Page 8 Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Red Bluff Daily News Hometown heroes
Two of Red Bluff’s own, will have the important job of bullfighters at this year’s Round-Up.
Joe Baumgartner and Eric Layton both call Red Bluff home and the two will be paired up for the 90th Round- Up.
Western heritage. Cattlemen and women. Bigtime rodeo. Old California. Victorian homes. Antique stores. World class hunting and fishing. Agri-Tourism. World-famous motorcycle road. Alpine hiking and camping. Volcanic legacy. Award winning olive oils. Slow foods. Wineries in the pines. Warm, welcoming people.
And a river runs through it.
Bullfighters are rodeo ath- letes whose job is to protect bull riders after they dismount or are thrown off the bulls. Bullfighters move toward the bull immediately to distract it with sound, movement and sometimes touch, in order to direct its attention away from the cowboy and toward the exit gate. Bullfighters often
throw their bodies between the bull and rider and may take a hooking so the bull rider doesn’t have to. It’s a truly respected occu- pation in the rodeo communi- ty and Baumgartner is one of the best.
PRCA Bullfighter of the Year three times and worked the NFR and Professional Bull Riders Finals for close to two decades.
Layton is entering his fifth year of protecting bullriders. He was named Bullfighter
of the Year two times for the CCPRA and now travels the West fighting bulls.
He has been named the
Where else but here? When if not now?
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