Clown brings experience to Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo

DUNCAN — His face may be hidden by greasepaint, but Rob Gann’s smile is authentic.

“The best part of my job is getting to entertain and make everybody’s day better and maybe help them to forget what’s troubling them,” said Gann, a rodeo clown who will be working this year’s Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12-14 at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan.

“I want to make them laugh and put a smile on their faces.”

It will be his first time at the regional finale, which has taken place in Duncan every October since 2012. It will be a way for him to showcase the talents that have helped him be recognized across the country. Over his career as bullfighter and clown, he has been selected to work the International Finals Rodeo eight times.

“I got to fight bulls there six times,” said Gann of Lonoke, Arkansas. “When I moved to clowning, I’ve done it the last two years. It’s a big deal for me, the next step in my career gave me the hope and confidence that I could do this for a living.”

Now, he will have the opportunity to show his stuff on the biggest stages of the sport. By working a ProRodeo championship event, Gann has the chance to build on his resume and take another step in making a name for himself.

“This is awesome,” he said. “As of right now, it’s a milestone and absolutely the pinnacle of my career. I finally get to do a finals that’s got a PRCA logo attached to it. It means a lot to me, and this is definitely a proud moment for me, one I won’t forget.”

It’s a chance to work with the best in the business and be part of an event that showcases the stars from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. Not only that, but Gann will also work with other ProRodeo honorees that have been recognized nationally for being on an elite status in their craft.

From NFR qualifiers to award-winning personnel, the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo will be the three-day home to incredible talent. If iron sharpens iron, it’s a chance to make everything shine inside the Duncan coliseum.

“Announcer Greg Simas has been a huge advocate and motivator, and he’s really helped me with my career,” Gann said. “To get to work my first circuit finals with Greg means a lot to me.”

Simas will be working Duncan’s fall rodeo for the eighth straight year and will bring a world-class talent to the show. Whether it’s working together through the action-packed performance or doing a clown act together, Simas and Gann must show why teamwork matters during a rodeo production.

“I carry at any time three to four acts in my trailer, but I like the walk and talk that happens during the performance,” Gann said. “I’ve rodeoed my whole life, and I’ve done pretty much every aspect. I like to fill in the spots when they need filled. The walk and talk is unpredictable, and I like to take whatever the moment allows me. There’s nothing better than when a fan gives you something you can go with, and everybody just enjoys that moment.”

Having that talent comes through experience, one that has carried Gann from youth competitor to professional rodeo cowboy to bullfighter to clown. He is the third generation of his family in the rodeo business and competed in all events as a youngster, earning a rodeo scholarship to Arkansas State University-Jonesboro.

“I think my knowledge of rodeo and my timing allows me to see when a breakdown happen, maybe seeing where the announcer needs a minute to catch his breath,” Gann said. “I want him to know that I will take care of him.

“The biggest thing is to keep the energy up, because I truly believe the energy dictates the competition.”