SWANSEA - Being a rodeo bullfighter is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, but Jamie Cook and his partner, Dusty Myers, wouldn't do anything else.

"I started out riding bulls in 1995," Cook said. "At one event, a rider got tangled up and I got my buddy loose. They gave me a job, and I've been doing it ever since."

"We have to get in there and maybe take a hit. We give the rider a chance to get out of there," Cook added.

Myers has worked as a bullfighter four times at International Finals Rodeo events. These bullfighters are voted on to work at the rodeo by the top 15 competitors.

"We just get out there and stick our necks on the line to help those boys get out of there," Myers said. "We enjoy it, but it takes a toll on the body. The smart ones can last a long time in this business."

With a twinkle in his eye, Myers said, "We're both prima donnas. We take pride in what we look like. We want to look professional. The clown persona - that's what the kids come to see. When you see us, you know who we are by our characters. We work good together because we depend on each other."

Cook and Myers were two of the many participants and competitors at the 11th Annual Swansea Pro Rodeo last weekend.

"We run a rock 'n roll show. It's action packed. We try to keep things moving," rodeo announcer Brandon McLagan said.

In addition to raising bulls at his ranch in Oklahoma and calling livestock auctions, McLagan said he goes all over the country to announce at rodeos. He said he will probably do 120 this year.

Along with the bull riding and roping, this year's rodeo included country music, clown acts, a calf scramble for the youngsters and a trick rope act.

Brandon Stewart, 16, was the trick roper. He said his most famous trick involves doing a handstand while twirling the rope.

"Will Rogers did a 50-foot circle from horseback, but I do it from the ground. It's harder because you're closer to the ground," said Stewart, whose whole family is involved in rodeos.

"I've been in rodeos all my life, and I've been doing trick roping since I was six years old," Stewart said. Twirling fireballs on chains is another act which he performs.

"When I was 13 years old, I started out with glow sticks and worked myself up to fireballs," he said.

Contestants came from 15 states including New York, Pennsylvania and Kansas. The group of competitors included six Gold Buckle, or world champion, cowboys.

Five-year-old Noah Shumpert didn't want to be left out and was riding the mechanical bull.

His mother, Amanda Shumpert, said, "He comes to the rodeo a lot, and we try to take him to all of the area rodeos. He loves it. He wants to be a bull rider when he grows up. At home we have a bull, horse, mule and donkey, so he rides a lot."

When he finally fell off the mechanical bull, Shumpert exited the ring and, with a big smile, shouted, "Mama, I done it good!"

According to Swansea Mayor Ray Spires, the rodeo was scheduled earlier than usual this year in hopes of having better weather. Last year the rodeo was held in November when it was extremely cold.

Proceeds from the rodeo will go towards purchasing school supplies for area students and for bea.jpgication of the U.S. 321 project, Spires said.

T&D Correspondent Loretta Demko can be reached by e-mail at eeshtenem@yahoo.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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