Bullfighter’s sport is keeping cowboys alive

By Case Keefer (contact)

Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Dusty Tuckness, the world’s top bullfighter, estimates he will have worked 180 rodeos by the end of the year.

The 30-year-old is thankful that the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from Dec. 1 to 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center is one of the last. Not because he’s worn out, but because he views it as a reward for getting through the season.

Unlike the old days, when bullfighters’ duties included entertaining the crowd as clowns, they’re now solely responsible for keeping the bull riders safe. Tuckness and his counterparts are tasked with distracting the 2,000-pound animals when they buck off riders.

Riders vote on which bullfighters they want to work NFR. Tuckness, who’s won the Professional Rodeo Association’s Bullfighter of the Year award five times, has made the cut eight consecutive years.

We caught up with him for more insight on bullfighting ahead of NFR.

Does the grueling schedule take a mental toll on you?

There are some times where you’re rodeo-ing and then making a long overnight drive where it’s rough and tough on your body, and you find out fast if you love what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. When it comes down to it for me, it’s a passion, and I love what I do.

What are the worst injuries you’ve been forced to overcome to stay so active?

I’ve had my shoulder fixed. I’ve had my ear put back on. I fractured my eye socket a couple weeks ago. A broken kneecap might have been the worst of my deals. The injuries are just part of it. None of them are good, but I’m blessed that I’ve been able to do this for as long as I have.

Will the eye-socket injury affect your capabilities at NFR?

No. I had a performance the next night after I fractured my eye socket, and we stepped out there and took care of it. You’ve got to be mentally and physically tough to be competitive and participate in rodeo, whether you ride, fight or rope. You’ve got to fight through injuries.

How many events have you missed due to injury throughout your career?

I’ve never had to sit out anything. I thank God and the sports medicine teams. They’re going to tell us what the best route is and what’s not the best route, but they’re rodeo-oriented and understand our business and the concept that if we don’t play, we don’t get paid. So going out there is better than putting your foot up and sitting at home.

How do you train and keep in shape outside of bullfighting?

My workout regimen goes all year long; it doesn’t matter if I’m working an event or have an off night. I focus on a lot of core balance, and a lot of quick movement stuff. I work with college trainers and NFL trainers, and have had the privilege of them developing my skills in every aspect that could benefit me in my arena.

What do you do to prepare strategically?

It’s a true art once you understand what you’re watching. Similar to a lot of other sports, you’re watching film and analyzing it. A lot of places we go, they film it, and if not, we’ll bring our own camcorders so we can study what we did right, what we did wrong. It helps on your reaction time. Livestock are just like people. You learn the way they move and act. You learn their tendencies, and don’t set any game plan but read the situation as it unfolds like a linebacker or a forward.

Why were you more drawn to bullfighting than being a rodeo clown?

I just like the athleticism of it, and the living-on-the-edge factor. I love the unpredictableness of stepping out there with an animal that outmatches you 10-to-1. Going out there and trying to conquer the beast in a sense is pretty fun and very rewarding.

How long do you see your bullfighting career lasting?

I’ll do it as long as the good Lord allows me. I know it’s a sport where anything can happen, so I take it day by day, rodeo by rodeo. But I still feel like I have a handful of years left, and I’m going to make the best of them.