'Funky Kol' Messina to be featured clown at rodeo

'Funky Kol' Messina to be featured clown at rodeo

May 29, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Scott "Funky Kol" Messina will be the pro rodeo clown at this year’s annual Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo, set June 14-16, at the American Legion Post 75 Arena.

Messina, of Huntsville, Texas, is owner and chief instructor of the Huntsville School of Karate when he is not performing for rodeo audiences. He is a fourth degree black belt with 17 years of martial arts experience.

He has been a professional rodeo clown and barrel man for 16 years and he has been a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association member since 1990. Messina was nominated for the prestigious 2000 "Original Coors Man in the Can" award and he performed at the 2000 Indian National Finals. He was seen in this area at last year’s Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo.

Messina has performed twice at the Senior National Finals in Reno, Nev. He was chosen the Clown of the Year for the Texas Pro Rodeo Association. He has been named four-time Contract Act of the Year by the PRCA.

He has been at the Louisiana Bull Riders Only Finals and featured in Texas Monthly and seen on Wrangler Jeans television commercials. The 36-year-old attended McNeese State University, Hill College, and Sam Houston State.

Messina must have a funny side to him. He is a standup comic as well.

The annual Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo, which will be held June 14-16 at the American Legion Post 75 Rodeo Arena in Cortez, has not raised ticket prices in many, many years. Reserve tickets are only $7 (for Friday and Saturday’s performances only) and now on sale at Nu-Way Western Wear in downtown Cortez. General admission seats are still $5 for adults and $3 for children under age 12. Tickets also can be purchased at the gate beginning at 7 p.m. each day.

Reserve tickets are already going fast. General admission advance sales are at the American Legion home, Nu-Way, and Intermountain Farmers."

Cowboys will compete in the regular PRCA events of bareback bronc, saddle bronc, bullriding, calf roping, team roping, and steer wrestling. All those who want to enter the rodeo need to be card-caring members of the PRCA and must register through the PRCA office. The only event for women is barrel racing, which is sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.

Through the more recent years, Cortez pro rodeo fans have been lucky to have seen such stars as 2000 All-Around cowboy Joe Beaver who stopped off here last summer and then went on to win the title last December at the PRCA World Finals in Las Vegas. Fred Whitfield, who has won the all-around title as well as winning the 2000 calf roping crown was here in 1999 and 1998, 1999 world bareback champ Lan LaJeunesse was here in 1999 when nobody knew who he was except for Cortez fans who watched him win that event. Former world champ Ote Berry has won in steer wrestling here. Billy Etebauer, 1999-200 world champion saddle bronc rider has performed here several times.

The rodeo stop here also draws the best from the Mountain States PRCA Circuit. J.D. Crouse, an all-around cowboy and calf roper, has stopped here many times. Larry Sandvick, bareback champ, was here last year. Steer roper J.D. Yates has been here many times. Sean Mulligan has performed well here in the steer roping event. Former world champion saddle bronc rider Dan Mortensen has been on a horse in this arena. Team ropers header Jeff White and heeler Brent Trenary also have done well here.

Many up-and-coming stars have made their marks in Cortez. Shane Hatch of Flora Vista, N.M., and teammate Brent Lewis of Pinon, N.M., who also is current ranked no. 2 in the world in calf roping, have finished in the money many times. Bullrider Mike Moore of Fort Collins has won the event two straight years and finished the 2000 season ranked no. 29th in the world.

Most all of the top barrel racers have been here including multi-world champ Kristi Peterson, Sherry Cervi, Kelly Yates, Charmayne James, Shelee Shaw, Martha Wright, Jennifer Wilson, and Bo Hill.

"I think we will get some of the best cowboys here just like we have the past several years," Armstrong said. "We will certainly get some of the best (perhaps some current and certainly some past world champions). I want to Laughlin, Nev., for a rodeo back in April and they said they plan on coming to Cortez. I talked to some of them and they said they like coming to Cortez."

Grand entry each day is 8 p.m.

Two parades are on tap as always. They will be held June 15-16 starting at 5 p.m. at Main and Maple east to Harrison and then north to the rodeo grounds. The theme this year is "Working Together---The Western Way." Entry forms are available at the American Legion, Valley Barber Shop, and Nu-Way Western Wear. This year’s grand marshall is Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Chairman Ernest House.

A dance will culminate performances June 15-16 from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Admission is $5 per person. Music will be by Desert Thunder.

The carnival will be run for all three days.

The annual Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo Queen Contest will be held May 30 at the American Legion Post 75 Arena. Entry forms are now available at Nu-Way Western Wear in Cortez. For more information, phone Bobbi Hunter at 565-326.