“Put His Life …”: Bull Riding World Salutes the Unsung Heroes of the Sport in Recent Post

Bull riding is a sport of grit, power, and talent. The skill to stay atop the bucking beasts requires bravery like no other. However, even the most skilled riders can find themselves facing perilous situations with dangerous steers and bulls, leading to injuries. So, bullfighters were introduced to the sport to save riders from harm.

Bullfighters are responsible for cowboy protection, even if it means putting themselves in harm’s way. At the recent Unleash the Beast Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago, one such moment occurred when, in the blink of an eye, things took a scary turn, but one such unsung hero swooped in and saved the day.

A bull riding icon saved in an almost freak accident at UTB

In an Instagram post by PBR in a paid partnership with Border Patrol, a scary moment was seen unfolding at the Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago. During the championship round, the iconic Cort McFadden was atop Polar Express, the number 4 bull on the UTB Rankings. However, McFadden faced challenges and was upended by Polar Express, resulting in a perilous fall. However, in the blink of an eye, Nathan Harp, a professional bullfighter from Oklahoma, swooped in and saved Cort McFadden from coming under Polar Express.

The post’s caption lauded Harp, acknowledging how “Nathan Harp put his life on the line in this US @borderpatrol.” The brave act was also called the “Save of the Week.” This snippet showcased the importance of teamwork in bull riding and drew the spotlight on the unsung heroes of the sport, the bullfighters. Now let’s also take a look at how Cort McFadden fared at UTB Chicago.

Cort McFadden’s performance at Unleash the Beast in Chicago

The Unleash the Beast event in Chicago went down from January 12–13, 2024, at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The Texan Cort McFadden had a strong start, leading the event leaderboard after Round 1 with an 86.75-point ride on the bull Nightmare from Universal Pro Rodeo. Then, in Round 2, McFadden continued his success, achieving an 87.25-point ride on Sly of K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle.

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Unfortunately, McFadden faced challenges in the championship round, as seen in the above video, when he was upended by Polar Express in 5.26 seconds, preventing him from securing his first Unleash the Beast victory. Despite the setback in the championship round, McFadden’s overall performance earned him a fifth-place finish in the event. He earned a total of 59 Unleash the Beast points from the event, which allowed him to rise in the overall standings, going from unranked to No. 30. Bullfighting has evolved, and now it’s not just about Cowboys but about people working together, as proved by Cort McFadden and Nathan Harp recently.

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