RELEASE DATE: Feb. 25, 2026

Guymon rodeo lands Backflip

GUYMON, Okla. – The sunsets in the Oklahoma Panhandle have something spectacular about them.

Whether it’s a combination of the atmosphere, the relative flatness of the Plains or the dust that invigorates the region, Johnny Dudley will get to experience it during the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena.

“That’s one of the places I’ve never been to, but I’m looking forward to it because I know I’m going to work with a great crew,” said Dudley, 47, of Aubrey, Texas. “Andy Stewart is (one of the announcers), and one thing I know about working with Andy is that I don’t have any problems. He’s going to make sure we have a great show no matter what.”

That’s part of the production value that comes with the Richest Rodeo in Oklahoma, with Stewart and hometown cowboy Ken Stonecipher on the microphones. They’ll work closely with the man who goes by the moniker “Backflip,” a well-recognized rodeo clown and entertainer.

He will provide a unique approach to his comedy and antics in the arena and collaborate with Stewart, Stonecipher and the crew from Frontier Rodeo to ensure the fans get an experience that will rival a sunset.

“I’m more of a safe clown, a hybrid-type of clown,” Dudley said. “I’m not really an old-school clown, but I’m also not one of these cheerleading entertainers. I’m a little bit of both, and I think that my blend of comedy kind of spans multiple generations. I can relate to the young kids, but my old-school comedy and my old-school upbringing – piggybacking off Rudy Burns and Lecille Harris – also gets me in with the older crowd.”

Dudley’s purpose is to coincide with the competition while also serving as a comedy relief for the thousands of fans that help make the Guymon rodeo such a showcase. He can help the transitions between events, rides and runs become seamless, and he uses humor to do it. There are also the acts that he hopes will keep the audience in stiches.

“I now have the act, ‘Cow Patty,’ which is the act Jim McLain had for a long time, and I would watch those old VHS tapes of Rodeo Bloopers and see that act in Guymon,” he said of the shows produced by Rodeo Video that were released on VHS cassettes decades ago. “That was the first time I ever saw the Guymon rodeo, and there were a bunch of videos of ‘Cow Patty.’

“I remember watching that and thinking, ‘That’s a cool act.’ Now, I own it.”

“Cow Patty” will be back at Hitch Arena for the first time since McLain was a regular fixture in Guymon. It’s quite fitting that a man who goes by “Backflip” is making it happen. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Dudley has been entertaining for better than 20 years. His work has transitioned over time.

“I don’t know if the comedy part of what I do has progressed as much as the timing of how I do it,” Dudley said. “One thing I pride myself on – and something a lot of announcers and producers have come to me about – is my timing. It’s knowing the right joke for the right situation, and I pay attention to what else is going on in the arena.

“I’m able to divide my arena situational awareness. I know what’s going on at all times. I know who’s about to compete. I know when to say a joke and when not to say a joke. If Shad Mayfield is next up, it’s pretty important for me to know that a world champion is up and to stay out of the way. I don’t think I’m funnier than I was 10 years ago, but the timing and placement is where I’m excelling.”

For that, peers in the PRCA have honored him. Dudley has been nominated for Clown of the Year and Act of the Year, and in 2019, he was named the Coors Man in the Can for his work as a barrelman. That award and other accolades are nice, but they don’t define the husband and father of two.

“For people that don’t know me personally, I’m not an outgoing guy,” he said. “I’m not one of those little jitterbugs that’s just trying to entertain all the time. I’m just kind of a laid-back guy, but whenever I put that clown makeup on, I transform, like a superhero.

“The thing that stands out to me is booking a rodeo back. If I work a rodeo, and that rodeo hires me back, that’s the biggest honor I can get.”

That’s an achievement that pays dividends, and Dudley is ready to show the folks in the Oklahoma Panhandle what he’s got in Year 1 at Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo.

Where Champions Come to Play the First Weekend in May

For information contact Ted Harbin, imteditor@gmail.com, (660) 254-1900