The theme from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” wafted from the loudspeaker across the dusty pen as “the toughest, the cutest and the youngest cowboys” lined up for the Mutton Bust’n competition on opening day of The Puyallup Fair.
The speaker didn’t mention cowgirls, but alas, girl power reigned as Cynthia Zieber nabbed first place, holding on to her sheep for an 80-point ride that caused a frenzy in the stands.
The 6-year-old brushed the dirt out of her long brown hair and said, “I thought I was at the end when I fell off. But I’m going to win next time, too.”
Zieber’s mother, Angie, said her daughter phoned her father in Texas to tell him she had won.
The goal of Mutton Bust’n is simple: climb onto a sheep and grip the wool as it bursts from a pen and hold on as long as you can. The riders try to stay on for 6 seconds; if no one makes it, the winner is whoever stays on the longest. The age limit is 6, but riders as young as 2 signed up for the fun.
The majority of riders were novices; many had not even been near a sheep. That didn’t bother 4-year-old Ryan Lelli, who demonstrated his prowess with a spread-legged stance and tightened arm muscles. He trained for the event with sit-ups and jumping jacks.
“I’m just trying to get in the game,” he said.
Tysin Williams, 5, said he’d never been on a sheep, but felt qualified because he had been in a barn. He eventually revealed that he did have a game plan.
“Keep your head down and wrap your feet around real tight,” he said.
Spectator Lauralei Jensen, 5, didn’t compete this year, but beat out her boy friend last year with a second place win.
“I just held on tightly,” she said. “You don’t let go.”
The spectacle of tiny kids bobbing wildly up and down on a sheep’s back brought in a sizable crowd and 34 children registered for the day’s event.
“We’ve had an overwhelming response from last year,” said Tommy Giodone of Tommy G. Productions, who emceed the event with a casual sense of humor. “Obviously we were pretty popular.”
Giodone has been with the Mutton Bust’n national tour for 12 years. Tommy G. Productions operates out of Colorado where the sheep are raised. Competitors are weighed to make sure they stay within the 60-pound weight limit to protect the animals. The sheep used on the tour are Columbia sheep.
“These type of sheep are bred for this type of competition because they have bigger frames,” he said. “They also have a strong herding instinct. We have two or three sheep at the end of the pen so when they come out of the gate they’ll run toward the herd.
“We train them in the pens a week in advance so they’ll know the program. If we didn’t, they’d duck and dive and the kids wouldn’t get the full experience of them running.”
Ten-year-old Colton Disanti was working the ring for his second year as the “lambinator.” Disanti’s job was to race out from his position along the railing, lift each contestant off the ground, brush them off, straighten them up and escort them out of the ring before another animal came hurtling out of the gate. Face masks, vests and clothing often had to be adjusted after a spill.
“Pull up your chaps, this is a family show,” Giodone joked to 4-year-old Garian Madden after he was tossed.
As most small children are naturally limber, most riders appeared to be boneless, careening onto the soft dirt like rubber dolls. However, 4-year-old Aurora Stewart had a particularly rough ride and when she hit the ground, remained frozen like a human popsicle, unmoving, staring at the sky. Disanti gently scooped her up and carried her, stiff-legged, out of the ring. She soon broke into tears and was immediately consoled by her mother.
Several brave little wranglers had a change of heart when they were plopped on the backs of four-legged, wool-covered muscles ready to bolt.
Giodone said if any child hesitated to take the ride they could back out at any time.
“It looks like fun until it moves, talks and wiggles,” he said.
The tiniest cowboys, the 2-year-olds, were allowed to sit on the sheep until the gate opened, but were plucked off at the last second and held up as heroes for the cheering crowd.
“It’s building confidence, that’s what it’s all about,” Giodone said. “We don’t turn any children away. They get to be in front of a crowd and they get to decide if they want to go out there or not. It’s their choice. They can say no to a bunch of adults.”
It originally looked like 6-year-old Nicholas May would run away with the competition, being the first rider to hold on for more than 6 seconds. May scored 72 points for his 6.1-second ride, but ended up in third place.
Tiny 4-year-old Joanna Neuert was the biggest surprise of the competition, taking second place while clad in a pink and orange frilly dress. She was one of the last riders in the show and her 75-point ride sent the herd gathered at the end of the pen scattering in all directions. When she finally hit the earth, her dress was in tatters.
The veteran Giodone was not a bit surprised that girls claimed the two top spots in such a rough and ready competition.
“About 75 percent of our riders are girls and they do the best,” he said. “It’s because they have better balance at this age.”
Reach reporter Susan Schell at 253-841-2481 ext. 315 or by e-mail at susan.schell@puyallupherald.com.
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