Chaos at Oregon Rodeo: Bull Leaps Into Crowd, Injures Spectators

This image taken from the video shows a rodeo bull hopping a fence during the 84th Sisters Rodeo on Saturday, June 8, 2024, in Sisters, Ore.

An out-of-control rodeo bull leaped out of an Oregon arena and charged through a crowd of spectators on Saturday, violently tossing and stampeding a woman in its path.

Chaotic video footage shows the escaped bull, named Party Bus, charging at a woman in a red shirt during the 84th Sisters Rodeo. The bull flipped the woman onto its head before spinning her off its horns and trampling her as it broke through a table and fled into the parking lot. The bull's desperate escape was short-lived, as it was captured by rodeo pick-up men near the livestock holding pens, according to the Sisters Rodeo Association.

The bull ran through a concession area into a parking lot, injuring at least three people before wranglers caught up with it.

Three people were injured by the bull, with two transported to a local hospital and released the following day. A deputy also sustained minor injuries while responding to the escape, though it was not confirmed if Party Bus caused them, police told KTVZ.

The incident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. during the final run of the night at the popular rodeo event, which attracts top cowboys and thousands of spectators. Another video shows the unsuspecting crowd singing along to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” as Party Bus ran around the arena before soaring over a 7-foot fence, causing the crowd to scatter.

Three people were injured “as a direct result of the bull, two of whom were transported to a local hospital," the association said in a statement. They were all released the following day.

After the incident, Party Bus was removed from the arena. Leslie Lange, who provides livestock for the rodeo, stated, "We obviously can’t replicate that scenario. But we’re going to take him home, buck him again, do some training with him, and try to never put him in that situation again."

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association commented on the incident, reminding the public that while rodeo is a highly entertaining sport, it can occasionally pose risks. "PRCA sends our thoughts and well wishes to those who were injured or otherwise impacted by this frightening and very rare incident," the association said.