As we advance further and further into the age of technological sophistication, the cowboy and his rodeo are fast becoming a thing of myth, rather than origin.

Who doesn’t cast a wistful glance back at the days of bucking broncos, brandished wide-brimmed hats, and the roar of arena applause?

Rodeo tattoos feature an endless array of subjects and inspiration, from traditional silhouettes to painstakingly detailed designs. Cowboys astride bulls, whirling lassos, and even simple boot, hat, and horseshoe emblems give a nod to the days of the Old West-and leave the door open for the new. Many choose to go one step further and honor the golden age of “Spaghetti Westerns” with silver screen icons such as John Wayne, while others prefer the portraits of country crooners Hank Williams Sr. and Jr.

A rodeo tattoo tells the tale of a man who is one step ahead of the stampede, but moves in his own time and pace all the same. This is a man who gets up before he hits the ground, tipping his cowboy hat to adversity. Life at the rodeo isn’t about what bucks us, but how we overcome it; that is, after all, what separates men from legends.