Flint Rasmussen

Flint Rasmussen (born January 25, 1968) is perhaps the most famous "rodeo clown" or "rodeo barrelman" in the sport of bull riding.[1] Rasmussen has two daughters, Shelby and Paige, with ex-wife Katie Grasky. Flint currently resides in Bozeman, Montana in the United States.[2][3]

Flint Rasmussen in 2007

A former high school math and history teacher, Rasmussen signed a contract with Professional Bull Riders and currently provides entertainment at their events. Long associated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Rasmussen earned the title of PRCA Clown of the Year for eight consecutive years and won the Coors Man in the Can honors seven times.[2][3]

Early life

On January 25, 1968, Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen had their youngest child, Flint, in Havre, Montana.[4] Flint Rasmussen grew up in Choteau, Montana, where he started his career in sports [4][5] Rasmussen was an All-State football player and track star for Choteau High School.[4][5] After high school, Rasmussen attended college at the University of Montana Western where he completed a double major in history and math as an honor student. As the public radio sports announcer for the UMW Bulldogs, Rasmussen had his voice heard for the first time by an audience.[4] To help with the expenses of college, Rasmussen worked as a barrel clown in western Montana.[4] Rasmussen made his first appearance as a rodeo clown in Superior, Montana, at the age of 19.[4] Flint had his first thoughts about being a rodeo clown when he told his father and brother that he could do better than the rodeo clowns at the time.[4] "I just thought it needed a new energy, a young guy who could relate and get young people to get back to rodeo," Rasmussen said.[5] After he completed college, Flint Rasmussen returned to the town he was born, Havre, and taught at Havre High School in addition to coaching football and track.[5] While teaching at Havre High School, Flint was also the public address announcer at Northern Montana College (now MSU - Northern) home Lights and Skylights Basketball games. After two years of teaching and coaching, Rasmussen grew restless and started his career as a barrel man.[5]

Family

Flint Rasmussen comes from a rodeo family with three other siblings. He has two brothers, Will and Pete, and a sister, Linda White.[4] Flint's parents are Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen.[4] Stan Rasmussen, Flint's father, was a rodeo announcer and his brother, Will, followed in his father's footsteps as a rodeo announcer.[4] Will still is a top PRCA rodeo announcer.[4] Flint met ex-wife, Katie Grasky, who was a barrel racer, while he was touring.[6] Flint Has two daughters, Shelby and Paige, who also barrel race.[4][6]

The Rodeo Clown

According to the Journal of Folklore Research, "The clown of the rodeo qualifies as the clown of cowboy society, and thus in the rodeo he exaggerates, satirizes, rearranges, and challenges the assumptions upon which the social and natural relations of the cowboy world operate." [7] The rodeo clown goes back to the old western stories, where cowboys play tricks and tell lies.[7] The rodeo clown's main act comes at the last event bull riding.[7] During the ride, the clown faces the bull and plays the bullfighter, but after the ride, resumes his role as the jokester and story teller.[7]

Achievements

"I think it's hard to come into this sport cold at 25 and try to learn it," Rasmussen said.[6] But that did not stop him. Flint Rasmussen's did his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1998.[4] That same year, he was a barrel clown at the Pendleton Round Up, and thirteen years later, in 2011, Rasmussen was inducted into the Pendleton Hall of Fame.[4] When Flint signed with the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) in 2005, the contract was exclusive and Rasmussen now only works for the PBR. Before signing with the PBR, Rasmussen was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Clown of the Year for eight consecutive years.[4] Along with those honors, he was the Coors Man in the Can seven times.[4] In 2010, Rasmussen made a special appearance as the Pendleton High School graduation speaker.[4] In 2011, Rasmussen was inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.[8] In 2014, he was inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame.[9] In 2019, he was inducted into the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame.[10]

Late 2000s

On March 11, 2009, Flint Rasmussen, at the age of 41, suffered a heart attack at his house in Choteau, Montana.[11] After a couple of procedures, he was back in the arena in a short time.[12] "The No. 1 thing that surprised me was the crowd reaction... and I've missed these people," [11][12] Rasmussen said on returning to the arena after his heart attack. Flint got back to the arena with only a few differences: he had to wear a heart rate monitor and had to take a few breaks when his heart rate exceeded 140 bpm.[11][12]

References
  1. Garner, Joe (2001) "Merry Grand Marshall Pro Rodeo's Top Clown will Rule Stock Show Parade", Rocky Mountain News, January 7, 2001
  2. "Will Rasmussen - Professional Rodeo Announcer" (PDF). Montana TV1. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  3. MacKinnon, Sally. "Rodeo Clown Flint Rasmussen Talks About His Act, His Success, and What It's Like Working Next to a Raging Bull". The Entertainer (Calgary). Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  4. "Pendleton Roundup Hall of Fame". Pendleton and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  5. "Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame: Flint Rasmussen". East Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2013-01-22. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  6. Quintana, Chris. "Teacher Quits to be Entertainer". New Mexico Daily Lobo. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  7. Stoltje, Beverly. "The Rodeo Clown and the Semiotics of Metaphor". Journal of Folklore Research. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  8. "Flint Rasmussen". Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. pendletonhalloffame.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  9. "2014 Inductees". St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  10. "Inductees". Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  11. Kusek, Joe. "PBR Barrelman Flint Rasmussen Quickly Returns From Heart Attack". Billings Gazette. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  12. Vreeland, Tara. "PBR's Flint Rasmussen Ready for Tulsa". The News On 6. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
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