No business like funny business

ATTICA — Scooter Smith, better known as the "Get Down Clown," is no stranger to getting a chuckle out of the crowd or wowing them while bullfighting. Born in Louisiana and raised in southeast Texas, rodeo life is something Smith has always been around. That included participating in the Bulls and Barrels event recently at the Attica Independent Fair. "My dad did a little rodeo growing up too," said Smith. "Now, I'm the barrel man and I love what I do." Still on the road today, Smith stays in Symsonia, Kentucky when he isn't traveling. Smith has two sons in Arkansas and a daughter in Texas. Before beginning his entertainment career, Smith was an active bull rider. "I started out riding and then did some bullfighting in high school," he said. After getting injured riding numerous times, Smith made the decision to stick to bullfighting rather than riding. One of the best things about the rodeo world, according to Smith, is the comradery. "There really is nothing like it (bull riding), it's very much a family-oriented community," said Smith. "Bull riding is different from other professional sports in the sense that, yes, we are competing against each other, but we're competing against the animal first." Smith explained that everyone is always supportive of one another, regardless of who wins. "The prize amounts for winners are always within a few dollars of each other," said Smith. "And oftentimes share meals, so regardless of who wins, everybody eats." After concluding his career as a rider, Smith began to further develop a passion for bullfighting, and would later become known as the "Get Down Clown." Smith is a member of both the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA), two of the largest-ranking rodeo associations. With the IRPA, Smith has competed in their Contract Act Showcase numerous times over the years, even winning countless times. "Sometime back, I placed in the top 15 Comedy Acts of the Year," a countrywide accolade, he said. Smith has been able to travel to a many interesting places. One of his favorites was Chino, California. Another was various parts of New York City, with Smith saying "Seeing all of the city people come out and experience a slice of rodeo life, there's nothing like it– and they love it." To learn more about Smith and his career as a rodeo clown, visit his social media via https://linkr.bio/thegetdownclown.