What do you do growing up in north Georgia when you are too small to play high school football and not interested in being a farmer?

"Rockin'" Robbie Hodges became a professional rodeo clown and barrel man who likes to sing Elvis Presley songs.

He will deliver his unique act Tuesday during the Trick or Trot event at James Brown Arena as part of the National Barrel Horse Association's World Championships. Part of his act consists of his "sumo wrestler" comedy skit.

The Trick or Trot event, in which NBHA competitors dress up themselves and their horses in elaborate costumes, begins at 7 p.m. Children accompanied by adults can seek trick-or-trick goodies from participating vendors in the arena lobby.

Besides working rodeos, Mr. Hodges loves NASCAR races (he was an 18-wheeler driver/hauler for NASCAR driver Mike Wallace) and is an Elvis fan.

"I sang American Trilogy at rodeos in Daytona and Jacksonville, Fla., before full houses," he said in a telephone call. "It was kind of weird because I was performing but wasn't in my clown makeup. I've never been in an Elvis impersonator contest, but I've been to Graceland several times."

Mr. Hodges loves making people laugh at his clown antics and occasionally keeping some rider from being an angry bull's rag doll. He joined the Professional Rodeo Clown Association in 1991 and was honored as the International PRCA Clown of the Year in 2003.

From his home base in Cave Spring, Ga., near Rome, 38-year-old Mr. Hodges has turned his funny routines into a $100,000-a-year business, getting bookings at nearly 60 rodeos a year.

"I've got a steel barrel protecting me most of the time, but it's not for everybody," Mr. Hodges says of his dangerous life as a clown distracting bulls from fallen riders. "You've got to have a sense of humor and three eyes: two to watch the crowd and a third to watch the bull."

He got into being a rodeo clown after competing in bareback bronc riding starting in high school.

"I broke my shoulder twice and broke my sternum," he said. "I probably broke about seven to 10 bones in all, but that's not too awfully bad."

Although Mr. Hodges is not a barrel horse rider, he is very familiar with the sport and the NBHA through his wife, Lynn, and sister, Sherry Jones.

"They've been competing at the World Championships in Augusta for several years and love it," Mr. Hodges said. "My kids have dressed up as rodeo clowns in the Trick or Trot Halloween competition last year."

Mr. Hodges changes his routines frequently to keep them fresh.

"I'm not a traditional rodeo clown doing the same routines over and over," he said. "I change mine about every night. I keep busy and can't stand to do just nothing even when I'm home.

"I love entertaining and can have a good time picking up sticks in the yard. When I'm dead and gone, they're going to say, 'Well, he's gone for good, but he sure did have fun when he was here.'"

Don Rhodes has written about country music and related subjects for 35 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.