Cherokee native to be part of PBR visit

(Photos submitted) Allen Dessel's brand of "entertainment" involves more than its fair share of risk and danger. Dessel performed a "bull vault" at a rodeo in Iron River, Mo.

The toughest sport on dirt will make a stop at the Clay County Regional Events Center when the Mauer/DemCo Touring Pro PBR stops in Spencer Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21. When it arrives, Allan Dessel, a Cherokee native, will be sharing the spotlight with some pretty tough cowboys and extremely large bovine.

Dessel, born and raised in the Cherokee area, follows a rodeo tradition established by his father, a bullfighter for 10 years. Dessel attended many bullfighting events throughout the years and said when he grew up he wanted to be a bullfighter just like his dad.

Allan Dessel, a Cherokee native, will be keeping the audience engaged once the eight-second ride is complete during the PBR event scheduled for Spencer Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20-21. [Click to enlarge]

At age 15, he began fighting bulls.

Dessel recalled, "I was 4 years old and was sitting next to my dad at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo. I asked my dad when I would be old enough to fight bulls. Several years later, I was invited back to my hometown for my first Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo. When I came into the ring, the announcer told the crowd my story about sitting in those very bleachers asking my dad that question. I was honored to be performing in Cherokee where my dream started."

For the last three years, he has been a barrel man for several PBR and rodeo events across the Midwest. Dessel estimates he has traveled 20,000-plus miles over the past three years while performing in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. Dessel is no stranger to Spencer, having performed at the rodeo during the Clay County Fair on two different occasions.

A 2007 graduate of Buena Vista University, he currently resides in Soper, Okla., and teaches physics and math.

The main responsibilities of a barrel man are to provide comic relief for the fans attending bull riding and rodeo events. If a bull isn't cooperating or a cowboy is having a rough time, the barrel man will come out and keep the show entertaining. A barrel man also must fill the time between rides while the judges are tallying scores.

Maurer/DemCo Touring Pro PBR will be held at the Clay County Regional Events Center Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21. The touring pros of PBR will begin bucking bulls at 7:30 p.m. each night, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Reserved tickets are $26.50, $19.50, and $15, based on seat location. Tickets can be purchased at the Events Center Ticket Office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, or any Ticketmaster outlet. PBR fans can visit PBR's Web site at www.pbrnow.com for more information.