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"Monkey Business" at Last Chance Stampede and Fair

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Jul 28, 2010 at 7:35 PM MST

Story Updated: Jul 28, 2010 at 9:36 PM MST

Horses, cotton candy, a Ferris wheel. All things you would expect to see at the Last Chance Stampede and Fair but this…

As dust kicks up in the rodeo ring, you see a small monkey, on top of a dog chasing after a herd of sheep.

A fair volunteer says with a giggle "you never see monkeys in Montana so it's just kind of different."

Different is right. Tim Lepard travels the country entertaining onlookers with monkeys, dogs and sheep.

"Whenever I got into rodeo, I said I want to do something that the people will remember. I want to do something so when I go out there and leave they'll say I don't know what happened two years ago, I don't know what happened five years ago but what I do know what happened in 2010 a guy had some monkeys, you know that's what I want to do something they'll remember," says Lepard with his Mississippi ‘twang.

With a career spanning 33 years in rodeo and entertainment, Lepard’s love of monkeys started at an early age.

Lepard recalls, "it started when I was a kid you know, the monkeys, “Curious George,” the books, I was raised up reading the books, “Curious George.” And then the sock monkeys, you know, my mom made the sock monkeys for me and I wagged them things around until she said there was no stuffin' left in em'. Oh she says, you've always liked monkeys."

And while Lepard likes monkeys he also says he respects them

"And people ask me all over the world, you know, do the monkeys like it? If you watch me with these animals and the way I relate with the monkeys and get down and kiss ‘em and lovin’ on em' if they didn't like they'd eat you up!"

The last chance stampede and fair is definitely highlighting some monkey business and News Channel 5’s Kacey Drescher had a chance to meet the infamous Sam, a White Throated Capuchin, a 20 year old performer who has been riding with Lepard for 15 years.

You can catch Lepard’s act, Team Ghost Rider, during the rodeo at Last Chance Stampede and Fair this Friday through Sunday.


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