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When you think of your favourite hobbies, it’s unlikely that freestyle bullfighting is on your list.
But on Tuesday night at the Brandt Centre in Regina, some people will be competing in freestyle bullfighting for up to $35,000 in prize money.
Freestyle bullfighting is the ultimate showdown, pitting man against bull.
Spectators will see an authentic Spanish “Concurso de Recortadores,” as well as elite athletes from across the globe going head to head, all competing for the prestigious title of the first-ever champion crowned on North American soil.
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Aaron Ferguson is a retired bullfighter and founder of “Bullfighters Only,” the organization hosting Tuesday’s event. He said freestyle bullfighting is a pretty simple concept.
“Obviously, with the name, there could be some preconceived notions, but it’s much different than the Spanish bullfighting that maybe typically comes to mind or even the rodeo clowns,” Ferguson said.
“With this, we use purebred Spanish fighting bulls — the same ones you’d see in those modalities — but all we do is let them out for one minute and (competitors) dodge the bull, jump over it and basically try to make a show for the crowd. At the end of the one-minute time limit, the bullfighter’s performance is judged, and there’s a winner at the end.”
Freestyle bullfighting makes its debut on Agribition on Tuesday night. (Canadian Western Agribition/Submitted)
Taking part in Tuesday’s event are athletes from across the globe. There will be four of the best recortadores from Spain, a BFO Las Vegas Champion from Texas, a bull-jumper from France, and bullfighter Connor Larrivee from Alberta.
When asked why he became a bullfighter, Ferguson said he grew up with it.
“It’s kind of like in Canada, growing up, you play hockey. You don’t know why; it’s just something that you always do. Your parents put you into it,” he said. “When you grow up in the country (and) grow up in a rodeo family, (bullfighting) just kind of happens naturally.
“For me, I always gravitated towards bullfighting because my older brother was a bullfighter and I grew up more skateboarding and playing hockey and things like that.
“There’s not many barriers of entry for bullfighting; you just need a pair of running shoes and the will to do it.”
Ferguson said the show will be an entertaining one.
“In this show (Tuesday night), people are going to get hit by bulls — it’s a guarantee,” Ferguson said. “We’ve never put on a show in five years in hundreds of shows where someone doesn’t get run over, so there’s a lot of action.
“It’s like a NASCAR race, you know. You don’t really want to see (a crash), but when it happens, you’ll probably be watching.”
The event kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre. Tickets can be found online here.
