hopefully with my own rodeo guy."
But for McKee, looks are just the start. "You have to be a family man. You have to have morals, ethics. Be a hunter, a farmer, run off a scary animal," she laughs. "I'm a single, independent lady. I can cook, I can clean. But I want someone who can do the rest, someone big, husky, and masculine."
What makes cowboys so crush-worthy, McKee says, is ultimately their authenticity. "The last couple decades, there's been so much fake, lip-filler, curated lives. People want something real, and there's nothing more real than a cowboy. You can't fake being one. You either are or you're not."
Related: Romantasy Boyfriends Have Raised the Bar - Can Men in Real Life Compete? Shahamat Uddin is a freelance writer largely covering queer and South Asian issues, but also related lifestyle topics and entertainment. His family hails from Sylhet, Bangladesh, but after growing up in Roswell, GA, he now lives in Brooklyn with his cat, Butter. Outside of PS, he also has bylines in Teen Vogue, Vogue, Vogue India, New York Magazine, Them, The Nation, and more. Read More Details
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