When you picture cowboys in your head, do you imagine them in Bahrain?
Well, we can change that by letting you know that Bahraini Cowboys are an actual thing.
There are even two documentaries about them.
It isn’t clear when the subculture started in Bahrain but it can be dated back to the 1970s/80s and it is influenced by western culture and Western movies.
Hundreds of men, women, and children get together in the middle of the desert to watch the cowboys compete. Men on horses are there to practice their skills, gathering almost every weekend. Being a Bahraini cowboy isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle and a subculture on the island.
There’s even a cowboy shop where you can purchase all the necessary equipment and wardrobe essentials.
![](https://www.thenational.ae/image/policy:1.842260:1553763702/BAH-Cowboys-PMW2019-006.jpg?$p=44fc7c6&w=1136&$w=ec52ab9)
People in Bahrain have embraced this subculture slowly, especially horseback riders. It’s become a great, tight-knit community of people that carry on the importance of horses in Bahrain as they have been a part of Bahrain’s culture for about 4,000 years.
Click here to learn more about how you can watch a cowboy competition!