The laugh-getters and cowboy-savers are at it again! You can never gather forty
or so former rodeo clowns without expecting to grin, chuckle, and guffaw. Regardless of
how long they have been absent from the rodeo arena their humor still reigns especially
when they are wearing their familiar make-up and costumes, which they will do during
the activities. These honorees’ ability to talk and kibbitz with the fans and make
everyone around them have a great time is a God-given talent. Their gait may be slower
and their hand might shake, but their ability to entertain is still in place. People planning
to attend the Rodeo de Santa Fe held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, June 22nd through the
25th, will truly enjoy the opportunity to visit with these early day barrelmen, bullfighters
and comedic clowns.

These bull-baiters, clown-loungers and funnymen will keep the city in stitches
during the four days of the rodeo. They will be seen at various venues in and around the
city. Some of these characters spent as much as forty years in the rodeo arena helping
bull riders get to safety. When their legs got a little stiff and they stop winning the race
to the fence against that fighting bull they sometimes resort to the rodeo clown barrel,
which was developed by Jasbo Fulkerson as a safe haven. Many of honorees were
tremendously successful with animals, from chimps to chickens, in their acts. In the
early days of the rodeo clown every rodeo clown had a mule or a donkey – it was almost
mandatory! Others found antics with the buckin’ Ford or other mechanized vehicles and
could get laughs at every performance from their audiences. Entertainment was
the ‘name of their game’ whether they were keeping the cowboys from injury or worse,
or making the audience laugh and chuckle. It still is today.

Anyone interested in learning more about the up-coming gathering of these
fearless funnymen and super-athletes can contact chairman, Gail Woerner, at
rodeogal@airmail.net or 512-266-1001. Anyone interested in learning more about the
Rodeo de Santa Fe please contact 505-471-4300