Scott Byrne is back

By Dale Davison

Rodeo clown is a new role for Scott Byrne but he’s been around rodeo all his life. Bull riding runs in his family and Scott gave it a try, but soon found he had lots of try but little talent for the sport. He decided it would be a good idea to quit before he got killed and bull fighting was an alternative. He attended a bullfighting school to learn the ropes and his experience there convinced him that he had found his place in the rodeo game.

From this beginning came a career as a professional bullfighter. With a chance to work the Calgary Stampede only a couple of years after he started, Byrne was on his way.

He loved his job, and the rush and excitement of protecting the bull riders from the 1500 pounds of fury that’s trying to kill them. And so it went for 20 years, working some of the biggest rodeos with some serious injuries along the way.

He didn’t want to end up as the old guy still trying to hold on so in 2015 Byrne decided to end his bull fighting career, and after a brief return to fill in at the Calgary Stampede he knew he was done.

It was a time when Byrne felt uncertain about what the future might bring so when he got the opportunity, he became a commentator for Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events. After seven years at this he has become a voice that fans know well. He describes the intense moments during competition and the background drama that takes place behind the scenes. In 2023 Byrne has become a host of Canadian Dirt, an online live interview and commentary show that covers the stories both inside and outside the arena.

Clearly Byrne’s connection with the sport and the people remains strong and it’s no surprise that he decided to return to the ring, but instead of being a bullfighter he came back as the rodeo clown. Two things helped him make this decision.

First was the relationship he had with one of the greatest rodeo clowns ever. Lee Bellows was a fixture at rodeos across North America until his death in March of this year. In the years that Byrne was bullfighting, Bellows kept telling him he would make a good clown and before he died, he gave Byrne all his rodeo clown gear, like his t-shirt cannon and his marshmallow slingshot.

When he did his first rodeo as a clown for the bull riding event, he found it fun and exciting, and it showed him a whole different aspect of the sport. Now he understands what it’s like to get hit in the barrel because he’s experienced it. He also understands how important the clown is when a crowd needs to be more engaged. Everyone in the show, from the competitors to the livestock, perform better with an excited engaged crowd, and nobody wants to come to a dull event.

The second reason that Byrne decided to become a rodeo clown is found in the strong family roots he has in rodeo. These roots are growing a new generation of bullfighters and among them is Byrne’s son Brayden. He will be fighting the bulls at the Virden Indoor Rodeo this year and his dad will be the clown.

While Byrne says he isn’t sure what the future holds for Scott Byrne the rodeo clown, he says he will have some very fond memories from this event. He said “to be still in the business, having gone full circle, and be working with my own son (Brayden) is every father’s dream”. Western legend Lee Bellows will be watching over both of them.