Bullfighters

Joe Baumgartner began his rodeo career when he moved to Brentwood, CA at the age of 16 and started working with a rodeo company there. Later he received a rodeo scholarship to Hartnell College in Salinas, CA and graduated from there with an AA in Ag Mechanics. Since becoming a member of the PRCA in 1987, he has worked primarily in the western United States for Growney Brothers Rodeo Co. of Red Bluff, CA.

Because of Joe’s impressive bullfighting talents, he was chosen a record 13 times to the National Finals Rodeo and was named 2004 PRCA Bullfighter of the year. Joe believes in protective bullfighting as opposed to competitive bullfighting because he feels strongly that it is the primary job of the bullfighter in the rodeo arena.

Loyd Ketchum is an agile athlete with great speed and heart-throbbing maneuvers, and when he meets his challenger, Ketchum puts fans on the edge of their seats in arenas everywhere.

His primary job is to protect the bullrider. When a raging bull gets a bullrider in trouble Loyd will be there to free him. He’ll offer his body. Ketchum’s slogan is “Bullfighting with class and finesse.” “Bullfighting is something you have to live and breathe. My main goals are to protect the cowboy and make the bull buck to the best of his ability,” he says.

Ketchum has been a member of the PRCA since 1987. He has been selected to work the College National Finals, the Dodge National Circuit Finals and the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals. In 1990 he was the alternate bullfighter for the NFR. He finished fifth in the world in the 1990 Wrangler Jeans Bullfighting Tour.

Rodeo Clown

Ash “CrAsh” Cooper of Senlac, Saskatchewan.  When CrAsh steps into the grass arena, rodeo fans know they could be in for anything! Cooper is known for his athleticism and for involving rodeo cowboys in crowd-pleasing stunts.

This unique style comedy has made CrAsh one of the most popular rodeo entertainers in North America. “Anybody can be funny just standing around talking with your friends,” he says. “But when you have to be funny now – on command – in front of thousands of people, it’s a whole different scenario.” 

He‘s a four time winner of Canada’s Entertainer of the Year, as well as being selected for numerous rodeo finals in the USA. He also hosted seven seasons on his award winning television show, Cowboy Country, creating over 450 different features.