Photo by Clint Allen
PRESTON – A 2,000-pound bull went wild Thursday night at That Famous Preston Night Rodeo, charging the stands and jumping the barrier startling the fans in section P of the arena.
When it comes to rodeo stock no one ever knows what could happen.
The rider had just gotten of the bull, and it was being stubborn and didn’t want to get in the pen. Then he looked at the people in section P, paused then charged the stands.
The charging bull broke the one-inch safety cable and hung there for a minute before the cowboy got the angry beast back in the arena.
Gina Mouritson was right there. She said there was a guy from Arizona that took video of the crazy encounter and sent to people around him. The video was posted on That Famous Preston Night Rodeo Facebook page.
“It was pretty scary for everyone around us but especially the people on the front row,” she said. “Everyone stood up and scattered. We were scared to death but in the end, nobody got hurt.”
Mouritson said she had been going to rodeos off and on for several years and never seen anything like that before.
Brandon Ormond was behind Mouritson for the shocking event. He said it happened so fast that people just huddled together and tried to get out of the way.
He is a rodeo fan and has been going to the local rodeo for 16 years and that is the first time he has seen anything like that.
“There have been some great bull rides over the years, but that is the first time I’ve seen a bull jump the fence,” he said. “He was going after the people on the front row. It was crazy.”
Ormand, who serves as a bishop in a local ward for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he may have heard some biblical words around him.
“I don’t remember saying one,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
That Famous Preston Night Rodeo officials were busy with the biggest slack day they have ever seen and were unavailable for comment. However, rodeo committee member Kristen Beckstead (who posted the bull video to the rodeo’s Facebook page) said on the Facebook post that nobody was injured in the incident and the arena has been repaired.
The rodeo is Preston’s biggest event of the year and they can sell up to 6,400 tickets per night. They have parades, sidewalk sales and City of Fun Carnival with rides and games.
This year there are 410 of the top cowboys in the country coming to the rodeo. That’s most they have ever had.
Benson Park will have vendors peddling food and crafts, a parade every day, and lots of local entertainers on stage during the day.