A video of a father protecting his son from a charging bull at a rodeo in Texas has gone viral. The incident occurred at the Bell County Rodeo on 12 February, where 18-year-old Cody Hooks was thrown from a bull named Twizler.
After falling, Hooks lay unconscious on the ground as the bull approached with its horns down. Without hesitation, his father Landis Hooks jumped on top of him to shield him from the animal. The bull pushed the pair, but both escaped with only scratches.
“Not one to post falling off, but big thanks to my dad and the bullfighters last night in Belton, Tx,” Cody Hooks wrote on Instagram. “Could’ve been a hella lot worse.”
Rodeo bulls can weigh up to 1,200 pounds, and bull riding is a dangerous sport where riders aim to exit the ring quickly after falling. Spectator Tina Butler told the New York Post: “That’s not something you’re going to see every day. Not everyone would have gone in there.”
Cody Hooks plans to ride again soon, despite the incident. The bull was restrained shortly after the encounter.
