Mud wrestling at the Sumner rodeo

SUMNER — Hoof it. The show must go on.

That's what the Sumner Saddle Club said when Mother Nature crashed its 73rd annual rodeo Wednesday evening with wind, hail, thunder and lightning.

The crowd dispersed, hurrying to their cars or elsewhere for shelter, but when the rain slacked off, most of them returned, and the rodeo went on.

They were back for the July 4 performance, too, even though swamps of muddy water sat stubbornly on the rodeo grounds. Ernie, the rodeo clown, waded through the muck in Hawaiian-themed shirt and shorts and bare feet.

The calf roping, a kids event, was canceled due to the muck, but the mud-splattered competition went on Thursday with few glitches.

"We started 10 minutes early," Marcia Berg, who's been the rodeo's secretary for more than 40 years, said as she processed paperwork before Thursday's rodeo.

"We thought the storm was going to pass us by, but it didn't. The bleachers were full and two saddle bronc riders were competing, and it started to rain," she said.

The rodeo was halted for 20 to 25 minutes. Once the lightning stopped and the rain slowed down, the action resumed, "but then it dumped. Even the barrel racers got wet," Berg said.

Outside, her son Mick Berg was getting the arena ready, a challenge on this day when small ponds and sloppy mud slobbered the track.

Dan Schroeder, a member of the Miller Volunteer Fire Department, sat behind the small office making a sign advertising tickets for the department's first-ever raffle.

"It was wet and windy last night. It rained and rained and rained and rained. I was a little concerned, but a good portion of the crowd stayed," he said.

He admitted that the rain washed out most of the ticket sales Wednesday evening, but he had better luck Thursday. The lucky raffle winner will win a 36" Blackstone griddle with a cover and folding shelves. Tickets were $5 each or five for $20.

Back as emcee for the fifth year was Jason Mathis, from Shelbina, Mo. "I was wet last night, but part of this job is just dealing with the elements," he said.

He speaks from experience. He's had 25 years in the emcee business and travels from March through December.

Taylor Rossenbach of Sutherland escaped Wednesday's rain because he performed only Thursday afternoon. He does team roping with his brother Kevin of Anselmo.

Taylor, a financial advisor, has been performing in rodeo for 20 years. He travels as far as Texas and Arizona. "It's fun. I like the camaraderie. I like making money, too," he said.

He'll be in Central City this weekend. "The crowd here is always fun and laid bag. People can bring their families, go to the parade and come to have fun."

The rodeo began at 1:30 with Mathis offering a tribute to America. "This is the greatest country on God's green earth," he said.

He gave a tribute to military veterans and first responders. Then, as "Amazing Grace" played, he offered a prayer. "Be with every cowboy and cowgirl in the arena of life," Mathis said.

Then the show began. "It's going to get wild here today," he said, chatting with rodeo clown Ernie, who was wading barefoot through the mud up to his ankles. "If you fall in, it's going to be mud soup. Will you wash your clothes or just throw them away?" Mathis asked.

Along with introducing cowboys and cowgirls, he'd add comments like "When bronc riding is done right, it's poetry in motion."

On this day, that was a challenge. Quite a few cowboys plopped into the mud, and people sitting on bleacher seats close to the arena were sprayed with mud a few times. Calves that were thrown to the ground in the team roping competition looked like they'd been shellacked in brown.

It all went on — steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, saddle broncs, ranch bronc riding, kids steer riding, Gene Snodgrass was recognized for his 35-plus years as a judge.

"This is a homecoming every Fourth of July," Mathis said. Indeed, it was. Even in the mud.