Flint Rasmussen

Rasmussen in 2007

Flint Rasmussen(born January 25, 1968) is an American former professionalrodeo barrelman.He is perhaps the most famous barrelman in the history ofbull riding.He currently resides inBillings, Montana,United States.

A former high school math and history teacher, Rasmussen signed a contract with theProfessional Bull Ridersand provided entertainment at their Premier Series events. Also long associated with theProfessional Rodeo Cowboys Association,he earned the title ofPRCA Clown of the Yearfor eight consecutive years and won theCoorsMan in the Canhonor seven times.

Early life

On January 25, 1968, Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen had their youngest child, Flint, inHavre, Montana.Flint Rasmussen grew up inChoteau, Montana,where he started his career in sports.Rasmussen was an All-State football player and track star for Choteau High School.After high school, Rasmussen attended college at theUniversity of Montana Westernwhere he completed a double major inhistoryandmathas an honor student. As the public radio sports announcer for the UMW Bulldogs, Rasmussen had his voice heard for the first time by an audience.To help with the expenses of college, Rasmussen worked as a barrel clown in western Montana.Rasmussen made his first appearance as a rodeo clown inSuperior, Montana,at the age of 19.Flint had his first thoughts about being a rodeo clown when he told his father and brother that he could do better than the rodeo clowns at the time."I just thought it needed a new energy, a young guy who could relate and get young people to get back to rodeo," Rasmussen said.After he completed college, Flint Rasmussen returned to the town he was born in, Havre, and taught atHavre High Schoolin addition to coaching football and track.While teaching at Havre High School, Flint was also the public address announcer at Northern Montana College (nowMSU - Northern) home Lights and Skylights Basketball games. After two years of teaching and coaching, Rasmussen grew restless and started his career as a barrelman.

Family

Flint Rasmussen comes from a rodeo family with three other siblings. He has two brothers, Will and Pete, and a sister, Linda White.Flint's parents are Stan and Tootsie Rasmussen.Stan Rasmussen, Flint's father, was a rodeo announcer and his brother, Will, followed in his father's footsteps as a rodeo announcer.Will still is a top PRCA rodeo announcer.Flint met ex-wife, Katie Grasky, who was abarrel racer,while he was touring.Flint has two daughters, Shelby and Paige, who also barrel race.

Achievements

"I think it's hard to come into this sport cold at 25 and try to learn it," Rasmussen said.But that did not stop him. He did his first WranglerNational Finals Rodeo(NFR) in 1998.That same year, he was a barrel clown at thePendleton Round-Up,and thirteen years later, in 2011, he was inducted into thePendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame.When Rasmussen signed with theProfessional Bull Riders(PBR) in 2005, the contract was exclusive and he now only worked for the PBR. Before signing with the PBR, he was theProfessional Rodeo Cowboys Association(PRCA) Clown of the Year for eight consecutive years.Along with those honors, he was the Coors Man in the Can seven times.In 2010, Rasmussen made a special appearance as the Pendleton High School graduation speaker.In 2011, he was inducted into thePendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.In 2014, he was inducted into theSt. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame.In 2019, he was inducted into theEllensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Health episode

On March 11, 2009, Rasmussen, at the age of 41, suffered a heart attack at his house inChoteau, Montana.After a couple of procedures, he was back in the arena in a short time."The No. 1 thing that surprised me was the crowd reaction... and I've missed these people,"Rasmussen said on returning to the arena after his heart attack. He got back to the arena with only a few differences: he had to wear a heart rate monitor and had to take a few breaks when his heart rate exceeded 140 bpm.

2020s

Rasmussen began to transition away from being an arena entertainer to become a color commentator for PBR during the inaugural PBR Team Series season in 2022; serving as a second sideline reporter withAllen Bestwickat some events. However, at other Team Series events, he returned to his role as arena entertainer.

In February 2023, Rasmussen announced that he was retiring as PBR arena entertainer at the end of the 2023 PBR World Finals inFort Worth, Texas,and becoming a full-time commentator beginning atCheyenne Frontier Days,the opening event of the PBR Team Series during the second half of the calendar year.Rasmussen officially retired after working the 2023 PBR World Finals in May.He was the barrelman for the National Finals Rodeo eight times (1998 through 2005) and the barrelman/arena entertainer for the PBR World Finals 26 times (1997, 1998, and 2000 through 2023). He began his full-time career as a sideline reporter for the PBR Team Series in July of that year. Allen Bestwick did not return as a sideline reporter for the PBR Team Series, and Rasmussen's sideline reporting partner was now five-time PRCA World Championsteer wrestlerLuke Branquinho, who himself had retired as a rodeo contestant in 2021. Rasmussen will not return as a sideline reporter for the PBR Team Series in 2024.