By Ty Pope/Staff Writer

Ever since the advent of the term “cowboy,” it has accumulated adjectives encompassing a vast range of meanings. One such adjective is “tough.” In the cowboy lifestyle, particularly in rodeo’s roughstock events, embodying toughness is indispensable. This toughness is not merely physical but mental as well. However, another adjective—“careless”—aptly describes some, but not all, cowboys.

Bull riding, dubbed the most perilous sport globally, is not for the faint-hearted. Here, a cowboy must cling to a bull for 8 seconds to earn a score, with the highest score clinching victory. Alarmingly, nearly 85 percent of rodeo injuries occur in bull riding, with over half resulting from head injuries. One might assume that cowboys, to prolong their careers, would exercise utmost precaution. Contrarily, many indulge in unnecessary risks to exude a “cowboy cool” demeanor. I argue for a mandate requiring all cowboys to don helmets during the bull riding event.

Both rodeo and football see a significant number of athletes suffering concussions, with lifelong ramifications. Numerous instances show athletes enduring multiple concussions, which later lead to dire actions like suicide or even homicide. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) has been identified in 91% of football players as per a certain CTE study, with its impacts pervading all life stages, including post-retirement. Rodeo athletes, too, face head impacts frequently, often without helmets. The tragic case of Ty Pozzobon, a renowned Canadian bull rider, illustrates this grave issue. At the pinnacle of his career, Pozzobon, who had amassed over $100,000 in earnings, suddenly withdrew from close relationships, eventually succumbing to his private CTE battle through suicide. This tragedy underscores the urgent need to prevent such occurrences in the future.

It’s crucial for rodeo associations to enact a rule necessitating helmets for all bull riders during competitions. The intent is to preserve this sport, but the rapid loss of athletes due to early career terminations threatens its continuity. The risks far outweigh the allure of being “cowboy cool.” In a sport recognized as the most hazardous globally, helmets are non-negotiable.