GERRY – Clint “Wolfey” Selvester, one of the rodeo world’s rising comedians will bring his unique style of humor from his home state of California to entertain the fans as the clown and barrelman for four performances at the Gerry Fire Department’s 73rd annual PRCA rodeo, August 2-5.
Selvester’s love for rodeo began at age 12 when his uncle, Don Kish, a stock contractor who raised bulls for rodeos, hired Clint as a “feed boy” to help take care of his animals. His uncle didn’t let him go on the road with his crew until Clint turned 15 and was able to drive. Shortly thereafter, his uncle decided that rodeo needed a mascot to entertain the fans and offered the teenager the chance to perform at rodeos if he could come up with one. He immediately went back to his high school in Red Bluff, California, and, with the help of his art teacher, designed and built a seven-foot high bull made from foam. The mascot was named Wolfey in honor of Wolfman, the only bull in rodeo history to score a perfect 100 in competition. Clint uses Wolfey as his nickname in honor of that mascot, which was adopted as the first official mascot of the PRCA.
After six years of performing inside the mascot uniform. Clint went back to college and completed a degree in Multi Media Design. However, he couldn’t get away from his love for rodeo and began working a few rodeos as a clown. A short time later he bought his first barrel and added the duties of helping to protect the bull riders in that event. He adds that working in the mascot uniform gave him the opportunity to observe many of the top rodeo clowns and learn from them.
Today he, along with his wife Katie and five-year old daughter, travel full time on the rodeo circuit, mostly in the Western United States. This year he will be performing at 37 different rodeos and doing 65 performances. He has performed at the PBR Finals in the Georgia Dome, the California Rodeo Circuit Finals, the Rolex World Cup horse jumping competition, and has opened for the San Francisco Giants baseball team. In addition, Clint has worked a number of Monster Truck Jams including the Monster Truck World Finals in Las Vegas. He describes his humor as “impromptu” aided by what he terms “his ADD”, leaving the fans to wonder what comes next. He will fly from Oregon for his appearance in Gerry.
Tom Atwell, chairman of the Gerry Fire Department’s rodeo committee, says he is sure that Selvester will add much to the enjoyment of the rodeo fans and is pleased that the committee is able to bring him East for this year’s rodeo. This is now the longest consecutively running rodeo east of the Mississippi and is expected to attract approximately 200 professional cowboys and cowgirls to compete for $45,000 in prize money. There will be four performances, Wednesday through Saturday, August 2-5, at 8:00. The traditional beef barbeque dinners will be served daily beginning at 5:00. All proceeds benefit the fire deprtment.
Additional information is available at the rodeo website www.gerryrodeo.org or by phone at (716) 985-4847 or 1-888-985-4847.
Photo: Rodeo clown Clint “Wolfey” Selvester goes “nose to nose” with a bull as part of his job to help protect the bull riders. Photo by Dustin J. Olson Photography.
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