18 | 2021 Umatilla County Fair & Farm City Pro Rodeo | East Oregonian & Hermiston Herald
A man of many talents to
keep rodeo fun
By JEFF BUDLONG
EO Media Group
J
ohn Harrison is like the fans he
will entertain during the Farm-
City Pro Rodeo. The longtime
rodeo clown is excited to be back
in front of large crowds in Herm-
iston after the pandemic forced
the cancellation of last year’s
event for the fi rst time.
“It is a fun rodeo and this
is probably my fourth time
coming to it,” Harrison said.
“Hermiston is a great rodeo
that all the cowboys hit, so
you always remember it.
They bring in Randy Cor-
ley, who is a hall of fame
[announcer], that I get to
work with.”
Harrison brings his own
impressive credentials to the
rodeo, having been a six-time
National Finals Rodeo barrel-
man and earned comedy act of the
year three times. The past year tested
everyone on the circuit, with most
rodeos sidelined in 2020 from March
through June. Harrison began working
a few rodeos in the Midwest in June
and July, but a weekly schedule did
not return until the calendar fl ipped to
2021.
Harrison grew up in the rodeo,
trick riding at 6, and earning his Pro-
fessional Rodeo Cowboys Association
card in 1999.
“I started off as a specialty act
doing the trick riding, Roman riding
and trick roping,” he said. “In 2001, I
started clowning and have been doing
that ever since.”
Harrison crisscrosses the nation
to perform at rodeos from Florida to
Nevada and everywhere in between.
He is an independent contractor who
Carla Harrison/Contributed Photo
Rodeo clown John Harrison brings a diff erent act each night of the Farm-City Pro Ro-
deo to keep the fans entertained.
developed his love for rodeo from
his grandfather, Warren “Freckles”
Brown, a world champion bull rider.
Harrison tried to follow in those
footsteps, but quickly learned that the
entertainment side of rodeo was his
calling, even if his list of injuries reads
like nearly every bull rider’s. Work-
ing as a barrelman to distract the bulls
after a cowboy falls off often puts him
in harm’s way, and has led to surgeries
on both knees and rotator cuff , herni-
ated discs in his neck and issues with
his hips.
In addition to his work as a barrel-
man, which the 42-year-old compares
to being in a car crash each time, Har-
rison has a variety of comedy acts
he relies on to entertain crowds. It is
something that was thrust upon him
early in his career.
“I had a comedy act I was doing and
a barrelman did not show up for the
rodeo, so the contractor told me I
needed to do this,” Harrison said.
“I had no clue what I was doing,
but the announcer would tell
the joke and I would throw the
punchline.
“Now I change up my act
every night. I have four dif-
ferent acts with me because I
like to keep it fresh because
some people will go to the
rodeo every night.”
Harrison has gone to dif-
ferent corners of the enter-
tainment world to fi nd
inspiration for his act, rang-
ing from Cirque du Soleil to
a play on rhythmic gymnas-
tics. He incorporated clowns
he looks up to when devising
the makeup he puts on for each
performance.
Harrison is often aided by one of
his children, who do some of the same
things he did at a young age. Rodeo
is a family event for the Harrisons as
they are able to spend time on the road
doing something everyone enjoys.
The trick riding act came from Keith
Isley, a Farm-City Pro Rodeo veteran
who passed the routine down to Har-
rison. It has earned him act of the year
four times, to go along with three acts
he developed himself. His success is
often measured in the laughs that roll
down the stands and the friendships he
has forged over the years.
“I am good enough friends with the
riders or other people with the rodeo
that I will use them in my routine tell-
ing jokes,” he said. “The relationships
with them and the personnel are great.”