Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor

If you combine the legs of O. J. Simpson, the bovine savvy of a Spanish matador, and the wit of Jack Benny, then add a double dose of intestinal fortitude and roll it up into a pair of baggy Wranglers, greasepaint, and a western hat, when it all comes together you get that incomparable individual – The Rodeo Bullfighter and Clown.

So what exactly is rodeo bullfighting? It is not the type of bullfighting typical in Spain and Mexico, and the bulls are definitely not killed. Rather, rodeo-style bullfighting is a free-form, spontaneous, one-on-one game of tag between bull and bullfighter. The clown can lure the bull around himself, or he can make the moves around the bull. In fact, working bulls is like luring a cat with a toy on a string. It sounds simple enough, but having to face a motionless bull with deadpan eyes, daring you to step into his sphere, can be extremely intimidating. And a wrong move can invite disaster.

Greasepaint Matadors consists of fourteen chapters covering everything from the history, cowboy humor, the acts, and the bullfighting (protective and competitive) etc. In the book you meet some of the classic names in rodeo bullfighting. You hear their stories – why they got into bullfighting and clowning, how they developed their individual styles, and how their attitude affects their ability to perform as professionals. She also introduces the reader to the bulls. “Most people tend to think these bulls are just big, dumb animals, but they’re not. They are tremendous athletes and very calculating creatures. Sometimes they will turn their tails toward the fence, stand there, and wait for you to make the first move,” affirmed Rex Dunn, National Finals Rodeo bullfighter.

                                                                                      Photo by James Fain

Each clown has his own style of fighting the bulls. Leon Coffee, veteran clown explains, “Some guys have a lot of what you call bull savvy. I didn’t have a lot of it, or experience, so I made up for it with speed. When the feets said go, I was gone!” ‘Kamikaze’ Rob Smets has been called crazy by some of his fans, because he will try anything. “My style has been kind of reckless abandon. If a bull is jumpable, I’ll try it. It’s a thrill!”

But it’s not only bullfighting and rescuing cowboys that these greasepaint matadors are known for. Audiences are also entertained by the clown’s wise-cracking jokes and stunts. Cowboy clowns can turn any situation into humor and are willing to try anything at least once. From sheepdog-riding monkeys to water and popcorn fights, bucking car acts, and clown mobiles, these entertainers keep audiences on the edges of their seats.

The book is written from the perspective of one who knows the back stage of rodeo firsthand. Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor has been around the sport all of her life. She used to exhibit trained stockdogs at many stock shows and rodeos, including Denver’s famed National Western Stock Show and Rodeo.

This timeless coffee table book features 176 pages of exciting, fun-filled, humorous, and serious stories with more than 200 action packed photos to compliment the lively narratives with some of rodeo’s greatest clowns and bullfighters (the founding fathers of the sport). The first edition of Greasepaint Matadors, the Unsung Heroes of Rodeo by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor is no longer in print. It is a must-have book for anybody with even the slightest interest in rodeo. By special arrangement we are able to offer a limited supply of books available from the first printing. The author has autographed and numbered individual book plates for each book which will increase the value of this collector’s edition.

© 1993 Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor