Bullfighter knocked out by bull during event at Alberta music festival

CAMROSE, Alta. -- A bullfighter at a country music festival in Alberta was knocked unconscious and was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a bull.

STARS Air Ambulance spokesman Chad Saxon says their helicopter flew the 23-year-old man from the hospital in Camrose to Edmonton in critical but stable condition after an incident with a bull at Big Valley Jamboree on Saturday morning.

Chuck Erman, operations manager with the festival, says it happened during the annual "Bulls for Breakfast" bull riding event.

Erman says a rider was bucked off a bull, and the bullfighter ran in to distract the animal so the rider could safely escape.

But Erman says the bullfighter was hit and was knocked out, and then the bull spun around and stepped on the man, who was from the area.

Erman wasn't aware of the extent of the bullfighter's injuries but says he was awake and responsive at the hospital in Camrose.

"He just took a pretty good shot when he got hit that knocked him unconscious, and then when he went down, it's just the bull spun and stepped to get his footing, and he just stepped on him," Erman said.

"Everybody said a cowboy prayer for the young bullfighter to make sure he had a speedy and fast recovery."

Big Valley Jamboree is hosts over 30 of country music's top recording artists at the Camrose Regional Exhibition over the August long weekend.

Erman said "Bulls for Breakfast" has been a tradition at the festival for 28 years.

"We've had bangs and scratches before in some riders," he said. "But in this sport it's not if you're going to get hurt but when."

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