Specialty Acts
 
Back by demand, the Ellensburg Rodeo is pleased to announce that John Payne, The One Arm Bandit will return to excite audiences. Payne was named PRCA Specialty Act of the Year for eight consecutive years (1989-1996).Payne was born in Oklahoma in 1953 and has spent his entire life on the back of horses with his dogs - Florida Cur Head Dogs - by his side. John raises and trains the dogs himself, can train, and keep bayed, the meanest bovine in the woods or plains! Discovered on a ranch in Oklahoma by Walter Alsbaugh, John was hired to pen some bucking bulls that Walter had bought. The bulls didn't seem to know any boundaries, nor would they respect a cowboy on horse. But after a short while, they learned to respect John's head dogs. They were penned and Walter was very much impressed with this talent. This led to John's appearance in the rodeo arena. John tried to be an electrician for one-day. This he failed, or perhaps he just didn't think his body could stand up to the stress. For John sustained 7,200 volts for ten seconds. The electricity exited his abdomen, leaving his intestines showing. While the voltage was destroying the leg muscle, it finally burnt through his fingers, allowing John to fall to his death. John received CPR, licked his wounds for two months and went back to ranching. Through this shocking experience, John became the One Arm Bandit. While in the arena, John will display talents that took a lifetime to develop. You will see animals - Mules in 2007 - willingly defy their own instincts. His performance is fast and thrilling! He rides his horse fast, jumps on the bed of his truck. The crowd will sit mesmerized to the sound of his bullwhip - herding buffalo around the arena and then to the top of the trailer. This act is an almost impossible feat, but only accomplished through sheer nerve, determination and the drive to excel in one's field. |
