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Cooma Rural Rodeo Clowns & Pickup Men |
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CLOWNS
The real heroes of rodeo, many cowboys owe their lives to these amazing men. When things are going well, the clowns entertain the crowds and make us laugh. When things are going bad for the bullriders, the clowns risk their own lives to rescue the cowboy from a “hang up” (when the bullrider has been bucked off but his hand is still trapped in his rigging) or to distract a bull away from a downed cowboy. These men are fast and fearless and many a cowboy is grateful for their intervention. |
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PICKUP MEN
The job of pickup men and their horses is to ride in and help cowboys get safely off and away from bareback and saddlebronc horses. No mean feat, this involves manoeuvring the pickup horse in close to a wild, bucking horse and grasping the competing cowboy. Both riders and horses risk injury. Once the cowboy is clear and safe, the pickup men also guide the bucking horse safely out of the arena. |
