Aaron Baxter - Broken Arrow Horseback Riding Club
Come see Aaron Baxter at the Broken Arrow Horseback Riding Club in Chicago. Experience the joy of horseback riding in a supportive community
TBC STORIES
The rhythm of hooves doesn’t usually echo off concrete. Not on the South Side, where sirens, traffic, and the hum of the city define the soundtrack. But for Aaron Baxter, that rhythm has always been there steady, grounded, and inherited. Aaron isn’t a cowboy by hobby. He’s a cowboy by birthright.Raised in Chicago, far from the wide-open ranchlands most people associate with the Western lifestyle, Baxter’s story challenges a
myth that’s lingered far too long—that cowboys only come from the country, and that they don’t look like him.
“People say Chicago don’t have cowboys,” Baxter says. “But wherever there were cows, there were cowboys. And one out of four of them were Black.”
That truth runs deeper than folklore. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chicago’s Union Stockyards were a hub of American livestock trade and Black cowboys were a critical part of that ecosystem. Baxter isn’t reinventing the culture; he’s continuing it.
Steger, Ill 35 miles south of Chicago
A Family That Never Questioned
Baxter’s path was never a fight at home. It was encouraged, protected, and celebrated.
His mother, auntie, and grandmother didn’t just accept his passion they fueled it. Long drives, packed coolers, and weekends spent at rodeos across the country became a way of life. While other kids spent Saturdays at basketball courts or football fields, Aaron was learning reins, posture, and discipline. The biggest influence in developing his horsemen skills is his Godfather Ron Vasser, Chicago Cowboy and Murdock the Cowboy with no first name.
“They made it possible,” he says. “Every mile, every rodeo they were there.”
Sharon Baxter and Pat Baxter
With the next generation is coming in with 2 year old son Ahmal Baxter.
Broken Arrow: Where the City Meets the Saddle
At the center of Baxter’s growth is the Broken Arrow Horseback Riding Club, a South Side institution that has quietly become a cornerstone of Chicago’s Black cowboy culture.
The club isn’t just about riding, it’s about reclaiming space, history, and identity.
Membership has been steadily growing, drawing in a new generation of riders who see horses not as something distant and rural, but as part of their community’s story. For many, Broken Arrow is where curiosity turns into commitment.
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The Lakefront Rodeo
On May 21, the South Shore Cultural Center will transform.
Set against the backdrop of Lake Michigan, with the golf course stretching nearby and families picnicking under open skies, the space becomes something unexpected—a rodeo ground in the heart of Chicago.
Dozens of riders will compete for trophies, cash prizes, and pride. The air will carry the sounds of hooves, cheers, and tradition. Bikes will roll past. Spectators will pause. And for a moment, the city will feel like open country.
For Baxter, this isn’t just another competition.
TBC STORIES
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