Barrelman - Donnie Landis Rodeo Clown Extraordinaire Laughter, Lifesaving, and A Lot Of Bull A typical business day for Donnie Landis includes getting Marion his trained flea, to jump from a high stand into a bucket of water, cantering his rare Cantabeatalope across a rodeo arena while the steed’s giraffe-like neck swivels around to give him a 360 degree vision, and set his over-sized “mousetrap” in hopes of catching a bull during the rodeo bull riding event. Landis, a second generation rodeo clown and a fourth generation cowboy, takes his business responsibilities as serious as a bank president or a grade school teacher.  His work preparation begins long before he enters the rodeo arena.  His execution of business is pure seriousness, although he is dressed in a funny hat, clown make-up, a big red nose and baggy britches. During the bull riding, his serious attitude only intensifies.  He is there to assist in keeping the bucking bulls from injuring the cowboys.  No doubt his ability and attitude are the reasons he was picked by the top 20 PRCA bull riders to be the barrelman at the National Finals Rodeo in 1993 and in 1995, as well as the alternate in 1997. At 47 year of age, Landis has been in the rodeo world fro 29 years.  His father, Bill Landis, was a bullfighter and rodeo clown, and also produced rodeos for a time and his mother was a rodeo secretary. When asked what the secret is to his present day success, Landis doesn’t hesitate, “I was lucky.  Because of my dad, I learned from the ‘old school’ where a rodeo clown had to do everything – fight bulls, have comedy acts, entertain and save lives. Adrenaline surges through Landis as he helps save a cowboy from a snuffy bucking bull and he accomplishes feats he doesn’t realize he is capable of performing.  When an audience laughs and cheers when he goes through the antics of his well-synchronized comedy routines and he knows it is only his efforts that bring about the delight of the crowd, he knows he doesn’t want to do anything else.  And that’s no bull!

 

Diablo Ladies Drill Team Comes Back for 2008

 

 

 

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