BPIR Celebrates Founder Lu Vason with New Memoir & National Book Signing Tour

DALLAS-FT. WORTH, Texas (TXAN 24) – The life and legacy of Lu Vason — the visionary behind the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) — is now on full display in a new memoir and national book signing tour.

Under the Western Skies: Lu Vason, From Dreamer to Visionary to Pioneer was released July 1, 2025, and is available in hardcover, softcover, and e-book formats through Amazon, Kindle, the BPIR Swag Hub, and souvenir booths nationwide. The release is being celebrated with book signing events at select BPIR stops and partner venues across the country, giving fans the chance to meet contributors, purchase signed copies, and honor Vason’s trailblazing work.

Born in the Jim Crow South, Vason rose from Oakland’s streets to Hollywood’s entertainment circuits and music industry boardrooms before creating the first and only African American touring rodeo association. The memoir — with a foreword by Emmy Award–winning actor Glynn Turman — captures his humor, resilience, and vision for a place where Black cowboys and cowgirls could ride proud on a national stage.

For book signing dates and locations, visit billpickettrodeo.com or follow BPIR on social media.