The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

There will be a new clown in town for Colorama.

You'll see him get rolled and tossed by bulls weighing up to a ton at the Ridge Riders Colorama Rodeo.

Scott Wagner, who has his own way of getting thrills, will be out in the arena taking the heat off the bull riders May 6 – 7.

Ridge Riders President George Kohout said last week that Wagner joins a host of rodeo specialists this year, the 60th year of the rodeo event.

Wagner has 15 rodeo events scheduled this year and said last week that he is eager to come to Grand Coulee.

Being a barrel clown is anything but easy. In fact, the "clowns" are very often referred to as "bull fighters."

Last year a bull spiked his horn in the barrel Wagner was in, couldn't get loose, and kept tossing it around.

"I was out like a light," Wagner said. "The bull's horn scraped me alongside the head."

When not on the rodeo circuit, Wagner tries to recover stolen vehicles in both Washington state and Alaska, another risky activity.

Being in a barrel, and getting rolled and tossed around, makes Wagner aware of what the bull riders go through. His efforts in the barrel have salvaged the career of many a bull rider as he gains the bull's attention while the riders get out of the horn's path.

He'll be here to delight the rodeo crowd both days. He'll be having a "barrel" of fun!