The Idle American It All Started at the Rodeo…

[Pages:1]4 -- Tuesday, May 7, 2019 -- The Pampa News

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The Idle American

It All Started at the Rodeo...

We've heard about the chances of being hit by lightning, winning the lottery or scoring a hole-in-one on the golf course, but nothing about the probability of two distinguished educators meeting up at a rodeo.

Dr. Ronny Collins, former school superintendent at Wellington, Jacksboro, Snyder and Mineral Wells, was

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a rodeo clown to help finance his college education, and before she spoke to me," he laughed.

his wife, Terri, a career fifth grade teacher, rode bulls.

So, he mastered juggling three chainsaws, all with

Their first "hello" was in a dusty rodeo arena....

motors whirring.

The part about Terri's bull-riding is not a misprint. She "It helped to get my mind off prostate cancer," he

was the youngest sibling, and she tried to said, now cancer-free. Collins doesn't perform often,

"copy" her big brother, who rode bulls. but when he does, it's with eyes wide open....

In her family, it seemed that bull-riding Initially, clowning was a "means to an end." He

was for everyone, so she hopped on.

subbed for a friend at a rodeo when college dorm rent

She was good, winning numerous

came due, and he was off and running. He "clowned"

buckles, trophies and other awards for throughout college years at rodeos around Denton,

staying aboard bulls for at least eight

Fort Worth and Abilene en route to a bachelor's degree

seconds. He was good at clowning, mas- from Tarleton State University, where he later earned

Don Newbury

tering his most unlikely rodeo act after he a master's degree. (He also holds a Ph.D. degree from

retired as Mineral Wells ISD superinten- Oklahoma State University.)

dent seven years ago....

Collins taught agriculture briefly, but soon was at-

At age 60, he unveiled his new act-

tracted to administration, first in vocational services,

-juggling chainsaws. Before you ask, yes, they were

then as principal and superintendent. He and Terri have

running, and keeping the three saws in the air at the

tons of memories, including a parent who showed up at

same time was daunting. He gave up early trying to

school where his son had gotten swats for misbehaving.

juggle a single chainsaw while blindfolded. "When I "I didn't see it, so I don't know if you got the swat thing

was successful just once in three tries, Terri had had

down right, so would you please do it again." Yep, the

enough. We drove across Arkansas and much of Texas couple is "old school."

RODEO cont. on page 5

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