'One-Armed Bandit' Making Big News On Rodeo Tour

"The One-Armed Bandit Act," alias the "Bovine Dominators," known around here as John Payne and his Florida Cur Head Dogs and Cattle show, is making news as a specialty act on the Professional Cowboy Rodeo Association tour.

The act, which started at the Ponca City 101 Ranch Rodeo in 1987, has been attracting a lot of attention in arenas across the country.

This year at the awards banquet of the PCRA in Las Vegas, Payne, who lost an arm in an electrical accident, and his act were among three nominated for specialty act of the year.

According to Payne, this was the first time a new act had ever been nominated for the honor. The winner was Jerry Wayne Olsen of South Dakota and his Roman Rider Act. He is a veteran of 20 years. The other runner-up was Tommy Lucia of Texas and "Whiplas, the cowboy monkey." He is also a veteran performer.

Those voting on the specialty acts are the professional rodeo cowboys, the stockmen, the announcers and the specialty act folks themselves.

His first year out on the circuit with his act, Payne has performed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Nevada and Oklahoma during 1988.

Payne's 1989 schedule is shaping up quickly. The year begins with the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Jan. 9-10. As a free-lance act, the One-Armed Bandit will be per-forming at the Dodge City Rodeo, one the largest in this area. He will also be appearing at Prescott, Ariz., Bonifay, Fla., Crossett, Ark., and Mitchell, S.D., to name a few of the out-of-state events.

In Oklahoma, he has been booked to work the Ranch Rodeo at the Lazy E at Guthrie, the McAlester Prison Rodeo and the Woodward Rodeo.

John's act includes getting the dogs to drive the cattle onto a flat bed trailer and even up on top of the cab. The dogs are trained by Payne himself.