Please meet your Barrelman for the 2013 PRCA RAM CA Circuit Finals Rodeo
Donnie Landis
Laughter, Lifesaving, and...a lot of Bull !
Donnie Landis - photo by Liz Breault
What is a Barrelman:
Whether it is after a successful 8-second ride or in the midst of a twisting turn just out of the gate, bull riders have to find their way to the ground and to safety. The riders don't face this challenge alone. A brave and athletic group of professionals known as bullfighters and barrel men are essential to the riders' escape.
Though a barrelman's attire is similar to that of a bullfighter, his presence in the arena serves a much different purpose. A barrelman's duty is to entertain the crowd during the "down time" that is inherent to the sport of bull riding. When bulls are being loaded or the show is on hold due to unexpected breaks, a barrelman takes over and amuses spectators with impromptu routines or comical dialogues with the event's announcers. The barrelman can often be found hanging around or in a custom-made barrel placed in the center of the arena. The barrel not only protects the barrel man from a charging bull, but also provides bull riders with an island of safety if he is bucked off far from the arena fence or bucking chutes.
While they may look like funny-faced clowns in bright tights and baggy shorts, their job is no laughing matter. The mission of every bullfighter and barrel man is to divert the bull's attention away from the exiting rider by whatever means possible.
Working from an open-ended barrel, the barrelman serves as a diversion for an angry bull. It may look like the best seat for close up action, but the barrel with the barrel man inside often ends up in the path of an incoming bull - pushed there by the bullfighter in an effort to provide escape time for a downed or injured rider.
These skilled athletes not only risk their lives to save riders, but the bullfighters and barrel men are an exciting and entertaining part of all rodeo performances. (information courtesy of 101 Wild West Rodeo).
Butte News Jan 2011 - "... I keep the flow of the shows going. If a bull jumps in a chute or they need time to reload, I entertain the crowd - That's my deal. Once the gate cracks, the latch opens, the bull comes out it's Game On. It's real serious for eight or nine seconds". Donnie Landis
Barrelman Donnie Landis - Photo by Liz Breault
A typical business day for Donnie Landis includes getting Mario, his trained flea, to jump from a high dive into a bucket of water, cantering his rare, wild "cantabeatalope" across a rodeo arena while the steed's giraffe-like neck swivels around to give him a 360 degree vision, and set his over-sized "mousetrap" in hopes of catching a Brahma bull during the rodeo bull riding event.
Landis, a second-generation rodeo clown, takes his business responsibilities as seriously as a bank president or a grade school teacher. His work preparation begins long before he enters the rodeo arena. Each act takes careful, precise planning and all props and parts must be in perfect working order. His execution of business is pure seriousness, although he is dressed in a funny hat, clown make-up, and with a big red nose and baggy britches.
When asked what the secret is to his present day success, Landis doesn't hesitate, "I was lucky. Because of my dad, I learned from the 'old school' where a rodeo clown had to do everything - fight bulls, have comedy acts, entertain, and save lives.
During the bull riding, his serious attitude only intensifies. He is there to assist in keeping the bucking bulls from injuring the cowboys. No doubt his ability and attitude are the reasons he was picked by the top 20 PRCA bull riders to be the barrel man at the National Finals Rodeo - Three times!
Landis is a 4th generation rodeo cowboy. He grew up in a rodeo family. His great grand-dad was a pick-up man and his grand-dad rode bucking horses. His mother was also involved with rodeo - she was a rodeo secretary for many years. He learned a lot from his father who did it all (riding rough stock, clowning, bullfighting, and rodeo producing). Donnie has been entertaining and working rodeos since age 12. He joined the PRCA at age 18. Landis is from Gooding, Idaho.