Austin Singley is the 2023 Rodeo Clown presented by Hollevoet and Welk Orthodontics for the 144th Mandan Rodeo! Austin is better known as the Green Hat Clown when he tours the country from rodeo to rodeo. 

The Green Hat Clown will perform all three days at the 2023 Mandan Rodeo Days from July 2 to 4. He’ll be the first professional rodeo clown to perform at the brand new Dale Pahlke Arena at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Rodeo Grounds.

“I am so excited to be celebrating America’s birthday, with America’s favorite sport, in America’s great plains,” Austin said. “I am so excited to have the honor of performing as the first Rodeo Clown in the brand-new Dale Pahlke Arena. It’s going to be one of the best arenas in the state of North Dakota, so it only makes sense to have the best rodeo clown there to break it in.”

Performing at one of the world’s oldest rodeos is special for Austin.

“Mandan Rodeo Days has been on my bucket list forever,” he said. “To be invited is a dream come true and to break in the brand-new facility is an honor. It’s going to be a show you don’t want to miss.”

Austin did not grow up on a farm or in a rodeo family. But through rodeo, he has found a bonus family. Austin was raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Utah and always wanted to be a cowboy like his grandpa. He proudly describes himself as the city kid who never grew out of wanting a pony.

Now at 30 years old, he has three equine co-stars and has built a successful career as a Professional Rodeo Clown and entertainer.

Austin’s true love for performing and making people laugh began in his middle school theatre class. It wasn’t until he was 17 years old that he was inspired to become a Professional Rodeo Clown after he saw the opportunity to be both a cowboy and an entertainer.

Austin’s journey in the PRCA officially began in 2015, where he now travels the country working for some of the top rodeo producers in the world. He actively promotes the Western way of life and works hard to entertain tens of thousands of rodeo fans each year.

Austin demonstrates a deep love and passion for animals and animal welfare in and out of the rodeo arena. In his rodeo acts, it’s his top priority to showcase the talent, athleticism, and majesty of his horses while adding a splash of comedy, of course — most notably in his Trick Horse and Clydesdale Roman Riding Acts.

After the rodeos, you can often find Austin and his team of horses taking pictures and signing autographs for fans.

“It can be life-changing for a fan to get up close and personal with a horse. Whether they used to have horses, they’ve never seen one in person, or they’ve always wanted one, it’s always so special to be able to provide that moment for them. Because I used to be that kid,” Austin said.

Hollevoet and Welk Orthodontics is the official partner of the Mandan Rodeo’s rodeo clown. In 2022, Tate Rhoads performed as the rodeo clown at the “Last Crack at the Track.”

Austin is from Clearfield, Utah but spends most of the year traveling to rodeo events across the United States. 

“I wouldn’t be driving all the way up from Utah if the Mandan Rodeo Days weren’t the place to be for the 4th of July,” Austin said. “The Green Hat Clown is fixin’ to light it up.”

Learn more about the Green Hat Clown on his website or on Instagram @greenhatclown.