Yes, nakymaton, there is positively a "huh" at the end of Ennis's comment.
I watch Pro Bull Riding a lot, and quess what? Half of the riders are wearing blue denim shirts and black hats. There is a larger variety of shirts available to these "cowboys", but usually hat choices are black, white, ivory, grey, brown..depending on you mood for any given day, I guess.
As for the year's earning of $2000 in 1964, compare that to my income of about $7000, but factor in that I worked 12 months a year; rodeo cowboys were seasonal, still are, at about 4 months. So, I think $2000 for an average of 3.2 secs per ride, 3-5 rides per week, approximately 15-20 weeks per year, less his costs (clothes, gear, medical costs for injury, traveling, food on the road) was poverty level. Top rodeo cowboys today are earning upwards of $1 million plus endorsements. But is it worth all those broken bones, brain concussions, possibility of never having offspring? I happened to see an event just 2 nights ago where the rider wa thrown but got caught up in his rope and was left dangling from the bull until ole "Jimbo" was able to pull him loose. In the meantime, he suffered separated shoulder, brain concussion, broken wrist, and a stomp to the gonads that would have made scrambbled eggs!
Risks? A very big YES.