The Reno Rodeo 100 is a multimedia storytelling series commemorating the event’s 100th anniversary. In this excerpt, Brett Scheerer from Businessman’s Steer Decorating, remembers a time when a poor soul lost his pants...at the Reno Rodeo. He shared the comical tale at an open mic night.
In Businessman’s Steer Decorating, BSD, contestants are trying to be the first ones to tie a bow around a steer. This is a competition anyone can participate in.
“You have a lot of 'non-cow people' out there competing in a rodeo, a lot of them for the first time around a large livestock animal in any shape or form, and they're all determined to not give up. You're holding on to a 600 to 800 pound steer that's wanting nothing more than to get away from you,” Scheerer explained.
This dedication can lead to some unforeseen circumstances. As Scheerer recalled, one man refused to let go of the animal and lost his pants--along with his undergarments--in the process.
“Finally, [he] let go of the steer when he realized that, and he stood up to a give a wave to the crowd with only one hand. The others were covering a certain key part. He did not give up, but by the time he got to the other end of the arena, he didn't have much on,” Scheerer said.
Basically, the lesson here is that participating in BSD can bring unknown challenges to those who don’t regularly interact with large animals.
The Reno Rodeo 100 project is a community partnership with several funders, including the Reno Rodeo Association and their charitable foundation. Its content is produced by Jessi LeMay. To see and hear more of KUNR's coverage of the 2019 Reno Rodeo, visit Spurs and Mud: A Century of Reno Rodeo.
