Wild moment bull leaps fence at Oregon rodeo and charges at terrified spectators, injuring three, as others run for their lives
A feisty rodeo bull jumped a fence into a Oregon arena and rushed through a concession area into a parking lot, injuring at least three.
The Saturday night crowd at the 84th Sisters Rodeo sang along to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” as the bull – named Party Bus – ran through the arena before what would be the final bull ride of the evening.
Fan videos that have since emerged online show the exact moment the bull broke free, hoping to leave the gate and gain some measure of temporary freedom.
Other videos showed the animal darting through the concession area, knocking over a trash can and sending panicked rodeo-goers fleeing.
The bull lifted one individual off the ground, spun him from end to end and bounced him off his horns before throwing the individual to the ground.
Rodeo fans captured on video Saturday evening how a bull made his bid for freedom at a rodeo in Oregon when he jumped out of the arena and began running through populated parts of the venue
The Sisters Rodeo Association, based in Sisters, Oregon, where the rodeo was held, issued a statement saying three people were injured.
“As a direct result of the bull, two were transported to a local hospital,” the organization told a local newspaper.
Cowboys and other Rodeo professionals contained the bull quite quickly and managed to guide him back into a pen away from the crowds.
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Sergeant Joshua Spano said several ambulances were called to the scene.
Officers transported one patient to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and a deputy also suffered minor injuries while responding to the bull’s escape.
Cowboys and other Rodeo professionals contained the bull quite quickly and managed to guide him back into a pen away from the crowds
Danielle Smithers was among the rodeo fans with her cell phone flashlight on as Party Bus rode through the ring with two riders on horseback nearby.
“And after about 30 seconds I stopped and looked at it and thought to myself, this is just too good not to have a video,” she said.
She turned off her flashlight and “started recording the bull, just following him, doing his loop and as he started to come around his second loop in my video, he went right over” the fence, she added.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association said Saturday’s incident is a reminder that “while rodeo is a highly entertaining sport, on very rare occasions it can also involve some risk.”
“PRCA sends our thoughts and well wishes to those injured or otherwise affected by this frightening and very rare incident,” the association said.
The rodeo’s final performance on Sunday went ahead as planned.
