All photos © C. Ford. I haven’t photographed Bull Riders in some time, but it’s always interesting, and a tad dangerous. Great way to get your camera absolutely filthy, too. I’ve come very close to being seriously injured when someone comes flying over the corral fence, and been charged more than once, too, as in the last photo. He was coming straight for me, and I held my ground long enough to get a shot, then scooched back *very fast*, in time to watch and hear the head clang on the corral fence. The only caption on that type of shot is “Oh Fuck!” There’s more here.
Sure, dangerous -- it looks it!
It also looks like fun. :) For you, I mean -- probably slightly less so for those caught in the moment of escaping for their lives. I’m especially liking the first two photos here. Will he make it?
It is fun. They are all very good at what they do, and most are experienced. There aren’t many serious injuries, but there’s always an ambulance crew standing by.
Which is why the ancient Romans had lions…
Is it bad to root for the bulls?? Just so that we can selectively breed for smarter cowboys.
Marcus:
Not at all. They do most of the winning anyway. After the bulls do their circuit, they’re kept or sold for breeding, and you’d be surprised how much their semen goes for.