Rodeo fans can operate their vehicle with a genuine rodeo license plate thanks to an art director, Ben Heimer, who has designed a license plate for the Arizona Rodeo.

A local agency, Knoodle, designed the license plate free of charge in partnership with Scottsdale Rodeo. A portion of the proceeds will fund the Scottsdale Rodeo Museum, according to a press release.

Art director and Arizona native, Heimer accepted the project because of his love of Arizona culture and his roots. Heimer has worked on the Knoodle team for three years and is planning a career in creative direction.

“I have always loved the Parada del Sol rodeo, going back to when I was a kid. I grew up watching old Westerns with my dad and hanging out with him and his friends,” said Heimer in the release.

Scottsdale Rodeo General Manager Dave Alford, who is a Knoodle client, contacted Knoodle with the assignment, the release said, adding his surprise that his friend, Heimer, was on the team.

“This was just perfect. It seemed like a twist of fate,” Alford said in the release.

Heimer and Alford began meeting every Saturday at the Rodeo Museum in Old Town Scottsdale, the release said, collaborating on possible designs from old sketches, photographs, and memorabilia.

“I got a crash course in Arizona rodeo history and how its grown over the years,” he said.

Heimer began to design the license plate using Alford’s sketches as inspiration, but the real catalyst for the design came in the form of a 1971 photograph of Alford himself riding a bull at the Parada del Sol in Old Town Scottsdale.

The license plate features a bull and rider centered inside a rope bordered belt buckle, known in rodeo circles as Arizona Chrome. Rodeo contestants routinely win belt buckles as trophies in this particular shape.

Arizona Rodeo license plates are at: https://azdot.gov/content/arizona-rodeo.