Bull riding is a competition  part atheletic,  part theatric, and part tough-guy lucha libre-type machismo.  No major stock show or state fair these days is complete without a bull riders specialty event, and Fort Worth Stock Show, knowing what’s good for it, gave us  Bulls Night Out Tuesday and Wednesday night. 

The bull rider is a cowboy, yes, but he’s not your everyday puncher, not even your every day rodeo rider. I once read one of the champions of the genre, who was defending the sport against detractors who criticisized the departure from all-around rodeo to focus on bull riding by such tours as BRO (Bull Riders Only). He said:  ”When you love this bull riding it’s all you want to do. You work at riding them all day, you dream about them all night, and then, when you wake up, you just want to ride bulls.”

Here then, are the results of this bull-riding fascination:

Opening ceremony, 40 contestants mounted on horseback. But not for long.

There's a lot of talk these days about "rock stars" who don't play music. If smoke pots and black clothes are part of the rock star gig, bull riders are in.

Not every ride ends this badly. Sometimes the catch rider has a chance to come along side and get you before you hit the ground. But this is far from unusual.

Clowns play "ring around the bullsy" when the rider starts to come off. Usually, they succeed in getting him back to earth safely.

Crowds agree with the riders: accept no substitute. Bullriding is a sellout event on a regular basis, and at Fort Worth Stock Show, the packed stands were typical. 

Thanks for these photos to David Kozlowski at Dallas Photoworks.