Eugene Pro Rodeo blushing over biker's bareback show.

Byline: Serena Markstrom The Register-Guard

At least 10,000 people know what happened July 3 at the Oregon Horse Center that prompted the Eugene Pro Rodeo to publish public apologies in The Register-Guard.

For the rest of you, the "indiscretion" the Saturday and Sunday ads refer to was a grand finale staged by Levi Beelart, the promoter of LC Freestyle motocross team. Beelart leapt 40 feet into the arena on his motorcycle - naked - and did several jumps, before leaving the arena and then returning twice more.

Organizers were not amused, but they acknowledge that some members of the crowd were.

"It was unexpected and out of our control," said event coordinator Julie Harper, who placed the ads. "Some people have commented on it and thought it was funny. Our concern was the families that were there. You wouldn't think you would have to explicitly say to people `Don't jump naked.' '

The freestyle motocross riders were scheduled to cap off each night of the four-day rodeo, after all the bull riding and roping but before the fireworks. LC Freestyle's high-flying, big-jumping antics are a crowd favorite, and the group has performed at three other Eugene rodeos without problems or indiscretions.

As usual, the Corvallis-based team erected its 24-foot ramp outside the arena and several jumps inside. This set-up allows for flashy entrances when things are going as planned, but organizers didn't expect as much flash as Beelart provided.

While other riders performed in the arena, which was packed with an estimated 10,650 people, Beelart slipped between two pickup trucks and into the buff.

"I knew it wouldn't be OK," Beelart, 23, said. "I knew they'd be mad about it. I was having some fun. I didn't mean to offend anyone or anything. No one could see anything but my bare butt. I pretty much did it for a joke to top off the evening."

The rodeo bills itself as a family event, and organizers would not have condoned the prank if they had known about it, Harper said.

So far, no sponsors have withdrawn their support, she said, and fewer than a dozen audience members requested refunds. Those who did ask for refunds did so because they had bought the tickets specifically to see the motocross, which was canceled for the July Fourth rodeo after Beelart's actions, Harper said.

Announcer Wayne White said the other riders called him to apologize and said they didn't know what Beelart had planned.

White had the unenviable role of holding the microphone as Beelart launched his ride.

"As he's flying through the air, I'm saying, `Hey folks, I'm sorry.' I was just trying to get it stopped," White said. "Talk about a tough situation. Here I am, I promote rodeos as a family event. You shouldn't have to look to see whether it's PG - then you've got some idiot who pulls a stunt like this. It puts everyone in a bind. That stuff is unacceptable as far as I'm concerned." Beelart said that once he got into the arena, the fact that he was naked faded away, and the crowd's reaction got his adrenaline going.

"I didn't want to wreck naked, so I was concentrating on the ramp," he said. After the show he said he must have signed 2,000 autographs for people leaving the show; dads, kids and moms all wanted to take photos with him, he said, adding that they asked for "the naked one."

His mother, who runs an embroidery business and also is involved with Oregon Horse Center, was there, too.

"She told me I should never do that again," Beelart said, adding that he had never done it before. He said he didn't plan on doing it again, although word has spread, and he's received 15 calls since July 3 from people who want to book his team.

"It was just a crazy thing to do," he said.