The Lone Star Rodeo Family

The Lone Star Rodeo Family

Photos & Story by Bob and Cindy Savage

Publication Date: March 1998

Several times since Extremz Magazine was first published, we have done articles on different rodeo events and local participants. This month, we'd like to take you behind the scenes of the Lone Star Rodeo, of Primm Springs, Tennessee, and introduce you to the rodeo family.

In 1949, Preston C. Fowlkes, Sr., established the Preston C. Fowlkes Rodeo Company in Marfa, Texas. He soon moved his family to Tennessee and became one of the first rodeos east of the Mississippi River to draw top competitors from across the country. Following in his father's footsteps, Preston C. Fowlkes, Jr. established the Lone Star Rodeo Company.

This past month, Fowlkes brought his show, along with nationally ranked cowboys and cowgirls, to the Wicomico County Civic Center for the first rodeo Salisbury, Maryland had seen in seventeen years. Participating in the show was the third generation of the Fowlkes family, Preston C. Fowlkes III, as one of the pick-up men, and Vanessa Fowlkes, as one of the barrel riders. When not on the road with his father's show, Preston III also has his own show, The 3 Legends Rodeo.

At twenty-one years of age, Vanessa Folkes, has been riding horses and competing in rodeos, for eighteen years. Vanessa has been described by others at the rodeo as a "Cowgirl's Cowgirl." Not only does she compete in barrel races at various rodeos across the United States, but also assists her father in the operation of his rodeo. Vanessa works at the sign-up area before each nights event and presents the American Flag for the Native American version of Amazing Grace, the American National Anthem, and during the Grand Entry.

Although Vanessa competes practically each weekend throughout the year, during the week she attends the University of Tennessee at Martin, where she is pursuing a degree in marketing. Attending college full time and still competing full time can be very trying, but Vanessa credits her instructors at UT at Martin for helping her make it through. "They are wonderful the way they help me arrange my scheduling and assignments so I can continue to compete," Vanessa says of her instructors. Once she obtains her degree, Vanessa plans on returning to the Lone Star Rodeo to assist her father in running the operation.

Working behind the scenes of the rodeo, you are able to see that the Fowlkes family extends further than just Preston Jr.'s children. Much like all other extreme and alternative sports, those who participate in the event are all "family." When one person needs help, everyone else is there to do whatever they can.

Along with all the participants of the rodeo, there are the workers who help keep the show going and entertain the audience between events, but receive very little publicity. These individuals, who are a very big part of the family, include the announcer, the animal handlers, barrel men, bull fighters and stunt performers.

Upon arriving at the civic center, we were first introduced to Preston C. Fowlkes Jr., who was busy running the operation, but took time out to direct us to those behind the scenes that would be able to provide us with all the information we would need. The first and most memorable person that we were directed to was Randy Minnick, from Clarksville, TN. Minnick is what's called a barrel man the clown that stays in a barrel and moves around the arena during the bull riding competition to distract the bull once the rider is thrown.

At one time, Minnick was a bull rider himself. After being gored in the back by a bull in 1984, he had to give up riding. Minnick couldn't get the rodeo out of his blood, so he began working in the barrels. Between acts, Minnick comes out with his dog, Boo Boo, to perform stunts and different comedy skits.

During the bull riding competition, Minnick works with two other clowns, known as bull fighters. Matt Baldwin, or Pisgah, Alabama, was the lead bull fighter. His job not only is to draw the bull away from the thrown rider to keep the rider safe, but also to taunt the bull into bucking if it isn't doing so when coming out of the chute.

Over the past few years, we have covered numerous sporting events and met some wild folks, but these bull fighters are definitely a breed of their own. Bull fighting is the only event we have ever covered where the object you are competing on, chases and tries to stomp on you once you're thrown off.

Baldwin had his hands full the weekend we spent with them. Because of his professional abilities, he was able to successfully steer each bull away from it's thrown rider, except for one. While riding Tex, a 2,200+ pound Brahma Bull, Lee Hust, of Pomeroy, Ohio, was thrown into the fence and had his chest stomped on by the bull's hind foot.

Adding to the show, and wrapping up the family, is T. J. Williams of Hope Hull, Alabama, who acts as the announcer, and Chris McDaniel of Nashville, Tennessee, who portrays Buffalo Bill. Because of his years of involvement in rodeos, Williams' extensive knowledge of the animals, events and riders keeps the audience well informed of what to expect during the competition, while McDaniel, who has been doing the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show for the past two years, amazes the audience with his rope twirling and bullwhip act.

During the days prior to the opening night of the rodeo, McDaniel and Minnick (the Barrel Man) traveled to numerous schools throughout the Salisbury area, meeting with students and performing their various acts, while telling them about life in the old west and with the rodeo.

Before leaving for their next event, we met with McDaniel who advised us of other locations where the Lone Star Rodeo will be appearing in the future. For those readers in the Kentucky area, the Lone Star Rodeo will be appearing in Sommerset, Kentucky in May and 3 Legends Rodeo will be appearing on March 6th & 7th in Greenville, Kentucky.

For those who have never experienced the excitement firsthand, both of these rodeo's would be well worth attending.