Stampede to the rodeo

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/07/2009 (6159 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MORRIS — It takes a lot of courage to sit in a barrel and let an enraged bull charge at you full speed — but that job suits Mark VanTienhoven just fine.

He’s a clown who gets paid to take beatings from bulls on a weekly basis all summer long at rodeos across Western Canada.

"The crowd loves to see me get hit by a bull, I don’t know why," the 26-year-old Albertan laughed.

VanTienhoven is in town for the 46th annual Manitoba Stampede this weekend, where he’ll be causing a ruckus and providing laughs.

The job of a rodeo clown — aside from entertaining the folks during lulls in events — is to provide safe haven to bull riders who get tossed like rag dolls.

"If a bull rider gets bucked off, he can run behind my barrel," VanTienhoven said, his face covered in grease paint.

Normally, rejected riders sprint for safety to the fence while the bull takes its aggression out on the aluminum barrel, sitting conspicuously in the middle of the arena.

"Them bulls will throw that thing and toss it like it’s nothing. It’s really fun."

Although a six-year veteran of his craft, this is VanTienhoven’s first time performing for the Manitoba Stampede, which opened to chilly weather Thursday afternoon.

Clouds and whipping winds kept the opening crowd small, as the horse’s hooves chewed up dirt and spat it out at the 150 people taking in the first batch of chuckwagon and chariot races from the exhibition grandstand.

The strong winds kicked around a range of smells — hotdogs, french fries, mini-doughnuts and manure.

You’re not in Winnipeg anymore, and while on the surface it seems like the Red River Ex, it’s not.

"This is something you’re only going to see here at this calibre," stampede president Tim Lewis said.

The Manitoba Stampede is the province’s only professional rodeo and offers bull rodeos, chariot races, horse competitions and a trade show.

"This is a small-town rodeo and a small-town fair, but this is a big international event," Lewis said.

Of the cowboys at this year’s event, Lewis said many are from the U.S. and five are from Australia.

"These aren’t weekend cowboys," he said. "We try to do a little bit of entertainment for everyone, from the kids to the grandparents."

Those curious about what it’s like to get dragged by a horse are welcome to sign up for the Ride the Hide events that take place between chariot races.

It’s not as dangerous as it sounds — participants are pulled in a toboggan as a horse gallops around the arena.

The top six finalists from the weekend have the chance to compete for a $200 prize on Sunday.

For those uncomfortable at the prospect of being thrashed behind a horse, there are also a handful of midway amusement rides and even a haunted house to check out between grandstand events.

Lewis said he anticipates 25,000 people will visit the stampede this weekend.

matt.preprost@freepress.mb.ca