Bumper cars, formerly called dodgems, are still a staple of American fairgrounds. I can only presume that they were the inspiration for this fairground and rodeo act.
According to Wyoming's Cowboy State Daily:
In a reckless attempt to prove there is no idea too outlandish in the pursuit of rodeo entertainment, we now have bull bubble soccer. Don’t worry if you’re not too good at soccer, you just have to be really good at healing.
. . .
Bull bubble soccer is a takeoff on bubble soccer, which is apparently a thing.
It is sometimes referred to as Zorb ball or hamster ball. At least one company in Casper rents the equipment necessary, including the life-sized PVC/polyurethane balls contestants are encased in as they run around.
In bull bubble soccer, a Mexican fighting bull is introduced into the arena as volunteers from the audience attempt to kick a soccer ball to one end or the other.
Often, the soccer aspect is all but forgotten. Everyone, even El Toro, it seems, knows the real highlight is to see a bull toss a bubble boy into the air, or even pop a Zorb and trample its occupant.
Most iterations include prize money for winning the soccer game or taking the hardest hit from a bull.
There's more at the link.
The titanium straps holding my fused spine together are sending off little electric shocks at the thought of having a three-quarter-ton bull ram into them at speed, even with a padded plastic bag protecting them.
Pass! Hard pass!!!
Peter
8 comments:
When men and beer are put together in the same space... one never knows WHAT will happen next...
They should have potential participants watch THAT video before picking up the pen to sign the waiver and engage in such stupidity.
I suppose the opposite of this would be the Hobby Horse competitions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_horsing
It takes all kinds in this crazy world. :)
Cheers
Here we call it cowboy pinball. Chalk circles in the arena. Audience volunteers in each. Bull released. Last one in his circle wins. (Postmaster spent a while in the hospital losing a couple of years ago.)
Umm... nope...
My experience with Hamster Balls (aka Liberty Balls) is that the hamster is likely as not act as a guidance system for the bowling ball, knocking down the unwary.
Rodeo cowboys and barrel racers, nothing they won't try.
It would appear that hamster balls could use a bit of upgrading for bull work.
When I saw this I had previously viewed cowboy teeter totter, so I thought it a bit less stupid, just a bit less.
But I'm from Spain, where traditional holidays involve bulls and drunks, so I'm not faced. San Fermin is just famous because of Hemingway, there's all kind of similar traditions all over Spain.
Ana
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