Owner: Shane Collins
Location: Scotland, Ark.
History: “I have been around agriculture and rodeos since I can remember. I cut my teeth on John Wayne movies and a small rodeo with a makeshift pen set up between two nearby chicken houses. It was free and we tied goats, ran barrels and even rode bulls, even though the pen got torn down frequently. About 15 of us attended regularly, three became pro card carriers and two who went to college on rodeo scholarships. When I was young, I really liked riding calves and wanted to ride a bull but my dad said no. I tried anyway. The bull jumped twice and I got banged on my head so I roped through high school. During my senior year, FFA held rodeo. My ag teacher Rusty Meazle told me I always wanted to run my mouth and he was going to give me a place to do just that. Because I grew up with rodeo, I already knew the fundamentals. Nonetheless, I learned a great deal from nearby Danny Newland, who announced the International Finals Rodeo for over 20 years.”
Services: “Rodeo season runs with a few events in March until the third weekend in October. My winter income is supplemented by winter events. Open rodeos are the largest part of my business and are popular because anyone can enter, entry fees are less, and competitors get to go under the bright lights in additional events such as bronc riding and calf roping. Though I will go anywhere in the country if the price is right, I typically stay within a 500-mile radius and I’m gone just about every weekend during the rodeo season.”
Future: “People come to see a show, and my job is to supply the audio part of it with banter, comments and analysis in a fun and entertaining way. I spent 16 years trying to figure out how I was going to make a living and now I’m figuring out how to stay in agriculture and with my commercial Angus herd. I get home as fast as my little red truck will get me there. If not for my friends and God’s blessing, I couldn’t live this cowboy Gypsy life where I meet people who are the best you will ever find.”
