Rodeo Clown

rodeo · animal safety · performer · western

Started as one job. Long ago, rodeo clowns did two things at once: they made jokes to entertain the crowd AND protected riders who fell off bulls. It was a pretty wild job to have.

Now split into two roles. Today most rodeos have bullfighters who focus purely on keeping riders safe from angry bulls, and separate comedians called barrelmen who do silly tricks and jokes to make people laugh.

Protection from the bull. When a rider gets thrown off, the bullfighter quickly steps between the rider and the bull to distract the animal and keep the person from getting hurt.

Comic entertainment. Barrelmen dress up in wild outfits and hide in or jump out of barrels to create funny moments during the rodeo that keep the audience entertained.

Still combined in some places. At smaller rodeos or in other countries, you might still find one person doing both the protection and comedy, just like rodeo clowns did many years ago.