July 29, 1999
Cowboys -- and cowgirls -- kick off the rodeo
By Sara Eaton
Staff Writer
Tonight and Friday people of all ages can attend the Dodge Truck Seneca County Fair Pro Rodeo at 8 p.m. for $4.
"This is a good clean family event," cowboy Billy Bob Jordan of Smithville, Okla., said.
He said at the Seneca County Fair rodeo there is standing room only because so many attend.
"This isn't for any one age, it's from people two to 90," cowgirl and part owner of J Bar J Rodeo Company Shannon Zinser of Clare, Mich., said.
This year at the rodeo there will be a calf scramble for the kids, which will take place during the intermission, when Tim Pope will make one of his many performances.
Zinser explained that three calves are let into the arena with ribbons on their tales. Then the kids have to get the ribbon off the tail.
Oftentimes the cowboys competing in the rodeo stay an extra hour to autograph things for kids, rodeo clown Tim Pope of Durango, Colo., said.
Cody Zinser, a brother of Shannon, said J Bar J Company has been providing the Seneca County Fair Rodeo for about five years.
The company is family owned, a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and travels to many rodeos in the Great Lakes circuit, Zinser said.
Although the rodeo company is based in Michigan, the traveling group is from across the country.
Pope explained that each year there is a convention in Las Vegas for all of the specialty acts, at which rodeo companies can contract with clowns or bull fighters for the rodeo season.
This is how Pope and bullfighter Rob Miles of Lincoln, Neb., started working for J Bar J, he said.
"I love working for them, they are one of the top five rodeo companies in the world. They have some of the best stock ... they run the company right," Pope said, explaining that he is honored to work for J Bar J for the second year in a row. He hopes to continue with the company for a long time.
Not one of the five regrets living a rodeo life.
"It's one of those sports you don't want to leave. Once you're in it, you're in it for life," Pope said.
Zinser said she has never even been close to thinking about a different type of career.
"It's definitely in the blood, you're not in it for the money," she said.
Pope explained that everyone grew up with and around the rodeo because it was already in the family.
"J Bar J opened in 1969, I was born in 1970 and he was born in '71," Zinser said, pointing at her brother Cody to explain how long they have been involved. "It was around before we were."
Miles said his son is only 4 months old and he has been to four rodeos. He added that he will get his son involved if he wants to.
Performing at 20 to 25 rodeos per year can lead to many likes and dislikes.
Zinser said there is an event for handicapped and disabled children at the Pennsylvania Rodeo, which everyone enjoys.
While each had their individual favorites, they all agreed that Las Vegas is the rodeo to attend.
After all of the finals and semi-finals there are 15 national finalists who compete in Las Vegas for $17,869 in December, Zinser explained.
"It's like the Superbowl of rodeos," she said.
Although all rodeo competitors would like to go to Las Vegas, losing is not necessarily bad either.
"You like to see everybody do good. Rodeos don't have the same type of competition as other professional sports. Cowboys are closer," Zinser said.
Jordan agreed, saying that everyone tries to help everyone else out. He added that competition just makes it more fun.
It is likely that competitors will run into each other at several different rodeos.
"Some you're glad to see, some you're glad to see leave," Jordan said, laughing.
When a team in other sports loses, there are several factors affecting the outcome. However, this is not the case in rodeos.
"In the rodeo if you lose the only thing you can blame is yourself," Zinser said.
Pope agreed.
"When you lose you're more mad at yourself than at others," Pope said.
Not only are the five rodeo competitors, but they also hold daytime jobs during the winter months.
Zinser works in an accountant's office, while Cody builds houses and Jordan works for another rodeo company.
Even though they all enjoy the break from driving in the winter, all agreed they would drive to a rodeo if there was one to attend.