Fans at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo have come to love John Harrison, not only for his acts and comedy but also for his personality, which shines in a crowd. He will return to Hempstead, Texas, for this year’s rodeo.
(PHOTO BY PEGGY GANDER)
HEMPSTEAD, Texas – His look is familiar, if not a bit stylish.
John Harrison is identified by his yellow Cinch shirt with red fringe and a red cowboy hat. It’s not the typical Western attire, but it’s a reflection of his persona as one of the world’s greatest rodeo clowns. His body of work is well-recognized:
- Three-time PRCA Clown of the Year
- Seven-time Coors Man in the Can for top barrelman
- Nine-time PRCA Comedy Act of the Year
- Ten-time National Finals Rodeo barrelman
He returns to southeast Texas for this year’s Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1-Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead.
“Since we’ve been a PRCA rodeo, I don’t think there’s been another funny man that we’ve had at our rodeo more than John Harrison,” said Paul Shollar, co-captain of the Waller County Fair Board’s rodeo committee. “John is great to work with, has great acts and is just funny. We love having him here.”
So do the people who pack into the rodeo arena to be entertained by his antics that add comedic flair to a show that is filled with world-class competition.
“John and I are friends, and he’s just funny to be around,” said Andy Stewart, the rodeo’s announcer. “He takes a lot of pride in his work and puts a lot of work into what he does. He enjoys entertaining, and I enjoy being there to entertain with him.”
Harrison was raised around rodeo. From the southeastern Oklahoma hamlet of Soper, his grandfather was a world champion bull rider. Freckles Brown gained acclaim 60 years ago when he rode the previously unridden bull Tornado during the 1967 NFR
Harrison’s foray into the game came on the entertainment side of things. He was an accomplished trick and Roman rider, which displays acrobatics on a galloping horse. He was selected to perform at the NFR, the sport’s 10-day championship.
“When I was 18, Cotton Rosser had a Roman team he had bought at the National Finals Bucking Horse Sale, and I ended up buying them,” Harrison said. “Those were the horses that took me to the (National Finals Rodeo).”
He then diversified and added clowning to his repertoire, and Harrison’s been gathering awards and other accomplishments since. His 10 appearances as the clown at the NFR are just a taste of what he brings to the table. He’s won the Triple Crown of clowning – all three awards in the same year – three times.
Harrison carries a trailer full of enlightening acts, but what makes him stand out is his ability to interact well with the audience.
“I try to say I’m not scripted, and I really try to go off the cuff,” Harrison said. “I try to adapt to each announcer and adapt to each crowd.
“To be able to adapt to that is important to what I do.”