Ricky Ticky Wanchuk is not just any rodeo clown, he and his family have taken a one man show and turned it into a family business.
Rick Wanchuk has been a rodeo clown for 37 years, but it didn’t start out that way.
He began his career as a bullfighter, running from bulls and avoiding the thrashing of steers all in the name of protecting the cowboys.
It was 37 years ago when he was kicking back enjoying a rodeo that a man had come up and asked him to be his bullfighter, unfortunately Wanchuk had to refuse for the evening, but was willing to start the following week.
It wasn’t until this past year that he finally had the opportunity to perform at the 2014 Wildrose Rodeo.
“I was just ecstatic. I was ecstatic with the town, the agriculture society and all of the people involved in it,” Wanchuk said. “It’s a great thing.”
“It was just a really, really wonderful experience for me,” he said.
It didn’t take much convincing for Wanchuk to get his family in on the business of clowning around.
“Just because I am in it, they automatically drew into it,” Wanchuk said, adding that both of his sons were clowning by the age of two.
“They both started at the Cloverdale Rodeo on the May long weekend,” Wanchuk added.
His two sons, Kolby, age 18, and Kyle, age 12, have been performing with him alongside his wife, Joan, who works on the sidelines as a clown assistant.
Wanchuk’s son Kolby is currently in college but is actively involved in the rodeo in many ways not including the clowning around.
When it comes to taking over the family business Ticky said he doesn’t want to pressure either of his boy’s into the job, and that if that is where their lives take them then so be it.
“I don’t want to push this clowning on him (Kolby), thinking this is his responsibility to take over. I want him to excel in the rodeo arena in whichever direction he wants to,” Wanchuk said. “He wants to be a bronc rider, so I want to give him every opportunity I can to do that.”
Although Kolby is pointing himself in a not so distant direction from a rodeo clown, he is happy to come out and help his dad at events such as the Wildrose Finals.
It was obvious that all of his years as a rodeo clown have paid off, with the sound of laughter filling the stands once he hit the stadium.
Kids could be seen mocking his dance moves, or even yelling out yee-ha in hopes of getting one of the hundreds of lollipops he threw into the stands throughout the weekend.
According to Wanchuk the idea of handing candy to children started when he would give gum to children who cried during the show, but soon realized that it wasn’t fair to the other children.
“So that is where the idea of the suckers came up,” Wanchuk added, saying that he goes through over $100 of suckers a day during the rodeo.
“Every kid gets something in exchange for smiles,” Wanchuk said. “If the clowns are entertaining the kids, it’s much easier for grandma and grandpa to bring them… they are being entertained, they are being amused.”
Wanchuk is 63 years old, and admitted there is no plan for retirement anytime soon, adding that when the crowds tell him to stay home that is when he will hang up his hat and retire.
There are approximately 20 different acts in his caravan, with some of those including the white house act, the Lady Gaga act, and many more.
When it comes to coming up with ideas for his acts he just spends time brainstorming ideas.
“I live it. I live the rodeo clown,” Wanchuk said. “If they’re having a good time I am having a real good time.”
The acts he performs are discussed by his family in the trailer prior to the show.
“We don’t dwell on that too much, but when it is time to get ready, yeah which one is going to work,” he added. “Sometimes right in the middle of it I go, naw that’s not going to work today.”
When it comes to rehearsing the family prefers to work on the ball, which on occasion can end badly during certain routines.
“We don’t rehearse anything. Never have,” he said. “That motorbike act, the last time we did it I broke my neck.”
It was during a show that Wanchuk was performing, Kolby was ten at the time, so they asked Wanchuk’s brother to ride the bike over the plank, only things took a turn for the worst.
“Kolby said dad you cannot do that act until I can do it with you,” Wanchuk said, adding that they just started performing it again this year.
“That’s a pretty dangerous one,” Wanchuk said.
There are many rodeo clowns that attempt to copy the acts they see Wanchuk do, however the motorbike act is one many are too afraid to try.
“That is one they won’t, because they can’t find an idiot stupid enough to lay under that board and let a bike run over them,” Wanchuk said with a laugh.
Wanchuk said his motto is about always just doing your best.
“Do my personal best, good, bad, or indifferent, every time I go out there, and I expect the same from my kids,” he said.
Wanchuk added that his parents always taught him that an important lesson in life is to keep moving forward and to always look back on the important things in life, the happiest memories.
“You can remember what happened 30 years ago…” Wanchuk said. “You figure out how to sort out what’s really important in life.”
