Flint Rasmussen

Last updated
Rasmussen in 2007 Flint Rasmussen.jpg
Rasmussen in 2007

Flint Rasmussen (born January 25, 1968) is an American television sideline reporter for the Professional Bull Riders. Previously, he was a professional rodeo barrelman for many years. He is perhaps the most famous barrelman in the history of bull riding. [1] He currently resides in Billings, Montana, United States. [2] [3]

Contents

A former high school math and history teacher, Rasmussen signed a contract with the Professional Bull Riders and provided entertainment at their Premier Series events. Also long associated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, he earned the title of PRCA Clown of the Year for eight consecutive years and won the Coors Man in the Can honor seven times. [2] [3]

Early life

On January 25, 1968, Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen had their youngest child, Flint, in Havre, Montana. [4] Flint Rasmussen grew up in Choteau, Montana, where he started his career in sports. [4] [5] Rasmussen was an All-State football player and track star for Choteau High School. [4] [5] After high school, Rasmussen attended college at the University of Montana Western where he completed a double major in history and math as an honor student. As the public radio sports announcer for the UMW Bulldogs, Rasmussen had his voice heard for the first time by an audience. [4] To help with the expenses of college, Rasmussen worked as a barrel clown in western Montana. [4] Rasmussen made his first appearance as a rodeo clown in Superior, Montana, at the age of 19. [4] Flint had his first thoughts about being a rodeo clown when he told his father and brother that he could do better than the rodeo clowns at the time. [4] "I just thought it needed a new energy, a young guy who could relate and get young people to get back to rodeo," Rasmussen said. [5] After he completed college, Flint Rasmussen returned to the town he was born in, Havre, and taught at Havre High School in addition to coaching football and track. [5] While teaching at Havre High School, Flint was also the public address announcer at Northern Montana College (now MSU - Northern) home Lights and Skylights Basketball games. After two years of teaching and coaching, Rasmussen grew restless and started his career as a barrelman. [5]

Family

Flint Rasmussen comes from a rodeo family with three other siblings. He has two brothers, Will and Pete, and a sister, Linda White. [4] Flint's parents are Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen. [4] Stan Rasmussen, Flint's father, was a rodeo announcer and his brother, Will, followed in his father's footsteps as a rodeo announcer. [4] Will still is a top PRCA rodeo announcer. [4] Flint met ex-wife, Katie Grasky, who was a barrel racer, while he was touring. [6] Flint has two daughters, Shelby and Paige, who also barrel race. [4] [6]

Achievements

"I think it's hard to come into this sport cold at 25 and try to learn it," Rasmussen said. [6] But that did not stop him. He did his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1998. [4] That same year, he was a barrel clown at the Pendleton Round-Up, and thirteen years later, in 2011, he was inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame. [4] When Rasmussen signed with the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) in 2005, the contract was exclusive and he now only worked for the PBR. Before signing with the PBR, he was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Clown of the Year for eight consecutive years. [4] Along with those honors, he was the Coors Man in the Can seven times. [4] In 2010, Rasmussen made a special appearance as the Pendleton High School graduation speaker. [4] In 2011, he was inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. [7] In 2014, he was inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame. [8] In 2019, he was inducted into the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame. [9]

Health episode

On March 11, 2009, Rasmussen, at the age of 41, suffered a heart attack at his house in Choteau, Montana. [10] After a couple of procedures, he was back in the arena in a short time. [11] "The No. 1 thing that surprised me was the crowd reaction... and I've missed these people," [10] [11] Rasmussen said on returning to the arena after his heart attack. He got back to the arena with only a few differences: he had to wear a heart rate monitor and had to take a few breaks when his heart rate exceeded 140 bpm. [10] [11]

2020s

Rasmussen began to transition away from being an arena entertainer to become a color commentator for PBR during the inaugural PBR Team Series season in 2022; serving as a second sideline reporter with Allen Bestwick at some events. However, at other Team Series events, he returned to his role as arena entertainer. [12]

In February 2023, Rasmussen announced that he was retiring as PBR arena entertainer at the end of the 2023 PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, and becoming a full-time commentator beginning at Cheyenne Frontier Days, the opening event of the PBR Team Series during the second half of the calendar year. [13] Rasmussen officially retired after working the 2023 PBR World Finals in May. [14] He was the barrelman for the National Finals Rodeo eight times (1998 through 2005) and the barrelman/arena entertainer for the PBR World Finals 26 times (1997, 1998, and 2000 through 2023). He began his full-time career as a sideline reporter for the PBR Team Series in July. Allen Bestwick did not return as a sideline reporter for the PBR Team Series, and Rasmussen's sideline reporting partner was now five-time PRCA World Champion steer wrestler Luke Branquinho, who himself had retired as a rodeo contestant in 2021.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodeo clown</span>

A rodeo clown, bullfighter or rodeo protection athlete, is a rodeo performer who works in bull riding competitions. Originally, the rodeo clown was a single job combining "bullfighting"—the protection of riders thrust from the bull, as well as being an individual who provided comic relief. Today, the job is split into two separate ones: bullfighters who protect the riders from the bull, and entertainers (barrelmen) who provides comic humor. However, in some parts of the world and at some small rodeos, the jobs of bull rider protection and comic remain combined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lane Frost</span> American bull rider

Lane Clyde Frost was an American professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He was the 1987 PRCA World Champion bull rider and a 1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. He was the only rider to score qualified rides on the 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year and 1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull Red Rock. He sustained severe injuries at the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days event when the bull Takin' Care of Business struck him after the ride, and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quail Dobbs</span> American rodeo clown

Quail Dobbs was a famous rodeo clown and performer, inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodacious (bull)</span> American bucking bull

Bodacious #J-31 was an American bucking bull. He was known throughout the rodeo world as "the world's most dangerous bull". He was also known as "the greatest bull ever to buck". During his rodeo career, he was the 1994 and 1995 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year, as well as the 1995 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull. He and Bruiser are the only bulls who have won bucking bull world championship titles in both organizations. Bodacious is most well known for his serious injury to bull riding icon Tuff Hedeman. Not long after, Bodacious also seriously injured Scott Breding. His owner, Sammy Andrews, then retired Bodacious. In 1999, Bodacious was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and in 2017 into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. In 2019, the PBR inducted Bodacious into the Brand of Honor, which is part of the PBR's Heroes and Legends Celebration, the PBR's unique way of honoring outstanding individuals and livestock in the sport of rodeo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pendleton Round-Up</span> Rodeo in Oregon, United States

The Pendleton Round-Up is a major annual rodeo in the northwestern United States, at Pendleton in northeastern Oregon. Held at the Pendleton Round-Up Stadium during the second full week of September each year since 1910, the rodeo brings roughly 50,000 people every year to the city. The Pendleton Round-Up is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, inducted the Pendleton Round-Up in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association</span> American rodeo organization

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ProRodeo Hall of Fame</span> Hall of fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, present and future." It is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and only inducts Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women's Professional Rodeo Association members. It is the "only museum in the world devoted exclusively to the sport of professional rodeo."

Larry Mahan was an American professional rodeo cowboy. He won six all-around world championships and two bull riding world championships in the Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit at the National Finals Rodeo.

Richard Neale "Tuff" Hedeman is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) bull riding world championship three times, as well as the 1995 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) world championship. He also won the 1993 world championship for the now-defunct Bull Riders Only (BRO) organization. He is also one of the co-founders of the PBR and is known for having been one of rodeo icons Lane Frost's closest friends. Hedeman and the infamous bucking bull Bodacious had a few historic clashes. He later served as the President of the PBR and then the President and Ambassador of Championship Bull Riding (CBR). In 2018, he formed his own bull riding organization: the Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour (THBRT).

Adriano Silva Morães is a Brazilian former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He was one of the leading bull riders in the world from the mid-1990s to 2000s, with two titles at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and three Professional Bull Riders (PBR) world titles to his credit. He was inducted into the PBR's Ring of Honor in 2009 and the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in 2020.

Daniel Earl Mortensen is an American six-time World Champion saddle bronc rider, and a one-time World Champion all-around cowboy. He competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) where he won those championships at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted him in 2009.

Ted Nuce is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He is a 2009 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. He was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Champion bull rider in 1985. He also won the Professional Bull Riders (PBR)'s inaugural World Finals event in 1994. He was also a co-founder of the PBR. He qualified 14 times for the NFR (1982-95) and twice for the PBR World Finals (1994-95).

Larry Dean "L.J." Jenkins is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Mendes</span> American bull rider

Scott Mendes is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He won the 1997 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bull Riding World Championship, and is the inventor of Rodeo Judge, the original rodeo card game. He was also a co-founder of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). In 2022, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skoal Pacific Bell</span> American bucking bull

Skoal Pacific Bell #14 was an American bucking bull best known for being the only three-time consecutive Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year and for only being ridden 5 times in 150 attempts. In 2007, he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. As of 2016, he was the seventh and most recent bull so honored. The PRCA said in an official YouTube induction video that "Skoal Pacific Bell was a crowd pleaser and a cowboy challenger."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends</span>

The Professional Bull Riders Heroes and Legends celebration honors five divisions in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), including the best bucking bulls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bull Riding Hall of Fame</span> Hall of Fame in Texas, United States

The Bull Riding Hall of Fame, located at Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, is a hall of fame for the sport of bull riding. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas, and created to "recognize, memorialize, and applaud the bull riders, bullfighters, bulls, stock contractors, events, and individuals who have made a historic contribution and attained stellar performance in the sport." Membership is open to fans worldwide.

Phil Lyne is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who competed in the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA)/Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Lyne was the RCA Rookie of the Year in 1969. Two seasons later at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), in 1971, he won the all-around cowboy world championship and the tie-down roping world championship. At the NFR in 1972, he repeated as the all-around world champion cowboy and added a second tie-down roping world championship. Lyne won his first and only steer roping world championship at the National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) in 1990. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.

Sage Steele Kimzey is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He competes on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuits, and has won seven PRCA bull riding world championships. He was also a three-time world champion of the now-defunct Championship Bull Riding (CBR) organization. As of 2023, he rides for the Carolina Cowboys during the PBR Team Series season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cody Snyder</span> Canadian bull rider

Cody Snyder is a Canadian former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding and is a current bull riding event producer. In 1983, Snyder won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) bull riding world championship at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). Snyder holds the highest-scored ride in Canadian professional rodeo history, scoring 95 points in 1983. He is an inductee of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Ring of Honor, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and most recently the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. Since his retirement in 1993, Snyder has produced over 400 bull riding events across North America under his company Bullbustin' Inc. He has also appeared as a color commentator for rodeo events on ESPN, OLN, Sportsnet, TSN, and CBC.

References

  1. ↑ Garner, Joe (2001) "Merry Grand Marshall Pro Rodeo's Top Clown will Rule Stock Show Parade", Rocky Mountain News , January 7, 2001
  2. 1 2 "Will Rasmussen - Professional Rodeo Announcer" (PDF). Montana TV1. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  3. 1 2 MacKinnon, Sally. "Rodeo Clown Flint Rasmussen Talks About His Act, His Success, and What It's Like Working Next to a Raging Bull". The Entertainer (Calgary). Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Pendleton Roundup Hall of Fame" (PDF). Pendleton and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame: Flint Rasmussen". East Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Quintana, Chris. "Teacher Quits to be Entertainer". New Mexico Daily Lobo. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Flint Rasmussen" (PDF). Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. pendletonhalloffame.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  8. ↑ "2014 Inductees". St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Inductees". Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Kusek, Joe. "PBR Barrelman Flint Rasmussen Quickly Returns From Heart Attack". Billings Gazette. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Vreeland, Tara. "PBR's Flint Rasmussen Ready for Tulsa". The News On 6. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Makeup be Gone: A new Flint Rasmussen to emerge in Kansas City". August 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Flint Rasmussen retiring as arena entertainer after 2023 PBR World Finals". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Flint Rasmussen officially retires as PBR arena entertainer". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved May 22, 2023.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.