CHEYENNE - In an effort to move away from the cowboy culture, Sen. Keith Goodenough Tuesday tried to make dancing the official state sport instead of rodeo.

The Casper Republican offered the amendment to House Bill 271 to designate rodeo the state sport.

"Dancing keeps people out of the hospital," Goodenough argued. "Rodeo puts people in the hospital."

He remarked on the obesity epidemic in this country. In Europe, he said, people "are lean, mean walking machines."

Sen. Rich Cathcart, D-Cheyenne, said he wasn't aware that dancing is a sport. The bill, he noted, has been promoted as offering marketing opportunities for the state and rodeo events.

"If you pass this amendment you can take the bucking horse off our license plates and put a ballerina on them," Cathcart said.

"That's a specious argument," Goodenough retorted.

He pressed on, maintaining that dancing is better to treat depression than the anti-depressant drug, Prozac.

"Say no to Prozac and yes to dancing," Goodenough said.

The amendment failed on a 7-23 vote. The Senate went on to approve HB 271 on a 17-13 third and final roll call vote.

Tuesday afternoon the House agreed to minor Senate changes in the bill, which now goes to the desk of Gov. Dave Freudenthal.