COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Bullfighters play a crucial role in rodeo safety, putting themselves at risk to protect cowboys from dangerous bulls after rides end.
When a cowboy comes off a bucking bull, three people in the arena are responsible for taking the bull's attention away from the defenseless rider: the rodeo clown in the barrel and two bullfighters.
But, most of the responsibility falls on the bullfighters, while the rodeo clown serves as an island of safety.
"It's our job to control that bull until he goes out the arena. The other guy, he tells the jokes in the downtime and he moves that barrel around for us if we get into a bad spot,” said Cody Emerson. “We've got to take care of the bull rider, him, and honestly anyone else that's kind of out there until that bull leaves the arena.”
The bullfighters have minimal protection from injury when facing these powerful animals. They are wearing pads and a vest specifically made for bullfighting, but that is all.
When it comes to technique, bullfighters do something that may feel counter intuitive, they get closer to the bull for safety.
"If you stay tight with them bulls, they're less likely to be able to run you over really," explained Erick Schwindt.
Bullfighters get no breaks and must remain on high alert throughout the entire bull riding performance.
"People can die doing this. It's our job to be in the right position to keep everyone safe and to honestly not slack off from one bull to the next. It doesn't matter if he's mean or gentle. It can be the gentlest puppy dog bull in the world, but bad situations can still happen in the arena so we have to be ready on each and every one of them that comes out of there," said Emerson.
Both Emerson and Schwindt have experienced broken bones and torn ligaments in their line of work, but the injuries don't come close to making them shy away from getting in there with those bulls.
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