JAYCEE BOOTHEEL RODEO KICKS UP DUST

Rick Young, the "agin' cajun," has been a rodeo clown for 40 years. (LOU PEUKERT)

SIKESTON -- The music blares overhead and one by one the horses are led in to take their place in the chutes. There is a kind of understanding between horse and rider as to what is about to happen next at the rodeo. From a distance the horses seem docile and almost tame. Most of the time there is no difficulty in getting them in place.

But as it gets closer to show time, the beasts show their true colors. The bucking steeds start kicking and seem almost as anxious as the cowboys geared up to claim their eight seconds of fame.

Each rider stands in front of the chute eying his opponent. The rituals are different, but each cowboy has a preparation routine to channel all of his nervous energy for the ride ahead. Some step from side to side. Others jump up and down. And some just shake their legs. When the time comes, they are ready.

Rodeo fans have come to expect a good show at the 1999 Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, and that is what cowboys such as Charles Soileau intend to give them. The rodeo began last night and runs through Saturday beginning at 7:30 every night.

Unlike other professional sports, riding a bronco does not lend itself to much training.

"It is on-the-job training," Soileau said. "Nothing gets you better in shape for riding better than riding."

In the off season Soileau works out, but no matter what he does, he is still sore when he starts going to rodeos again. He said riding is the best way to build up the muscles he uses when he rides. He keeps in shape by going to as many rodeos as he can. This week alone he will be at six different rodeos.

"Some guys rodeo part time," Soileau said. "I can't do that. I got to do it all full time or I can't do it."

Soileau has been doing it full time for about 15 years. His father got him into it in high school. Along the way he has had a broken foot and few minor scrapes. But the only real accident came in a car crash that broke his leg, sidelining him for a year.

He plans to hang it up in about four years because he knows his body won't be able to take it anymore.

"Once you are in your middle-30s, you better start finding something else real quick," Soileau said. "There are always a bunch of young guys coming on and riding pretty good. And your body just can't take it."

But not all jobs in the rodeo arena demand an early retirement. Rick Young has been a rodeo clown for 40 years. Every year he has been in the business, he has attended the rodeo in Sikeston.

"A lot of these guys in the Jaycees were not even around when I first started," Young said. "Some of them weren't even born."

The Jaycees handed Young a plaque Wednesday for his years of performing in Sikeston. The 65-year-old clown said he does not see an end in sight. He leaves in January and comes home the following December.

The comedy keeps him going. And his antics don't end the moment he walks out of the arena.

"I'm a clown all the time," Young said. "My wife says I will get put in jail for all of my cutting up and kidding around."

When he comes into a town, he scoops around to find things to put in his act. Usually the committee people for he rodeo are the targets for his jokes.

When things are not going well, Young sees it as a personal challenge.

"When I get to a crowd that doesn't want to laugh, it makes me work harder," Young said. "I am going to make them laugh. Some of the best rodeos I have done are when it rained and only about 500 people stuck around."

He says he is 65, but has the body of 90-year-old. He is still in the game, though, -- much to the delight of rodeo fans in Sikeston.

"Agin' Cajun," Young said. "I used to called the Ragin Cajun. But I was to cheap to get new cards, so I just took the 'R' off."