These agile athletes dance with danger, a vital, often unseen, guardian for bull riders. Explore their exhilarating world beyond the rodeo ring.
Many people think of Spain and red flags when they think of bullfighting. But there’s another realm to the job in the United States with a special style of bullfighting that doesn’t involve harming the bull and instead focuses on protecting the cowboy riding the bull once he is thrown or he dismounts.
These bullfighters perform a special dance, staying out of the way of the bull and avoiding distracting them or being in the way of the ride, while also ensuring they can hop forward as soon as the cowboy hits the ground. They then distract the bull or redirect its movements to prevent the cowboy from being charged, stepped on, or injured. These are the guys asking danger to follow them so that the bull rider can get out of the way. And the bull riders go into the arena knowing these guys are looking out for them.
Bullfighters are on the edge of the arena in between acts, waiting to respond to this call, and generally working together as a team to do the job as efficiently as possible. The goal is for there to be “nothing to see” because that means nobody got hurt.
Yet the talent of these bullfighters deserves an arena of its own, and thankfully, several exists. Ultimate Bullfighters (UBF) and Bullfighters Only (BFO) are two of the main competition arenas for bullfighters to display their skills outside of the moments they are working. It’s a task that takes specialized training and great athletic abilities. The UBF is the industry standard and governing body for the sport, whereas BFO is known for big purses and high energy shows, making it a fan favorite.
Bullfighting greats such as Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster are often seen coaching the next generation of young bullfighters. It’s these bullfighters trying to make a name for themselves that are quickly moving up the ranks of the UBF and BFO.
BFO was started in 2015 and puts on events where bullfighters can show off their skills alone in the arena with a bull and receive judged scores and even championship titles. The bullfighter’s responses to the bulls movements can include backflips, high jumps, and other amazing displays of athletic prowess in a format known as freestyle bullfighting. This fight between bull and bullfighter lasts 60 seconds. Most of the bulls have Spanish breeding and are actually judged just like the cowboy is. In total, the duo can receive 100 points from the judges for their performance. Up to 50 of these points come from style, control, and difficulty, while another possible 50 are given to the bull for aggression, agility, and engagement with the bullfighter. Similar to bucking horses or bucking bulls, judges want to see the bull trying to challenge the fighter. Passive acts don’t earn points.
BFO events are held across the western US and in Canada, with a championship held in Las Vegas in the middle of December. The current world champion bull fighter for the BFO is Chance Moorman and the Vegas Champion bullfighter is Daniel Alcala. Texas born Moorman had previously won several championship titles through the UBF. Both of these young men have bright futures ahead in a growing industry.
Whether bullfighters are putting on a show that has the audience enthralled, or saving a bull rider's life during a rodeo, bullfighters are an invaluable asset to the industry. Watch the quiet actions of one at the next rodeo you attend.