Often talks with Larry Clayman prove he’s a gem for a rodeo historian like me. He is easy with whom to talk and has a wonderful memory of his days in the rodeo arena being a third-generation rodeo clown. We usually have a specific reason for calling each other, but once we get on the phone it seems one story leads to another and easily an hour can go by before we hang up. He tells me of experiences he has had, and I tell him of stories I have been told by old cowboys which always brings to Larry’s mind another story.
Larry was born July 11, 1941, in Highlandville, Missouri. Both his grandfather, Stanley Clayman and father, William Clayman, were rodeo clowns and he often traveled with them. The Clayman’s lived in southern Missouri. Larry said he thought his granddad was the consummate clown whether in the arena or out! He worked with his grandpa breaking colts. They only worked with teams in the fields at home.
Larry laughingly relayed, “The first automated vehicle ever on the Clayman spread was an old Willy’s jeep. It ran OK, but you had to manually operate the windshield wipers. Grandpa and I were on our way to Calico Rock, Arkansas, to work the rodeo. The roads were winding and we were pulling his old mare in a trailer. The rodeo committee requested Grandpa to bring the old mare for his act. (It was so funny!) Well, it started to rain and he had me leaning over the windshield operating the wipers. He kept saying, ‘Keep those windshields clean, Larry, so we won’t run into the trailer!’”
Grandpa Stanley wore bib overalls in which to clown. He asked Larry to clown with him at Mansfield, Missouri. Larry remembered he was 12 or 13 (1954). Grandpa Stanley was good with a bullwhip. He even used it to move cows at home, but at the rodeo he could open a pop bottle if the cap was loosened. He had Larry put a paper target between his legs and bend over sideways and Grandpa never missed. Larry couldn’t remember if he got paid, but Grandpa got $20. Most of the rodeos Larry’s grandpa and dad worked were in Arkansas and Missouri.
In addition to helping his dad or grandpa or being hired to clown an amateur rodeo Larry competed in five events; saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling and team roping. But his first love was bullfighting and being a rodeo clown. His years in rodeo were from 1954 to 1980, with smatterings of rodeo after that – producing, announcing, training, or going to Rodeo Clown Reunions.
Larry joined the Marine Corp in 1961, and he was still doing some ‘clowning’ during that time. In Okemulgee, OK, at an amateur rodeo, he took his mule, ‘Sorghum,’ who was trained to do a lot of tricks.
“Gene Autry was there as the star of the rodeo,” Larry told, “we helped him get on his horse, I remember, and the bulls really worked good. After the rodeo Jim Shoulders walked up and introduced himself. I knew who Jim Shoulders was – everybody knew who he was. He told me he liked the way I worked and he’d like to hire me. I explained I was flattered but I was in the Marines, and they were shipping me off to Boot Camp at Camp Pendleton. Shoulders told me to find Colonel Ace Bowen, that he ran the rodeo on Camp Pendleton.
I was in infantry training when I got there. I entered the rodeo in the bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and the bull riding, and my first wife, Rogenia, entered the barrel race. When the rodeo was over Staff Sargeant Johnson came to me and said, "The Colonel wants to meet you.’"
My wife and I followed him and the Colonel was just turning his horse out in the pasture. He was in jeans and a western shirt and I thought he looked like a giant – I had never met a Colonel before. When Staff Sargeant Johnson introduced us I said, "Nice to meet you, Mister Bowen."
With that said, Bowen’s face got red and I thought he was going to choke on his tobacco. He said, ‘You’re going to work for me and don’t ever call me Mister again!’ I went to work clowning that rodeo at Camp Pendleton. In fact, a lot of my Marine responsibilities, at that time was actually cowboy work with the Colonel. We baled hay, taught other Marines to ride broncs, and all kinds of ‘western’ activities.”
Not too long after that Larry met Lex Connelly, who occasionally announced the Camp Pendleton rodeo. Connelly was involved with the Cow Palace rodeo at the time also. “I also met Andy Jauregui, who furnished the stock for the Camp rodeo,” said Larry, “Jauregui asked me to clown the Bishop, California, rodeo in 1962, which I enjoyed because I worked it with Slim Pickens.”
That was Clayman’s first professional rodeo job, but he was still serving in the Marine Corp. He qualified with his military identification for the RCA sanctioned event. From there, he worked rodeos as often as possible while still in the Marines. Larry was transferred later to Washington DC where he had a ‘desk job.' But he was there to serve his country and did what he was asked to do.
One day he heard that Jim Shoulders was providing the stock for the Leesburg, Virginia, rodeo. Larry called Shoulders and told him he was living in Leesburg and could he help Jim. Jim had him report to Graham Fenton, an Australian cattleman, that was putting the rodeo on. During the Leesburg rodeo Larry met Howard Harris, from the Cowtown New Jersey rodeo. Harris would take a group of cowboys down to the Leesburg event, and after seeing Larry work, he hired Larry to work Saturday nights at Cowtown New Jersey.
When Larry was discharged he got his RCA card and began his professional rodeo career in earnest, rodeoing north, south, east and west. He used many different animals in his comedy routines. He trained his own animals, including dogs, horses, a mule named ‘Sorghum’, ducks and a lion cub.
He met Bob Prewitt, at Chicago, who had a chimp with him. They visited him for sometime. The chimp with him was 4 years old, named Coco. Prewitt was to meet a delegate with the Mexican circus and give them Coco, who was all ready purchased by them. Clayman not realizing t chimp was all ready purchased told Prewitt if they didn’t show up he’d buy Coco. But Prewitt told Larry he didn’t want one that was that old. He said Larry should get one just as it quit nursing it’s mother, about six months old because they were easier to train at that age. Prewitt said he’d have a young chimpanzee for Larry the following year.
In 1967 Larry got Todo, his chimpanzee. Clayman said he learned a lot from reading Jane Goodall’s book ‘My Life With The Chimpanzees’ (she lived with them for eleven years). He also did a tremendous amount of research before Todo arrived. He taught him a variety of acts including Roman Riding two horses, Blaze and Thunder. He also had acts with Todo and realized Todo was having fun and learned very quickly. Larry said, “I realized Todo was having fun in these acts, he was a real ‘clown’.”
Larry admits having a side-kick like Todo gave him many opportunities in his rodeo career to meet important people. He and Todo traveled to Europe with Rodeo Far West, under the direction of Buster Ivory. They were gone three and a half months and went to Italy, Switzerland and France. His wife Rogenia and son, Stan, also went with him. Some of the other cowboys that were on this trip were Shawn Davis, Larry Jordan and Kelly Riley.
Ivory had made arrangements for Ford Motor Company to make trucks and trailers large enough to move the rodeo stock from one location to the next. The trucks were being made at Ford’s Holland location. Unfortunately, when they arrived the trucks and trailers were not ready as the company had a strike! The next dilemma was that El Italia, the Italian airline, was one of Far West’s sponsors, and they gave permission that Todo could sit in a seat next to Larry. Unfortunately, when Larry was asked to go from Turin, Italy to Rome to do an interview to promote the rodeo coming to Rome later, the pilot would not allow Todo to sit in a seat. The pilot insisted he be caged, like all other animals that flew with him. However, Larry did not have a cage. They got a large cardboard box, sat it next to the stewardess’ seat, put Todo in it, and tied string all around it, thinking this would keep the chimpanzee in the box. Todo had a small opening in the box so he could see Larry. After they were in the air Larry motioned to Todo to come to him. Todo tore that box to shreds and sat next to Larry all the way to Rome! No one said a thing and Todo was a perfect ‘chimp gentleman.'
Larry said the most important experience he had on the trip was when they went to the Normandy beaches near Rouen, where Joan of Arc was killed, and saw where the U. S. military landed, which was such an important happening in World War II.
When Larry took Todo to Vatican City, he was in a throng of people, so he put Todo on his shoulders. Soon they were invited inside the cathedral and the Pope waved to them. At the Calgary Stampede, he was invited to bring Todo and meet Queen Elizabeth. In the queen’s salon, Todo sat next to her and was fascinated by her jewelry. Meanwhile Larry discussed Jane Goodall’s wonderful advice about raising Todo with the her. The Queen had met Ms. Goodall and was fascinated by how well trained Todo was and complimented Larry.
During Clayman’s rodeo career he worked the National Finals Rodeo as a bullfighter in 1973, the Canadian Rodeo Finals in 1973, ’74 and ‘75, the Indian Rodeo Finals IN 1976, ’77 and ‘78, National Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals in 1968, and the High School Rodeo Finals in 1970 and ‘71. He, Clem McSpadden an announcer, and Jon Taylor another bullfighter, were the first non-Canadians to work the Canadian National Finals. Larry may also be the only rodeo clown/bullfighter to wear high-top football cleats, as part of his footwear in the arena.
Clayman was chosen for the first Wrangler Bullfights, held in Rapid City by Jim Sutton. Clayman ended his rodeo clown/bullfighting career in 1977, but didn’t stop rodeoing. He opened a nightly RCA rodeo (during June, July and August) in Branson, Missouri. It was called Heart of America Championship Rodeo and produced by him for three years and thousands of fans attended. Todo, his special companion, died in 1980.
When Larry closed the Branson rodeo he did a variety of things including assisting his nephews, Dusty and Toby Essick, in learning how to be bullfighters. He also announced the Clayman Rodeo held in Georgetown, Texas, under the auspices of Kelly’s Kids, an equestrian training program for youngsters, held once a year. He performed as a bullfighter in the movie, J.W. Coop, and also appeared in the television series, Streets of San Francisco. He was featured on ABC Wide World of Sports with Curt Gowdy while at Calgary, Canada.
Today Larry lives what he calls “a charmed life” in retirement with his wife, Renee, near Florence, Texas, and spends his time working in the First Baptist Church there. He has been inducted in to various Halls of Fame, including the Rodeo Historical Society Rodeo Hall of Fame in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in their 2025 Induction Class. He has never left the world of rodeo and also attends Rodeo Clown Reunions, as well as other rodeo events. His ability to remember names and rodeos and events in the rodeo world for the last 71 years is amazing and a great help to a rodeo historian like me.
Larry was born July 11, 1941, in Highlandville, Missouri. Both his grandfather, Stanley Clayman and father, William Clayman, were rodeo clowns and he often traveled with them. The Clayman’s lived in southern Missouri. Larry said he thought his granddad was the consummate clown whether in the arena or out! He worked with his grandpa breaking colts. They only worked with teams in the fields at home.
Larry laughingly relayed, “The first automated vehicle ever on the Clayman spread was an old Willy’s jeep. It ran OK, but you had to manually operate the windshield wipers. Grandpa and I were on our way to Calico Rock, Arkansas, to work the rodeo. The roads were winding and we were pulling his old mare in a trailer. The rodeo committee requested Grandpa to bring the old mare for his act. (It was so funny!) Well, it started to rain and he had me leaning over the windshield operating the wipers. He kept saying, ‘Keep those windshields clean, Larry, so we won’t run into the trailer!’”
Grandpa Stanley wore bib overalls in which to clown. He asked Larry to clown with him at Mansfield, Missouri. Larry remembered he was 12 or 13 (1954). Grandpa Stanley was good with a bullwhip. He even used it to move cows at home, but at the rodeo he could open a pop bottle if the cap was loosened. He had Larry put a paper target between his legs and bend over sideways and Grandpa never missed. Larry couldn’t remember if he got paid, but Grandpa got $20. Most of the rodeos Larry’s grandpa and dad worked were in Arkansas and Missouri.
In addition to helping his dad or grandpa or being hired to clown an amateur rodeo Larry competed in five events; saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling and team roping. But his first love was bullfighting and being a rodeo clown. His years in rodeo were from 1954 to 1980, with smatterings of rodeo after that – producing, announcing, training, or going to Rodeo Clown Reunions.
Larry joined the Marine Corp in 1961, and he was still doing some ‘clowning’ during that time. In Okemulgee, OK, at an amateur rodeo, he took his mule, ‘Sorghum,’ who was trained to do a lot of tricks.
“Gene Autry was there as the star of the rodeo,” Larry told, “we helped him get on his horse, I remember, and the bulls really worked good. After the rodeo Jim Shoulders walked up and introduced himself. I knew who Jim Shoulders was – everybody knew who he was. He told me he liked the way I worked and he’d like to hire me. I explained I was flattered but I was in the Marines, and they were shipping me off to Boot Camp at Camp Pendleton. Shoulders told me to find Colonel Ace Bowen, that he ran the rodeo on Camp Pendleton.
I was in infantry training when I got there. I entered the rodeo in the bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and the bull riding, and my first wife, Rogenia, entered the barrel race. When the rodeo was over Staff Sargeant Johnson came to me and said, "The Colonel wants to meet you.’"
My wife and I followed him and the Colonel was just turning his horse out in the pasture. He was in jeans and a western shirt and I thought he looked like a giant – I had never met a Colonel before. When Staff Sargeant Johnson introduced us I said, "Nice to meet you, Mister Bowen."
With that said, Bowen’s face got red and I thought he was going to choke on his tobacco. He said, ‘You’re going to work for me and don’t ever call me Mister again!’ I went to work clowning that rodeo at Camp Pendleton. In fact, a lot of my Marine responsibilities, at that time was actually cowboy work with the Colonel. We baled hay, taught other Marines to ride broncs, and all kinds of ‘western’ activities.”
Not too long after that Larry met Lex Connelly, who occasionally announced the Camp Pendleton rodeo. Connelly was involved with the Cow Palace rodeo at the time also. “I also met Andy Jauregui, who furnished the stock for the Camp rodeo,” said Larry, “Jauregui asked me to clown the Bishop, California, rodeo in 1962, which I enjoyed because I worked it with Slim Pickens.”
That was Clayman’s first professional rodeo job, but he was still serving in the Marine Corp. He qualified with his military identification for the RCA sanctioned event. From there, he worked rodeos as often as possible while still in the Marines. Larry was transferred later to Washington DC where he had a ‘desk job.' But he was there to serve his country and did what he was asked to do.
One day he heard that Jim Shoulders was providing the stock for the Leesburg, Virginia, rodeo. Larry called Shoulders and told him he was living in Leesburg and could he help Jim. Jim had him report to Graham Fenton, an Australian cattleman, that was putting the rodeo on. During the Leesburg rodeo Larry met Howard Harris, from the Cowtown New Jersey rodeo. Harris would take a group of cowboys down to the Leesburg event, and after seeing Larry work, he hired Larry to work Saturday nights at Cowtown New Jersey.
When Larry was discharged he got his RCA card and began his professional rodeo career in earnest, rodeoing north, south, east and west. He used many different animals in his comedy routines. He trained his own animals, including dogs, horses, a mule named ‘Sorghum’, ducks and a lion cub.
He met Bob Prewitt, at Chicago, who had a chimp with him. They visited him for sometime. The chimp with him was 4 years old, named Coco. Prewitt was to meet a delegate with the Mexican circus and give them Coco, who was all ready purchased by them. Clayman not realizing t chimp was all ready purchased told Prewitt if they didn’t show up he’d buy Coco. But Prewitt told Larry he didn’t want one that was that old. He said Larry should get one just as it quit nursing it’s mother, about six months old because they were easier to train at that age. Prewitt said he’d have a young chimpanzee for Larry the following year.
In 1967 Larry got Todo, his chimpanzee. Clayman said he learned a lot from reading Jane Goodall’s book ‘My Life With The Chimpanzees’ (she lived with them for eleven years). He also did a tremendous amount of research before Todo arrived. He taught him a variety of acts including Roman Riding two horses, Blaze and Thunder. He also had acts with Todo and realized Todo was having fun and learned very quickly. Larry said, “I realized Todo was having fun in these acts, he was a real ‘clown’.”
Larry admits having a side-kick like Todo gave him many opportunities in his rodeo career to meet important people. He and Todo traveled to Europe with Rodeo Far West, under the direction of Buster Ivory. They were gone three and a half months and went to Italy, Switzerland and France. His wife Rogenia and son, Stan, also went with him. Some of the other cowboys that were on this trip were Shawn Davis, Larry Jordan and Kelly Riley.
Ivory had made arrangements for Ford Motor Company to make trucks and trailers large enough to move the rodeo stock from one location to the next. The trucks were being made at Ford’s Holland location. Unfortunately, when they arrived the trucks and trailers were not ready as the company had a strike! The next dilemma was that El Italia, the Italian airline, was one of Far West’s sponsors, and they gave permission that Todo could sit in a seat next to Larry. Unfortunately, when Larry was asked to go from Turin, Italy to Rome to do an interview to promote the rodeo coming to Rome later, the pilot would not allow Todo to sit in a seat. The pilot insisted he be caged, like all other animals that flew with him. However, Larry did not have a cage. They got a large cardboard box, sat it next to the stewardess’ seat, put Todo in it, and tied string all around it, thinking this would keep the chimpanzee in the box. Todo had a small opening in the box so he could see Larry. After they were in the air Larry motioned to Todo to come to him. Todo tore that box to shreds and sat next to Larry all the way to Rome! No one said a thing and Todo was a perfect ‘chimp gentleman.'
Larry said the most important experience he had on the trip was when they went to the Normandy beaches near Rouen, where Joan of Arc was killed, and saw where the U. S. military landed, which was such an important happening in World War II.
When Larry took Todo to Vatican City, he was in a throng of people, so he put Todo on his shoulders. Soon they were invited inside the cathedral and the Pope waved to them. At the Calgary Stampede, he was invited to bring Todo and meet Queen Elizabeth. In the queen’s salon, Todo sat next to her and was fascinated by her jewelry. Meanwhile Larry discussed Jane Goodall’s wonderful advice about raising Todo with the her. The Queen had met Ms. Goodall and was fascinated by how well trained Todo was and complimented Larry.
During Clayman’s rodeo career he worked the National Finals Rodeo as a bullfighter in 1973, the Canadian Rodeo Finals in 1973, ’74 and ‘75, the Indian Rodeo Finals IN 1976, ’77 and ‘78, National Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals in 1968, and the High School Rodeo Finals in 1970 and ‘71. He, Clem McSpadden an announcer, and Jon Taylor another bullfighter, were the first non-Canadians to work the Canadian National Finals. Larry may also be the only rodeo clown/bullfighter to wear high-top football cleats, as part of his footwear in the arena.
Clayman was chosen for the first Wrangler Bullfights, held in Rapid City by Jim Sutton. Clayman ended his rodeo clown/bullfighting career in 1977, but didn’t stop rodeoing. He opened a nightly RCA rodeo (during June, July and August) in Branson, Missouri. It was called Heart of America Championship Rodeo and produced by him for three years and thousands of fans attended. Todo, his special companion, died in 1980.
When Larry closed the Branson rodeo he did a variety of things including assisting his nephews, Dusty and Toby Essick, in learning how to be bullfighters. He also announced the Clayman Rodeo held in Georgetown, Texas, under the auspices of Kelly’s Kids, an equestrian training program for youngsters, held once a year. He performed as a bullfighter in the movie, J.W. Coop, and also appeared in the television series, Streets of San Francisco. He was featured on ABC Wide World of Sports with Curt Gowdy while at Calgary, Canada.
Today Larry lives what he calls “a charmed life” in retirement with his wife, Renee, near Florence, Texas, and spends his time working in the First Baptist Church there. He has been inducted in to various Halls of Fame, including the Rodeo Historical Society Rodeo Hall of Fame in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in their 2025 Induction Class. He has never left the world of rodeo and also attends Rodeo Clown Reunions, as well as other rodeo events. His ability to remember names and rodeos and events in the rodeo world for the last 71 years is amazing and a great help to a rodeo historian like me.
RSS Feed