Eight seconds

Tatiana Miranda
Ethnography (first draft)


Visiting a friend’s farm last weekend I could observe a peculiar and interesting subculture: bull riders. I spent the main part of my childhood’s vacations in a farm and the bull riders’ ambient are not strange to me. I really enjoyed their meeting because it reminded me good times on my childhood. Bull riders are simple people that love nature, and animals; they usually wear casual and resistant clothes, speak a very particular language and love risks. It seems to be very dangerous a rider getting on a large bull and trying to stay mounted for at least 8 seconds there because most of the time the bull tries to throw the rider out, however bull riders said that it is a fascinating experience. I think there is a high risk the bull causes physical harm to the rider, however most of the riders have had a long experience mounting bulls and rarely get injured.

It was early morning when my friends Elaine, Danilo, Guilherme and I arrived at our friend’s farm to watch a Bull Riding. It is a kind of Rodeo sport where bull riders get on a large bull griping a flat rope and try to stay there and get good points. Both the rider and the bull are awarded point, and zero scores are very common as a lot of riders lose control of the animal after the bull gets in the arena.
“Some friends have been organizing one Rodeo per month since May. The guys love fun!” We met the owner of the farm who is a friend of mine.
“I hope you guys enjoy a Brazilian barbecue and a good Bull Riding because those are the best things we are going to have today.”
“Of course we do like. Thank you very much for your invitation.”
“The Rodeo is going to start in an hour, grab a soda and have fun.”
There was a round arena (an open area fenced to protect the audience from escaped bulls), and around it people trying to find a better place to watch the spectacle. I noticed a curious fact locking at everyone: there where all kind of people since children at old which most of them were wearing as a cowboy. I mean, characteristics clothes as jeans, boats and hats. At the arena’s right side there was the place where they kept the bulls, and on the left side, a little far from the arena a huge barbecue grill and some barrels filled with ice, bottles of soda, juice, and water. My friends and I had been enjoying the delicious barbecue made a Brazilian style waiting for the Rodeo. A lively country music surrounded us when somebody had the idea to park his car close us and turn on the radio. It seemed like a party, everyone eating, talking, dancing, enjoying the beautiful day and waiting for the main attraction, the Bull Riding.

The Rodeo started around 10:00am, and we forgot everything else to watch the spectacle. The small enclosure was opened and the bull goes into the arena; very angry it jumps, runs and leaps to throw the rider off, and the rider has to be on the bull only touching it with one hand for at last 8 seconds. One after other, the bull riders mounted; some lost the control quickly in two, three or four seconds, others got to stay on the bull the 8 seconds required. It was so excited to see their courage and ability because I’m not able to do such as those things.
The best bull rider that day won $5.000, five thousand dollars and a car.
“Do you think Jeremy is going to gain the first prize Tati?” Elaine asked about a Brazilian friend who was competing with other riders that day.
“I do not really know. That is the first time I see him as a bull rider. I don’t know if he is good enough to win. Let see him.”
Unfortunately, our friend lost because of his scores, he got the second places. We all tried to make him feel better but he was so upset.
“I got to stay there 8 seconds!”
“We know but the result depends of your score and the bull score. Judges give points based on many things such as your movements and the bull movements, not just because you got to stay on the bull the required time.” I said.
“I hate some rules.”
“It is not a bad thing to win the second place…Let’s enjoy the party. Try to practice for the next one next month and that’s all.”
We all had a lot of fun that day and we are looking forward to coming back next time and enjoy their community.