A Rodeo That's More Wool Than Bull

Assignment America Visits The Ultimate Fair Attraction: Kids Riding Sheep

(CBS)  Coming soon to a fairground near you - what may be the ultimate fair attraction.

"There's something about a child and an animal that is just endearing to people. But at the same time they like to see a good wreck,” Tommy Giodone said.

They call it “mutton bustin’.” It used to be something just farm kids did at rodeo intermissions - until businessman Giodone decided to bring the ewes to all of you, CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports for Assignment America.

"I got to thinking, why not let every kid do this?” he said.

Today, he has three of set-ups touring fairs and festivals across America. For a small entrance fee, any kid six and under and weighing in at less than 60 lbs. can ride - or not ride - as the case may be.

"And I shouldn't say it's funny, but the reality is …” Giodone said.

“It’s funny,” Hartman said.

“It's funny,” Giodone said.

Plus, it’s a real competition. Kid who stays on the longest for each heat gets a gold buckle the size of a pack of pop-tarts.

Six-year-old Riley Hamilton has been dreaming of a buckle ever since last year’s Colorado state fair.

“Did you mention this to your mom, throughout the year, that you wanted to do this?” Hartman asked Riley.

Riley: “Once.”

“Ohhh! One-thousand times, I hear,” Hartman said.

"All year long we've been building toward this," his mother Sharon said.

Riley and his mom are typical mutton-busters. Far from being farmers, Sharon is a suburban soccer mom and Riley had never even seen a real sheep before deciding to try to bring home the buckle.

Unfortunately, Riley’s first attempt didn’t go so well.

His second try - almost worse.

Certainly no one would have blamed Riley if he just quit right then and joined a boy’s choir. But no, because there comes a point in every young person’s life, when a kid’s just gotta prove himself - to himself.

Riley won that buckle, and you can be tonight his head’s held high … and his pants, too.

[buckaroo49]

You people have no idea what mutton bustin is about. My son is 6 years old. He has been riding sheep for the last 1 1/2 years. Out of 60 some rides from practice at home to rodeos i have not saw a single sheep injured. My father in law raises sheep and provides my son sheep to practice on. Yes it can be dangerous for my son but he understands he could get hurt and he has chosen to compete in rodeos. I have been to soccer, basketball, baseball, and football games and i have saw kids get injured doing these sports also. I have also saw parents participating (arguing with the coaches and refs) in the games more than the kids. Go to a rodeo and you will not see anyone hitting a judge or yelling at them. You are uneducated in Rodeo if you think the animals are being abused. The animals are taken very good care of. And for the person that said sheep suffer enough to give meat and wool for the human race. Look at your shoes, wallets, belts, purses, leather seats in vehicles. Where do you think the leather came from to make these? I would guess you dont wear plastic shoes.

Thanks

[itsyou1]

I have seen the actual mutton bustin and watched my grandchildren do it and it is very safe both for the animal and the child.
They wear protective vests and helmets, there are men in the chutes to take them off if they change their mind,even though mom or dad may want them to ride. No child is forced to ride if he does not want to.
There is a person in the ring to get to the children as soon as they are off.

The sheep are better taken care of than a lot of people do their children or their animals.

The joy and smiles on the kids faces when they finish ,if they ride all the way or fall off is fun to see and the accomplishment they feel is great for these kids, some of whom never get close to a farm animal.

they all get ribbons if they win or not which they treasure.

Some kids ride every day and would more if they could.

Don''t knowk something that is fun for the kids and for the audience as well especially if you haven''t been there.

[petdtec]

this is totally disgusting ,this is not a sport for animals or kids,why do people have to use animals as there source of entertainment,what happens when you get a bad sheep,that hurts someone,why would any parent in there right mind want to do this with there child,and you wonder why there is so muych animal abuse ,leave the animals out of enetertainment ,this is totally disgusting,and so are the people who started it why don''t you try horse back riding.............

[mamajama9]

I dont see any neglect and abuse of any kind taken place at "Mutton Bustin". Mr. Giodone takes all the precautionary for the children and animals. The children are protected with helments with face masks and vest just like the bull riders wear. There is a weight/height limit the child riding the sheep has to met in order to protect the sheep. These are strictly adhered to when the child is weighed when the parent is signing them up. No child is made to ride the sheep, if they are against it when put on the sheep Mr. Giodone will pull the child off the sheep and out of the shoot. No one is every made to ride. The satifaction in the child eyes after they ride the 6 sec ride is such a accomplisment that some children never get to achive as the compete for the "poptart" size belt buckle. Time and time again the children return to compete. I have seen it time and time again over the years when every show has been sold out and every seat is filled with spectators. The laughter and joy coming from the children and adults alike.
On the other hand the public doesn''t see the neglect that some parents put upon their children by sitting them in front of the tv to babysit them and never get out to enjoy the nature of the outdoors/animals!

[bd123453]

Animal cruelty and child abuse? Give me a break!
Such inaccurate judgements based on a three minute video clip certainly create more harm than Mutton Bustin'' does, that''s for sure.In your haste to pass judgment, perhaps you failed to see the safety procedures Mr. Giodone has in place:a mandatory helmet, a safety vest, an adult in the chute in case the child changes his/her mind, and a strict weight restriction established for both safety of the animal and the child.
Keep in mind, a kid climbing aboard a sheep is comparable in weight to the backpacks our children sling across themselves everyday on the way to school. As for the drops and rolls of the sheep, they are no different than the self inflicted jumps and dives our pets make while running in the dog parks catching frisbies.Poor living conditions, on the other hand, inadequate amounts of food/water, and unkept environments are among the indicators of animal cruelty. That clearly isn''t the case here.
In a day and age when the majority of our kids would rather sit and watch tv or play video games than participate in a sport that encourages fair, healthy competition, let''s not be so quick to make judgements about Mutton Bustin''. It''s a sport that builds self esteem, offers FIFTY thousand dollar scholarships, exposes kids to animals they otherwise neve get to see, and rewards champions with memories and "pop tart" sized belt buckles that they''ll savor for a lifetime.

[mfin1]

Terrorizing animals, endangering children and promoting animal abuse. Mr. Giodone is profiting from the injurious exploitation of defenseless animals and children. It''s disgusting and it should be criminal, and it''s a disgrace that CBS is promoting it. SHAME ON CBS.

[polan2]

Sheep give us wool and meat and suffer enough thanks to the human race. This story is the ''pits'' and you should be ashamed for encouraging such ignorant cruelty. What sort of example are you setting to the nation and the youth of today?

[hfluegel]

Wow- You really should check into this more. There was a little kid in Cottonwood, Idaho in 1996 that was seriously injured riding sheep during Buggy Whip days. He was in critical condition. In 1997, there was a boy in Lewiston Idaho that was also knocked unconscious. I would never allow my child to do this. I love rodeos, but at least those that participate are old enough to know the risks. Shame on you for supporting this.

[mikensf]

I can''t believe that you''d promote this "cute", children''s "game". It''s a promotion of cruelty to animals, not to mention the abuse to the children involved. Ewe made a mistake on this one.

[ajhlevis]

HI,
I''m totally amazed that you scheduled this story that smacks of child abuse!!! How can a six year old breaking his arm be amusing? This is an example of very bad hyper journalism. I''m very disturbed!!!
Thank you for listening!