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Gunslinging entertainer shows off his skill at the Georgia National Rodeo

Rider Kiesner is in town with the Georgia National Rodeo

PERRY, Ga. — If a little bull riding, steer wrestling, and roping appeals to you, you'll want to head on down to the Georgia National Rodeo.

The event is officially sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

The show is a couple of hours of nonstop entertainment.

And even the halftime show with Rider Kiesner is something special.

"I'm 5th-generation horse trainer in my family -- my grandpa's 87 years old and he still trains horses and rides every day," Rider said.

Rider comes from a family of cowboys and he started in the business, sort of. You see, he is a gunslinger and rope guy.

Rider is a 21st century cowboy with an old school heart and soul.

"But you know, performing rodeos and keeping the western idea alive, it comes close to me. I grew up watching Roy and Gene Autry and Will Rogers, so if I can keep that Western art alive, I really do enjoy it," he said with a smile.

By the way, he had to watch reruns of Will Rogers -- he's only 27. But he's always had a knack for putting on a show.

"I grew up team roping and junior rodeoing, but I started off doing more juggling and unicycling. I'm the Kansas state champion yo-yoer," he bragged. "I eat fire, I breathe fire -- I really like the performance stuff."

I asked him which he enjoys more, slinging the guns or twirling the rope.

"You mess up enough times, they're both pretty frustrating," he admitted. "You  know, I'm still working on the trick roping, but, you know, I haven't mastered any of it, so when I master it, I'll get back to you on it."

Rider is a really humble guy, and he says even with thousands of hours of practice, he can drop a gun or rope during a show.

"I can drop a gun four times or I can mess up trick roping, so it's a pretty humbling sport," he said. "One day, you think you're hot stuff, and the next day, you're dropping and tangling yourself up, so both of them can humiliate you pretty quickly."

He's not perfect, but you can catch his act this weekend at the Georgia National Rodeo.

Saturday night at the rodeo is sold out, but there are still tickets to Friday night's show which starts at 7:30 p.m.

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