July 25, 2001
Rodeo life offers little horse play
Riders travel thousands of miles for seconds of glory
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Traveling 9,000 miles in two weeks for less than a minute total in the spotlight, Rob Gillispie is a cowboy's cowboy.
In town last weekend for Rodeo-Fest 2001, Gillispie was the top scorer in the professional saddle bronc competition on Saturday. Back in the saddle on the rodeo circuit just two months after a long recovery from a knee injury, the Adrian, Missouri, rancher has a basic approach to keeping his seat for those seemingly endless eight seconds.
"Don't get bucked off," said Gillispie, who raises beef cattle and bucking broncos on his ranch. "I've been doing this for 17 years and travel to 130 rodeos a year. It takes lots of practice, lots of determination and lots of tries to stay on."
To the packed crowd Saturday afternoon at the Rodeo-Fest 2001 pro performance, those thrilling eight seconds were well worth a wait in the sweltering sun. As the cowboys burst out of the gate on the bucking horses or bulls- flying out from under their hat in the first second - the drama of man versus animal was gripping.
"I really like it, especially the steer wrestling," said spectator Bryan Rasmussen, 8, of Traverse City.
Event director Dennis Kubesh has brought the Rodeo Fest to the area for the past 15 years and said each day draws between 6,000-8,000 attendees.
"This is the largest rodeo in the state of Michigan, people come from all over," said Kubesh, who rode saddle bronc on the circuit for nine years. "This is a stop on the circuit where professionals build up points."
The two-day event was held at the Interlochen Eagles Rodeo Grounds and included professional events such as bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, trick riding and barrel racing. Amateur events featuring local riders included a variety of races such as cloverleaf, barrel race and flag race.
Many of the professionals on the rodeo circuit have been in it for years, despite numerous injuries. Rae Sikula of McHenry, Illinois, said the rodeo is their livelihood, despite the many hardships or broken bones along the way (so many, the Army refused to take her husband when he was 18).
While the purses are minimal at events such as Rodeo-Fest 2001, which had $6,000 to divvy up among all winners, Sikula said many families farm or have ranches to fall back on. Breaking, riding, training and boarding horses provide the main income for her family, all of whom compete on the rodeo circuit.
Sikula's husband, Mickey, and son, Raymond, also work for Latting Rodeo Productions, the company that provides stock and personnel and manages an event like Rodeo-Fest 2001.
"Rodeo is all we know, we think it keeps us out of trouble, but we're not sure," said Sikula, who rides barrel race and cloverleaf race. "It is really hard work, we work 365 days a year with the horses and you don't get to go anywhere or do anything, you have to be there day and night."
Like the Sikulas, a lifetime of horse experience drew Chad Mack to the rodeo. Working as a clown for the past eight years, he has been on the rodeo circuit for 15.
"I tried to ride bulls but just wasn't handy enough so I decided to try out clowning," said Mack, of Wilkinson, Ind. "Our family has been on horses all our lives and we don't know any other way of living."
Calling clowns the unsung heroes of the rodeo, Mack noted their bright costumes and silly make-up aren't just for show. Clowns are there to distract a horse or bull to let the rider get to safety.
"The riders are out there just eight seconds, we're out there however long it takes," said Mack, who also works as a surveyor and heavy machinery operator. "People think you need to be fast and quick but basically it is just knowing cattle and horses, how they think and what they will do."