Latest news with #ManitobaThreshermen'sReunionandStampede
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
When Clydesdales are the family business
RM OF YELLOWHEAD — Tucker Thevenot is making trouble. He grabs a hose and drags it around the corner. The boy comes back with a stick in his hands, and taunts his family with a 'sword fight.' Stay away from the centre of the yard, his father warns. A one-year-old Clydesdale horse is being sprayed with cold water. The horse kicks backwards and its hoof bangs the metal rig behind it, buzzing the air like a bell. The dad is keeping a close eye on the boy, warning about the dangers of horses while holding a stroller, in which a toddler girl is strapped tightly, letting out a short burst of tears. Meanwhile, Grandpa Blaine is being sprayed lightly with ricocheting water off the horse. When the Sun visited in July, it was a busy afternoon for the family at Boulder Bluff Clydesdales. The multi-generational horse breeders were preparing to travel to the Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede. For the road trip that day, the mother, father, grandfather, uncle and neighbour were tasked with loading eight Clydesdale horses onto a semi-truck. The job proved difficult when a few horses, around 2,000 pounds each, decided they didn't want to walk up the ramp. The family also planned to bring additional horses in a separate trailer, adding up to roughly 10 in total. The afternoon on the farm provided a glimpse into the work of breeding, showing and selling heavy horses in the province. And it looked busy. Charity Thevenot told the Sun she was once a toddler watching her dad do exactly the same work. With her six-month-old girl Hallie resting on her arm, she organized the work for the afternoon. The plan for the trip was a week stay near Austin, a few days longer than usual to allow the kids to settle in better. On the business side, they would show their horses in a few events at the show. Life has been hectic with the arrival of the newest, six-month-old girl, Charity said. But work must be done. And getting to the Austin event is work — it's an opportunity to showcase their horses and attract potential buyers. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Veteran bullfighter embraces new role as clown
AUSTIN — Scott Byrne slaps a barrel. He points inside, where cushions swell from every direction. The rodeo clown, who used to be a bullfighter, says it's an escape mechanism. Reading 'wrangler' on the outside, the barrel exists to be smashed by raging bulls. When the animal bucks off a rider during a rodeo, it may turn around and run for a second shot. That's where the barrel comes in and gives the riders an escape. 'They might run behind it,' Byrne told the Sun. The only problem is that the bull shifts its attention to the barrel — and bullfighters are waiting inside, hoping the cushions work well enough. The 53-year-old is the rodeo clown for the Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede in Austin this year. He is one of thousands who return to the event every year and keep the culture alive and kicking. When asked why he makes the effort, like driving out, bringing his equipment and putting on an act for the crowd, Byrne answered that it covers a few bases. After a long career at rodeos, the most important thing is he has some giving back to do. 'It's all about friends,' Byrne said. 'Being able to travel and make some money. And pass it down the line.' The Brandon-area resident spent 23 years as a bullfighter. The career invited 'a lot of' broken ribs, and some hooves on his face, and when asked how often he'd been to the hospital, he responded, 'Some years you don't go at all.' Now he doesn't want to put his body on the line like he used to. He pivoted into clowning as a way to stay involved. The new role for him is keeping things light, and entertaining the crowd during a lull in the show, he said. And while it might not be life or death, it's no less important to the rodeo veteran. 'I still take it seriously, 'cause people come here to have fun,' said Byrne. 'We want them to have fun and get their money's worth.' In his new task, he said there's some similarities to bullfighting. Standing in the dirt 20 minutes before his first act on Thursday evening, he said he still gets the same reaction as when he was staring at a raging bull. 'The rush is there the same,' said Byrne. 'Just before I get into the arena, my heart gets beating. Same as fighting bulls … It's the same kind of natural high, I would say.' When asked about the differences, he said clowning is more a mental act — being aware when there's a lull, and finding something to amuse the crowd. A mental challenge. While everyone around him has buttoned, long-sleeve shirts tucked into jeans, Byrne's face is covered in white makeup, with blue lines straight up and sideways from his eyes. He's wearing a red and white striped shirt and comfortable shorts. A smile. While he transitions out of bullfighting, he trains the next generation to keep rodeos safe. Two men that acted as the rodeo's bullfighters this year were graduates of an annual three-day class that Byrne teaches — and they were put to the test on opening night. A few injuries piled up at the tail end of the rodeo, as multiple ambulances responded when riders were injured by bulls. Elliot Sims, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum's executive director, said the contestants left the grounds in stable condition. Sims noted that rodeo is a high-risk competition and he thanked the paramedics and bullfighters that helped de-escalate the danger. 'We're really appreciative of all the efforts that the bullfighters made last night,' he said Friday. 'Incidents like this are exactly why rodeos have bullfighters. They're there to help keep the contestants safe and make sure that the animals are safe by reducing that conflict after a ride is done.' The opening night of the rodeo saw above-average attendance, with about 1,700 people, Sims said. The event raises funds for the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, contributing to the preservation of culture and history in this part of the province. 'It's really important for us and agriculture in general.' Sims said it all comes down to the people. More than 600 volunteers are involved running the daily events from Thursday to Sunday. With fewer people farming, he said, it's more important now that people continue to contribute to the culture and pass skills on. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former bullfighter clowns around at Threshermen's reunion
AUSTIN — Scott Byrne slaps a barrel and points to the cushions crammed inside. The rodeo clown, who used to be a bullfighter, says it's an escape mechanism. Reading 'wrangler' on the outside, the barrel exists to be smashed by raging bulls. When the animal bucks off a rider during a rodeo, it may turn around and run for a second shot. That's where the barrel comes in and gives the rider an escape. 'They might run behind it,' Byrne said. Scott Byrne poses beside his rodeo barrel, which acts as a punching bag for raging bulls. The 53-year-old is serving as the rodeo clown at the 69th annual Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede. Byrne pivoted into clowning as a way to stay involved after retiring from a career of 23 years of bullfighting. (Connor McDowell / The Brandon Sun) The only problem is that the bull shifts its attention to the barrel — and bullfighters are waiting inside, hoping the cushions work well enough. The 53-year-old is the rodeo clown for the Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede in Austin this year. He is one of thousands who return to the event every year and keep the culture alive and kicking. When asked why he makes the effort — driving out, bringing his equipment and putting on an act for the crowd — Byrne answered that it covers a few bases. After a long career at rodeos, the most important thing is he has some giving back to do. 'It's all about friends,' Byrne said. 'Being able to travel and make some money and pass it down the line.' The Brandon-area resident spent 23 years as a bullfighter. The career invited 'a lot of' broken ribs, and some hooves on his face, and when asked how often he'd been to the hospital, he responded, 'Some years you don't go at all.' Now he doesn't want to put his body on the line like he used to. He pivoted into clowning as a way to stay involved. The new role for him is keeping things light, and entertaining the crowd during a lull in the show, he said. And while it might not be life or death, it's no less important to the rodeo veteran. 'I still take it seriously, 'cause people come here to have fun,' said Byrne. 'We want them to have fun and get their money's worth.' His new task has some similarities to bullfighting. Standing in the dirt 20 minutes before his first act on Thursday evening, he said he still gets the same reaction as when he was staring at a raging bull. 'The rush is there the same,' said Byrne. 'Just before I get into the arena, my heart gets beating. Same as fighting bulls… It's the same kind of natural high, I would say.' When asked about the differences, he said clowning is more a mental act — being aware when there's a lull, and finding something to amuse the crowd. Rodeo clown Scott Byrne entertains spectators at the Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion & Stampede rodeo at Austin on Thursday evening. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) While he transitions out of bullfighting, he trains the next generation to keep rodeos safe. Two men that acted as the rodeo's bullfighters this year were graduates of an annual three-day class that Byrne teaches — and they were put to the test on opening night. A few injuries piled up at the tail end of the rodeo, as multiple ambulances responded when riders were injured by bulls. Elliot Sims, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum's executive director, said the contestants left the grounds in stable condition. Sims noted that rodeo is a high-risk competition and he thanked the paramedics and bullfighters who helped de-escalate the danger. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. 'We're really appreciative of all the efforts that the bullfighters made last night,' he said. 'Incidents like this are exactly why rodeos have bullfighters. They're there to help keep the contestants safe and make sure that the animals are safe by reducing that conflict after a ride is done.' The opening night of the rodeo recorded above-average attendance, with about 1,700 people, Sims said. The event raises funds for the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, which contributes to the preservation of culture and history in this part of the province. 'It's really important for us and agriculture in general.' More than 600 volunteers help run the daily events; the event lasts till Sunday. — Brandon Sun
