PBR Rider Killed By Bull
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My wife and dad were at A Rodeo in Red Bluff years back sitting in box seats right on the rail when a bull rider was thrown and rear leg of the bull came down on his chest just like this rider. He got up holding his chest and collapsed. Rips the heart away from the arteries. Sad deal.
Yep, bull riding falls into the "unnecessary risk" category to me. I admire the riders courage, but have to question their common sense.
Matt
Man that sucks. Back in my more 10 foot tall-bullet proof days in high school into the young 20's, I did some clown-bull fighting. Did a bit with military rodeos back in the Navy days till my dept. head put a stop to that. Obviously was up close to a few bad wrecks and have been in a few. Condolences to this young mans loved ones. Bull riders are special breed of cat.
A special breed of crazy,, That’s for sure Jim.
Yes, I should have expressed my condolences, as well.
I've been bucked off, kicked, and stepped on by green horses while training them, but you'd never find me on the back of a bull. Those critters can be pure mean killers.
Matt
Yeah BB, I was told by a few bullriders I was the bat shit crazy one because they just had to ride one out, maybe two if they went two go-arounds. I just told them "at least I know where I am at on the ground about 95% of the time (unless they decided to "suicide wrap" their fist into the rope). That posted a a host of problems sometimes, especially if the rider got dumped into the "well" or inside of a buck. Then the job became jumping on the bull and trying to free the rider out. If they fell over their hand to the outside, especially on a spinning bull, they became a swinging object on the side of the bull. I always watched the riders tie themselves in; most would just lay the tag in back through the palm. some would wrap back under their hand. You had to know that. Usually had a stock contractor impart some information on the particular animal so both rider and fighter had a heads up...then again, animals will get notional sometimes when they are trying to get that flank strap off..lol.
I've taken care of several ex-rodeo guys - horse and bull. The one thing they all have in common is chronic pain from horrible rodeo injuries. You're basically sacrificing your future health and body for temporary glory and money, just like in the NFL.
Back when I went to the University Of Wyoming, I team roped a bit but had several friends who were on the school's rodeo team and who did the RCA circuit during the summer. They used to say that......"A bronc rider was a roper with half his brains kicked out, and a bull rider was a bronc rider with the REST of them kicked out!"
My sympathies to this fellow, but it was a course that he CHOSE, and knew full well what the risks were.
RIP
Like GG, I’ve had a lot of experience with green broke horses. I can’t imagine willingly riding anything more ornery than some of those critters and those bulls are that 1000 times over. Special breed of dudes.
Shame,,, condolences to the family...
Yes them boys are a special breed... Ironically I lived in Denver a couple years and struck up a conversation with a couple cowboys at a local watering hole, actually kinda of a hotspot to find ladies back then.... Anyhow they happen to sit down next to me cowboy hats, belt buckles and attire and all, so I was curious and we started talking... Cool, young men in their early 20s, thin yet stout and wirey looking and they proceeds to tell me they were professional bull riders... As they evening wore on and the drinks flowed, I learned that one of them at the time was the world campion, or former world campion (don't remember which now, too many shots...8^)) but they were cool dudes... Wish I could remember their names... But yeah, they are a special breed...
Yup. If a horse does step on you.....and believe me I KNOW!!....it's by mistake. They will go out of their way if they can to go around you if they can. Kicking you, on the other hand, is not a mistake, unless they were kicking at a fly/another horse and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, OR you were stupid enough to come up behind them with no warning and you scared them.
Bulls/cattle however, WILL run you over on purpose, and even go out of their way to do it if you agitate them enough, especially a mama cow. During my cowboy days working on the ranch, we learned that if you were working with bulls and they started to drool/salivate a lot....WATCH OUT!
Like Matt and Owl, I spent a little time in the air and on the ground green breaking our Arabs. Enough perspective to know that I never would have even thought of trying to ride a bull.
Condolences to his family.
I don’t know what it is in make DNA that causes us to push the envelope? Whether it be doing what this young fella did or bowhunting dangerous game with a bow. If there’s a guy out there that says he hasn’t done something that could have resulted in disaster he hadn’t lived. I used to commercial fish offshore(200+ Miles). Never thought a thing about it being risky. Some exciting times. It always happens to someone else. I’m sure these bull riders love the adrenaline rush. Look at all these men that volunteer to go hunt ISIS and Taliban. Many keep going back again and again. They love the rush and the brotherhood. I remember reading David Hackworth’s Books. Career warrior.
Colonel Hackworth lied to enlist in the Army at 15 and won a battlefield commission at 20 to become the Korean War's youngest captain. He was America's youngest full colonel in Vietnam, and won a total of 91 medals, including two Distinguished Service Crosses, 10 Silver Stars, 8 Bronze Stars and 8 Purple Hearts. WHY? Like I said earlier, part of our DNA.
I see a huge difference in putting your life on the line to protect your country and risking your life for no reason,,, But I understand what you are trying to say
Could be there are more ways to measure life than in years. At least for some folks.
Terrible. Certainly a dangerous line of work. My brother in law's dad was gored badly about 10 years ago, about 3 years later he took his own life feeling unable to live with the pain it had created and which was beyond that which he could live with.
Those folks are tough as nails and great athletes... But certainly a big risk.
Knowing the dangers of CTE look at all the people that want to play football? Also look how many parents support their kids playing.
Grew up with a few bull riders. They are a special breed of crazy. Condolences.
My thoughts are with his family and friends. My ER doc friend was on duty there the night before and it was thankfully uneventful for her.
I said a prayer for his family.
As WW said, he made the choice. He gambled and lost. We all do it. Just few of us do it with a po'ed ton of attitude and muscle. And, as Owl said, life is a balance between what we love and are willing to do versus living to an old age to die bed ridden, drooling, wearing diapers. I don't want to die right now but, I sure don't want to be in the latter category either.
Absolutely right Justin, we just want to die in the woods at that exact moment where we can no longer hunt when we become vegetables.
There's a difference between that and getting curb-stomped by a mature bull in your 20s. No thanks. That said, I'll be on my 9th and 10th hunts in the past decade in grizz country this year with 1 or both being solo. Still, the odds of meeting my gory demise or permanent disability are a fraction of what these guys are looking at and I give them no tip of the hat for it. No matter what risk I take hunting, I consider what they do absolutely foolish even though people consider what I do to be the same. Still...
I'd much rather take Kyle's approach and slide into old age with the wheals falling off... How do you say it Kyle?
Nonetheless, a smart man looks at his odds and knows when to hold em, fold em, walk away, and run.
Freedom is under attack on many fronts. I'm thankful we are still allowed to risk our own lives for our own reasons in some circumstances. Humanity wouldn't have made it very far without people willing to risk life and limb for something they deem worthy.
Bull riding is dangerous. A friend of mine out in Kansas City once said that the two main requirements for bull riding are a big forearm and a small hat size.
RIP!
In my younger days I rode some tough horses...on the carousel at the amusement park. Had some close calls, but nothing like what some of you experienced. I did fall off once, and the laughter by other family members really hurt.
I would never do it. Years ago I watched Tuff Hedeman get his face smashed riding....no thanks!
That sucks. Both my girls rodeo and it is a dangerous sport. Prayers for the family. If you guys ever want to do something real fun do yourself a favor and go to Vegas and watch a couple rounds of the NFR. You’ll have a new respect for rodeo athletes.
Prayers for this young man's family. I think I may recall meeting Mason one time here at the PBR event our company sponsors. I love the PBR events and we go to 3 days or so worth every year. I always say these guys are the toughest men in sports. The abuse they take and get back on those animals is crazy. Some might call it stupid. I guess if you're going to be stupid you gotta be tough. I personally admire them for doing what they love, even at great risk. There's some risky stuff we all do in pursuit of our dreams, I know I wouldn't stop even if this could be the result. God bless this young man and may his family find some peace. He was too young for sure.
Not to get off topic, but Zbone...that wasn't by chance the Gigglin' Grizzly in Denver, was it? My daughter and I watch PBR events when they are on. I've always had a respect for the guys who ride bulls. My heart goes out to his family.
When i was in the Army, stationed in New Mexico and Texas, I made a drunken bet that my buddies wouldn’t let me forget. Started on a cow in Booker, TX and loved the experience. Progressed to bulls and was addicted to the adrenalin rush instantly. I’ve never done drugs in my life, but if it is anything like the feeling I got, I can see how people get addicted to them.
My Company Commander found out about what I was doing on my time off and put an immediate hault to it. Can’t say that I blame him as he was responsible for our safety and well being, and honestly everyweekend, I was getting beat up more and more. So in hindsight I’m glad he intervened, but at the time I was quite pi$$ed at not being able to do what brought me joy. So I channeled that Adrenalin rush into other things, and have enjoyed some very interesting experiences since then.
Watch a rodeo in Livingston, Mt. and the gent that won the bull ride had to be taken off by an ambulance because the bull rolled over the top off him after the bell when he jumped off. One bull jumped the high fence into the parking lot also, looked army wife and told her that one has to have a death wish riding bulls.
longspeak74 - Sorry, I really don't remember... The year was 1998, (I think, may have been 99), and the bar was The Mirage in Littleton (just looked it up on the internet, its still there)...
