Bull riding is a hugely popular rodeo sport in Australia, known for large crowds, big hats and big hats and plenty of close calls, but what many don’t see is what does on at properties to prepare bulls for their time on the big stage. One couple in the New South Wales southern Tablelands has quite literally taken the bull by the horns, and created a lifestyle surrounded by the bucking beasts.
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00:00It's no easy feat to get a young bull like Sneaky Rutter to buck like this.
00:09Watching him dance across their backyard arena is a high that bull breeders Alex and Dean
00:14Tyson chase.
00:15It's the result of hours of repetitive work, good genetics and just a little bit of luck.
00:21We're very attached to them, they're not that far down the rank from the kids.
00:26The Tysons breed and train bucking bulls at their property in Gunning, around an hour
00:30north of Canberra.
00:32What goes on here is a side to the bull riding industry away from the bright lights and roaring
00:37crowds that not many get to see, where bulls are cared for and trained to prepare them
00:42for a possible future in the bull riding scene.
00:45We're just going to try and simulate what they're going to see out in competition and
00:48where maybe they need a bit more work or need to build a bit more trust with us and we'll
00:52put pressure on them in different ways and try and make it as familiar and comfortable
00:57as they can be so when they go out and compete it's a very safe space for them and they know
01:03the deal, nothing's a surprise.
01:05A vet by trade, Alex works with the professional bull riders, known as the PBR, travelling
01:11across Australia to be on site if a bull needs medical attention.
01:15It's still a controversial industry.
01:17Bull riding events must comply with state regulations and a specific code of practice
01:22but animal activist groups like the RSPCA and Animal Liberation Australia believe those
01:26don't go far enough.
01:28Senior Scientific Officer with RSPCA Australia, Dr Di Evans, has been advocating against bull
01:34riding for more than 20 years.
01:36Her position on the industry is very clear.
01:39If you look at bull riding, the main issue is in relation to the inherent risks of pain,
01:44injury and distress and a lot of this is really related to the application or tightening
01:52of that flank strap around the sensitive underbelly.
01:55So when we see this stringy salivation, it's associated with a high stress response.
02:03The ACT was the first and remains the only Australian jurisdiction to ban rodeos, including
02:08bull riding, more than 30 years ago.
02:11The maximum penalty for someone who takes part in a rodeo in the territory is a year
02:15in jail.
02:16In the surrounding towns like Queenbeyan and here in Yass, bull riding is clearly still
02:21very popular.
02:22From Oberon, another one of Australia's top contenders, Jack Rowlinson.
02:28Bucking Bulls Australia was founded in 2019, allowing bull breeders like the Tysons to
02:33compete.
02:34At these events, they can choose who rides their bulls to safeguard the animal's experience
02:38and give them a good match up.
02:40It works both ways, as riders know what work has gone on behind the scenes to have the
02:45bulls ready and quite literally raring to go.
02:48They're looked after better than humans, they're their pets and they're babying pretty good
02:54I hear.
02:55I don't know another animal alive that gets looked after better than bucking bulls.
02:58When the crowds go home and the Tysons return to their peaceful property, they have a little
03:03time to reflect.
03:04Why the heck do you love bulls so much?
03:06I think it's their personality.
03:09I think you really get attached to their personality.
03:11As a mother, it's really really nice to go to those events, you can take your grandma,
03:15you can take your kids, everyone can have a good day, you bring along some bulls, someone
03:20might hop on, you form another friendship, it's a great environment really.
03:26A great environment that's become this family's way of life.