Bull fighter Derick Downard flirted with danger at the end of Sunday night’s rodeo at the Winfield Fairground and came away with a battle scar to prove it.
Downard mis-timed his jump by the barrel to avoid a charging bull and was gored in the left leg, just above the knee in the hamstring, according to Matt Williams, owner of the Williams and Long Rodeo Company.
The wound, nearly four inches long and almost as deep, required 17 stitches according to Williams.
Downard, an El Dorado native in his late twenties, was performing an exhibition bull fight at the conclusion of the bull riding event when he was injured.
Williams said emergency medical personnel were waved in to clean and flush Downard’s wound of any infections behind the rodeo arena.
While Downard refused further treatment at first, Williams said urging from rodeo officials changed the bull fighter’s mind and Downard drove himself to William Newton Hospital.?
He was treated and released.
Although the bull’s horns were tipped, Williams said the blunt force of the bull was enough to do the damage.
Downard has worked for Williams and Long Rodeo Company for three years.
