Ridin', ropin' and readin' highlight morning

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Published 6/13/2009 in Beef Empire Days-Entertainment

By SHAJIA AHMAD

When Max Reynolds was a young boy in the 1960s, he'd lean against the railing at the rodeo arena in his Colorado hometown of Arapahoe and watch with eager eyes the professional cowboys and ranchers doing tricks with their ropes and horses.

"You know, it really caught my eye," Reynolds said, reminiscing that during his 40-year career as an entertainer he's found himself playing roles such as Buffalo Bill in Wild West shows and chatting up stars like Reba McEntire. "Who knew this gig would take me around the world -- it's just mind-boggling."

Now the 56-year-old Nebraska resident who tours rodeos in the United States and across Europe is a master of the rope and showed off some of his skills at Friday's Beef Empire Days Rodeo Clowns Storytime at the Finney County Public Library, 605 E. Walnut St.

About 100 kids showed up for the morning magic, lining the laps of their parents in the library parking lot to watch Reynolds twirl circles above and around his body, jump through giant loops, and even tie knots and figure-eights with the flicks of his wrist.

"A rope is used on the ranch to rope down cattle when they get sick," he explained to the kids who "oohed" and awed. "When the cowboys returned to the camps at night, they'd get to bragging about who had the best skills, and that's where the competitive spirit was born."

Before Reynolds' rope tricks, bull riders Chris "Hodge" Aman and Shane Anderson read "Cowboy Small," by Lois Lenski, about a young cowboy and his horse, Cactus.

"But what about the cowgirls?" asked 3-year-old Lilly Moore, who was seated with her grandmother underneath the new statue of a small boy reading and imagining himself flying, which was erected at the entrance in late March.

"We'll listen and see, OK?" Judy Moore told her curious granddaughter.

Moore said she brings her grandchild to Wee Readers storytime every Thursday, and at this week's cowboy-themed program, the pair heard about the rodeo clown storytime and decided not to pass it up.

"She really loves the cowboys and cowgirls, so here we are!" Moore said.

After storytime and lasso tricks, the traveling bull riders dressed up two kids from the audience as rodeo clowns, wrapping them in colorful bandanas and rainbow suspenders holding up shorts several sizes too big.

Ten-year-old Sammy Mendoza played to the crowd after putting on his costume and red, bulb nose, dancing to the cheers and shaking his caboose.

"You know, he's a clown in real life, too," his mother, Elizabeth Mendoza, said.

After the program was over, the cowboys autographed mementoes for the kids. Hodge and Anderson explained that during the rodeo it's their job to protect the cowboys.

"If anyone gets run over, it's gonna be us," Anderson said and laughed.

Reynolds and the bull riders are performing during tonight's Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo at the Finney County Fairgrounds.

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Ridin', ropin' and readin' highlight morning

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