A white-knuckled drive to win $2,500

Deepa Bharath

Junior Ortega is in it for the rush.

As is everyone else who is into bull riding.

The 24-year-old from San Diego, a self-taught rider who’s in the

Orange County Fair’s bull-riding contest for the third year, has been

in the business for five years and is not giving up any time soon.

“Of course, you get injured,” he said, as he waited Saturday in

the bull pen in the belly of the Citizens Business Bank Arena stands.

“But you get over it. You go on. It’s absolutely worth it.”

Meaningful words. Slowly spoken. Clearly thought out. Foreboding.

Minutes after he uttered those words, Ortega, who tried to get on

his bull and stay on it for eight seconds, didn’t make it to the

whistle. The fiery animal threw Ortega to the ground.

He cringed with pain. He didn’t get up. The audience, which was

cheering for the young man, fell silent as Ortega remained on the

ground writhing. But he put on a brave face minutes later as he

hobbled out of the arena holding on to two other men. The audience

cheered again.

It’s all part of the sport that is bull riding, said Al Gouiric,

who used to ride bulls himself but was in the fair on Saturday as a

spectator.

“It’s so exciting,” he said. “How could you not like it?”

It’s not a sport, however, that is understood and appreciated by

many, Gouiric said.

Bull riding is not about a master-slave relationship, but it’s

about seeing what you can get away with, he said.

“It’s not about controlling the animal,” he said. “You can’t

control it. You have to feel what it’s feeling and be part of it. The

bulls are as scared as we are.”

His 2-year-old son will probably follow in dad’s footsteps,

Gouiric said.

“I think he’ll be out there in a few years,” he said, pointing to

little Wyatt, who was comfortably asleep in his stroller.

The competitors each paid a $50 entry fee. Contestants had to ride

for eight seconds to qualify and stay in the competition. Judges

awarded points based on how well each of the riders who made it to

the eight-second whistle rode their bulls. More than 25 riders

competed for the $2,500 purse. A. J. Kevie of Lincoln, Calif., riding

a bull named Jack Daniels, won the contest.

Ortega said he is a full-time bull rider. He has a sponsor, but he

has to work a second job in construction to make ends meet and pursue

his passion.

“It’s a challenge,” Ortega said. “You’ve got to stay focused and

stay healthy.”

He tries to improve with every event by watching videos of his

performance and observing areas where he can improve, Ortega said.

Jim Berger, who was watching bull riding for the first time, said

he finds it “interesting.”

“Yeah, I’d watch it again,” he said, shaking his head as he saw

another rider fall off the bull’s back.

Christie Sallenbach was watching with her husband and 4-year-old

granddaughter.

“It’s fun to watch because you know that these guys are

professionals,” she said. “They take precautions, and they know what

they’re doing.”