Grand Kubota Ultimate Bullfighters returning to State Fair
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (Press Release) - The most action-packed 60 seconds in sports are all about trying to control the uncontrollable.
”It’s a game of touch and go,” said Josh Call, Ultimate Bullfighters promoter. “You’re trying to play tag and not get tagged.”
But, unlike that game of tag you learned on the school playground, at the other end of this game is a 1,500-pound bull.
The Grand Kubota Ultimate Bullfighters will return to the Nebraska State Fair for a third year at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, in the Five Points Bank Arena. Tickets are $25, include gate admission and are available at statefair.org.
For the uninitiated, Call suggested imagining a western event combined with motocross. For a mandatory 45 seconds, the bullfighter tries to control the bull and its movements, while also doing tricks like jumps and somersaults. The bullfighter can take an additional 15 seconds to get in an extra trick or two and score more points.
The whole idea is to perform dangerous stunts as close to the bull as possible without getting hit. The bullfighter can score up to 50 points for his tricks and up to 50 points for the size and ferocity of the bull.
But, unlike Spanish bullfighting, the bulls in the American event are not harmed in any way. In fact, they’re prized livestock.
”They might get treated better than some people’s dogs,” Call said.
American fighting bulls come from the same lineage as their Spanish counterparts, although they’re bred in the U.S.
“The men who would dare to step in the ring with three-quarter-ton of muscle, hooves and horns are a special breed themselves, although they’re not all alike,” Call said. “Some grew up on ranches working with livestock, and some others are former Division I football players. They hung up their football cleats and picked up bullfighting cleats.”
The 12 at the Nebraska State Fair will compete for $10,000 in prize money.
”These guys do this as a profession,” Call said.
One thing’s for sure, the UBF tour showcases some of the best talent in the game.
”We’ve yet to see a disappointed fan,” Call said.
The Nebraska State Fair runs Aug. 26 through Sept. 5 in Grand Island. For more information, visit statefair.org.
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