SPRINGDALE — Edison Parsons made his Rodeo of the Ozarks debut Wednesday in Parsons Stadium, 68 years after his great-grandfather, Shorty, founded the event.
Rodeo scores
Rodeo of the Ozarks
At Parsons Stadium, Springdale
Thursday
Bareback Bronco
Tyler Scales 84
Joe Gunderson 82
Seth Hardwick 80
Tilden Hooper 76
Steer Wrestling
Kamry Dymmek 4.9
Grant Hart 5.2
Chance Campbell 5.5
Jason Tapley 6.3
Mule Tyus 10.4
Corey Kurck 11.0
B.J. McClenton 15.1
Stan Williamson 17.2
Team Roping
Jonas Gattis and Heath Williams 6.1
Quisto Lopez and Boogie Ray 7.1
Phillip McCoy and Justin Fox 7.5
Saddle Bronc
Cody Taton 87
Isaac Diaz 87
Jesse Bail 80
Morgan Forbes 73
Colt Hamaker 61
Tie-Down Roping
Tim Pharr 9.7
Jerome Schneeberger 10.3
Caddo Lewallen 10.4
Zab Champan 11.2
Colby Setzer 12.5
Austin Davis 16.9
Barrel Racing
Jean Winters 16.9
Laura Kennedy-Silver 17.40
Kylee Schumaker 17.40
Bull Riding
Cooper Davis 85
The 3-year-old was decked out in a cowboy hat, boots and face paint for his role as a rodeo clown in the mutton bustin, an event where 4- to 6-year-old boys and girls ride sheep for as long as possible.
Parsons might have been younger than the riders, but he had plenty of help from two older brothers.
Landon, 13, is working the event for the eighth consecutive year, while 8-year-old Montgomery is going through his fifth mutton bustin in the stadium named after his great-grandfather.
“We let them do it when they turn 3 or 4 and won't just wander out into the arena,” said Dwain Parsons, the boys' father and Shorty's grandson. “The other ones can keep the youngest in line if he's old enough to go out there.
“They love to do that. Each one of them have wanted to do it.”
The older brothers tried to coach their younger sibling to help him overcome any nerves before the event.
“We told him the sheep won't hurt you,” Montgomery said.
During the event, the trio spread out to either side of the bucking chute, waiting for the next helmet-protected child to emerge on the back of a sheep.
The Parsons' job is to help the children up when they fall off the sheep or help them get off if they’re able to stay on. It's a busy job — every child fell off in less than six seconds during his or her turn Wednesday.
“We just make sure the kids are OK and help them up and make sure they don't get run over by the next person that comes,” Landon said.
When the Parsons got to a dismounted child, they were met with an array of emotions, ranging from excited to sobbing.
“It's about 50-50,” Landon said. “Some of them cry. Some of them really like it. The dirt's really soft, but I think it just scares them a little bit.”
Landon is the oldest family member currently serving as a mutton bustin clown, but older brother Trey, 17, was the first to have the job.
“They had a clown reunion here like 14 or 15 years ago and there was a little kid dressed up like a clown,” Dwain Parson said. “I told my wife, 'Hey, we should dress our kids up like a clown one night.' So we did.
“One of the board members said, 'Hey, we need to have them out there for the mutton bustin.' It just took off from there.”
The trio isn't shy about doing their jobs despite being surrounded by numerous adults.
Landon stepped up after a 5-year-old boy took an especially hard fall and lost his shoe.
Landon tried to help the boy put the shoe back on, then glanced at the chute where the next rider was being readied. Realizing the next sheep was about to be released, he grabbed the boy and carried him to his waiting parent.
“He was having a hard time,” Landon said. “We just had to get him out of the way.”
Landon has been in those shoes before.
“My mom told me I went up there when I was a kid and got too scared,” Landon said. “Then a few years later I was too old to do it, but a rider backed down so I had to do it. I don't remember it, but I didn't fall at the start.
“Now it's just a fun experience, getting out there in front of all those people.”