It was an exciting evening for competitors and fairgoers alike. Prior to the event, bull riders who were about to take on an extremely dangerous sport admitted they were a little nervous, but there was just nothing like being on a bull.
Dawson Branton of Jefferson sealed the win from the Challenge of Champions bull riding event with an 86-point ride on Friday night at the Douglas County Fair. Branton leads the season standings.
Riding in the junior category, 15-year-old Owen Mignola of Roseburg commented, “You just get this feeling when you’re on a bull.” Carter Goodman, age 4, won the mutton bustin’ competition, among other events. Not long after his ride, Carter started crying, but stopped as soon as he realized he had won.
One of the bull riders competing on Friday was 23-year-old Will Lawler. He stated there’s a common question people have regarding his chosen activity. He began bull riding at the age of 19, having been prohibited from doing so by his mother when he was younger. What sensation does riding a bull bring?
“I get asked that all the time, and I don’t feel like I’m getting too much adrenaline or anything,” Lawler remarked. “It’s just the bull and you when I get in the chute, at least for me. Nothing else matters at that precise time, not even the throng or those nearby.”
