Yes, that headline accurately describes a game at the “Bull Bash!” rodeo held at Owensboro, Kentucky, last Saturday. According to the Owensboro Times,
the “Cowboy Pinball” game required participants to stand in circles that were drawn for each of the 23 volunteers who signed a waiver beforehand, which warned them of potential injuries, accidents and even death, according to officials who run the event.
A bull was then let into the arena. And, when that bull seemed not to be sufficiently interested in throwing anyone into the air, a second bull was admitted. It immediately started charging participants.
Really, really dumb on all fronts, don’t you think? Well, twenty-three (yes, 23) people thought it a good idea to compete for the whopping prize of $100, showing their desperation for money and/or stupidity.
To be fair to the Owensboro Sportscenter staff, SEBRA, the company who runs the Bull Bash across the country, announced the event on Saturday night, (the report doesn’t say how long before the event took place) and the staff were unaware of it until then. The staff did, however,
[speak] with the producers of the event and asked them not to include this game in [Sunday]’s show,
Sunday’s show was a “kid-friendly” version of the Bash. Cowboy Pinball was not held.
Final score: Bull, two, targets, zero. On a more rational note, this was reported:
“A hush came across the gym,” the spectator said. “This did not seem normal for them [the producers of the event]. I never saw the [second] man [regain consciousness]. They were trying to decide who should get the $100 prize, and the people who were still left on the floor said they didn’t want it. They said to give it to the guy who was injured.”
Regarding that participant and the other who was flipped into the air:
Two SEBRA employees confirmed that the second participant was awake and alert after the incident, before seeking medical treatment. Owensboro Times has inquired to the current condition of both participants with no response at this time.
Gee, I hope they have medical insurance.