Rodeo Kids Say the Darndest Things

A crowd gathered outside Mr. Boots in the Village Shopping Center on Beauregard for the 12th Annual Clown and Princess contest on Jan. 25.

Boys and girls with colorful makeup, rags, rainbow suspenders and cowboy attire attempted jokes and tricks to convince the judges, San Angelo Rodeo Ambassadors, that they would make great rodeo clowns.

One Rodeo Ambassador brought the clown-hopeful children up onto the little stage for interviews. The range of answers were something that only young minds could think up.

A clown hopeful named Brice was asked if he was tough enough to wear pink, to which he looked down and said, “I think so.”

Patrick, when asked who his favorite rodeo performer was, answered “My pawpaw.”

However, the most laughs came from Samuel, whose naming choices baffled the audience and drew laughs out of even the most stoic cowboy. The first question the ambassador asked him was the name of his stick horse, which he answered, “Shaggy.”

After a couple other questions, she asked if Samuel had a real horse, to which he shook his head and said, “I have a fish though, his name is Shaggy.”

After the ambassadors interviewed the clowns, they moved on to the princesses. Girls as young as three and as old as nine professed their desire to be future San Angelo Rodeo Ambassadors.

Lexy and Madison declared Bull Riding to be their favorite parts of the rodeo, and Kaylee said that horses are her favorite rodeo performers.

The Ambassadors will pick 10 clowns and 20 princesses out of the contestants to perform in the rodeo at the mutton bustin’.

“The clown goes out with one of the bull fighters and the princesses stay with the ambassadors,” explained Marissa Griffin, Captain of the Drill Team with the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Ambassadors. The princess helps give out the awards to the winners of the mutton bustin’.

“We’ve been very blessed,” said Walter Timm, manager of Mr. Boots. “It’s our 40th year in business and our 12th year sponsoring the Clown and Princess Contest.”

Timm explained that Mr. Boots is a family owned and operated business and the Timm Family believes that it is important to give back to the community.

“You can’t take, take, take,” he said. “It’s all about the kids, that’s why we do this [Clown and Princess Show], and sponsor the Junior Barrel Race.”

According to Timm, the children are the future and they need to be supported because they are the next community leaders.

For Rodeo Clown Results click here.

For Princess Results click here.