Primates Shine During Annual Rodeo

Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard of Tupelo, Miss., leads his Team Ghost Riders, a group of Capuchin monkeys who ride border collies during the Rodeo of the Ozarks, on Wednesday at Parsons Stadium in Springdale.
Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard of Tupelo, Miss., leads his Team Ghost Riders, a group of Capuchin monkeys who ride border collies during the Rodeo of the Ozarks, on Wednesday at Parsons Stadium in Springdale.

SPRINGDALE — Rodeo of the Ozarks fans have seen many amazing things during the 69 years of the Springdale tradition. From 2013, they will remember monkeys riding dogs.

Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard and his Team Ghost Riders speed each night into the arena of Parsons Stadium and round up loose sheep.

Three pint-size Capuchin monkeys — dressed in flashy rodeo clothes — sit atop three black-and-white border collies trained to herd sheep. The dogs chase the sheep inside the dirt arena and lead them to leap over a fence and into a pen. Later, the dogs pushed the sheep to jump on the back of Lepard’s semitrailer.

At A Glance

Upcoming at Parson Stadium

• Aug. 3: Bucking in the Ozarks, a Professional Bull Riders event

• Aug. 24: Ozark Demolition Derby

• July 2-5, 2014: 70th annual Rodeo of the Ozarks

Source: Staff Report

Lepard said he loved monkeys from his youngest years. He read “Curious George” and carried around the ubiquitous sock monkey. “I couldn’t get enough of them at the zoo,” he said.

Lepard tried many animals for his act — horses and Old English sheepdogs among them — to see which could withstand a monkey on its back. Then he came across border collies.

“My friend said border collies were too small,” he said. “I told him it didn’t matter how big a border collie was, but how big his heart was.”

“I think outside the circle. Sometimes the harder things are the bigger things. Wow! I never though it would this big,” Lepard said.

Lepard said he can look at a dog and know whether it will work with his monkeys. He coordinates breeding of monkeys because imports of Capuchins are no longer allowed.

“It takes a special kind of dog for the monkeys,” he said. “A powerhouse dog couldn’t do it. He’d hurt the monkeys. He has to know the limits.”

Lepard said he never scolds or yells at his primates. His job as the trainer and handler is to let that monkey know he’s OK when he’s on the back of his dog, when he’s wearing clothes, when he’s in a big crowd.

“Never forget it’s about love,” Lepard said. “Even if he chews your finger off, kill him with kindness.”

Fans in Cowboy Camp on Friday described a scene from Thursday night’s performance when a ram hit the dog. The dog did not go after the ram, but the monkey snarled its teeth at it.

The monkeys know what's supposed to happen, Lepard said, and they don’t hesitate to tell let it be known. One night, a monkey was mad at a dog and bent down again and again for a handfuls of dirt to throw at the dog, he said.

“If the monkeys had reins, they probably would tell the dogs where to go,” Lepard said with a laugh. “That’s why we call them the ‘Ghost Riders’.”

Capuchin monkeys have a life expectancy of about 33 years. Bubba is 2; Sam is 19; Meglynn is somewhere in between.

At A Glance

Class Act

Lakelynn Lepard is an observant, caring 8-year-old. When she and her father visited Disney World earlier this year, Lakelynn became concerned children who are sick and have no hair would feel bad about themselves when they saw the beautiful hair of the Disney princesses. Lakelynn and Lepard started a letter campaign to ask Disney for princesses without hair. Show your support with a letter sent to [email protected].

Source: Staff Report

“They’re like little kids that never grow up,” Lepard explained. “If one monkey takes his hat off and throws it on the ground, they’re all going to take their hats off and throw them on the ground. Then it gets to be a habit, so I pull back from them wearing hats for a while.”

And monkeys can be pretty particular about what they wear and who they like. Bubba relaxes and cooperates best and when Lepard’s 8-year-old daughter Lakelynn dresses him, while Lakelynn doesn’t get along with Megalynn, the group’s female. Sam chattered with a new friend in Cowboy Camp and teared up when the man walked away.

Lepard let Lakelynn tell the secret of training,.

“The secret is …” Lepard said. “Pop Tarts!” Lakelynn finished. Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry flavors —about one box a night.

“It’s like an Oreo cookie. They like to get the jelly out first,” Lepard said. “Then the monkeys drop crumbs and dig through the dogs’ hair to get them. And the dogs think the monkeys are petting them, and the dogs love the monkeys even more.”

In fact, Meglynn became nervous Thursday about the bulls behind the chutes. A Pop Tart relaxed her, but she was still wary, Lepard said.

Audiences quickly see his love for his animals as his act winds down. Lepard talks about their life, their care. He introduces his dogs and monkeys, pets them all and talks to them with baby talk. Then, he pulls one out of its tiny saddle and smothers it in kisses.

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