This is the Oklahoma Wildcatter’s first night on the homestead. The majority of spectators are seated to see their hometown Wildcatters, the PBR’s newest expansion team, engage in an evening of bull riding.
However, one group isn’t focused on the renowned coaches or the bull riders. All eyes are focused on Nathan Harp, a native of Tuttle and one of the three bullfighters wearing a U.S. Border Patrol-sponsored green and yellow jersey.
At the age of sixteen, Harp started his journey into the world of bullfighting and eventually made it to the pinnacle of the sport: Professional Bull Riding contests.
“I used to adore rodeo as a youngster. The entire rodeo was something I enjoyed seeing, but my favorite parts were the bullfighters and barrel men, Harp said.
“As I grew older, I noticed that, to a certain extent, the barrel men played on my strengths; on the other hand, the others were a little more serious, a little bit more altruistic, and a little bit more athletic.
At the age of sixteen, Harp made the decision to attend bullfighting school in order to acquire the necessary skills for the trade. He admitted to engaging in some bullfighting while in school, but he began to take it more seriously after graduating.
Harp remarked, “I’m still doing it eighteen years later. God just kind of kept surrounding me with the right people and kept opening door after door for me.” Harp has no interest in getting up on a bull’s back, but most people who enter the bull riding world want to be the cowboy in the chute. Harp remarked, “I’m too scared to get on one.” “I feel like I’m out of control because I’m on one,”
However, Harp feels more in control when he’s standing in the arena. He remarked, “I adore the bullfighting’s selflessness.” “I adore that it’s me giving up my life for a man.
In the same way that Christ gave up his life for me. I therefore adore the aspect of it where you’re basically sprinting into mayhem. We’re doing everything in our power to contain it and keep that man safe so he can return home or go to the next ride or event the following day. After working at junior and open rodeos for a while, he began competing in freestyle bullfights in 2010.
A bull is turned out in the arena for a bullfight, and a small group of bullfighters “fight” the bull for 40–60 seconds in order to score. Although these bullfights are competitive, they can also help open doors to careers as bullfighters, as Harp was able to do.
By working more rodeos and succeeding in bullfighting events, he was able to obtain his Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association and Professional Bull Rider card, which allowed him to work events with both organizations.
Harp participated in his first National Finals Rodeo in 2021 in Las Vegas with the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association. He was able to work “higher-tier” PBR and PBR Teams events after that, having worked the PBR Finals.
This eventually led to Harp’s opportunity to work a “home” PBR event this past weekend. Prior to the introduction of the former Oklahoma PBR team in 2022, he had only been able to accomplish this once.
“Going to work in Oklahoma City is really cool because Tuttle is only about 40 minutes away,” Harp remarked. “.. Being able to watch from inside with family members is such a fantastic feeling while you’re at home.
Despite the fact that it is currently 100 degrees outdoors in Oklahoma, the air conditioning is running here. Working at one of Oklahoma’s biggest events—the highest caliber events—in my own backyard is simply incredibly fantastic.
Harp remarked that in addition to having the opportunity to work near home, the bullfighters on his PBR Teams Wildcatters Days team were a “solid team.”
According to Harp, “We know what the other is going to do, but we can work without knowing what the other is going to do.” And it has to do with the way we can communicate and collaborate as a team. It really is a strong team. You also get to perform in front of your local audience.”
