How Many Bull Riding Deaths Per Year?

How Many Bull Riding Deaths Per Year? Bull riding results in approximately 1 to 3 deaths annually on the professional and semi-professional circuits.
Fatalities in professional bull riding are relatively rare but do occur, with the U.S. professional circuit averaging one to two deaths annually, although the number varies from year to year, with some sources noting approximately 20 deaths in the PBR since 1992, which feature deaths as well as serious brain/spinal cord injuries.

Key Statistics & Context:

Although catastrophic injuries are rare, bull riding remains the most dangerous rodeo event, with an injury rate nearly 10 times higher than American football.

• Annual Rate: According to WorkersCompensation.com, the U.S. professional rodeo circuit sees about 1-2 deaths per year, with many more serious injuries.
• Overall Injury: According to yesweekly.com, nearly all bull riders suffer injuries, with a significant percentage (26%) being severe enough to sideline them for months.
• Historical Data: yesweekly.com notes the deaths of 20 professional bull riders since 1989, with Wikipedia confirming Mason Lowe as the third PBR fatality since its inception in 1992.
• Type of Injury: Thoracic compression injuries (chest) are particularly devastating, says cjsmblog.com.
• Fatality Rate: Studies show a mortality rate of approximately 4.05 to 7.29 per 100,000 participants exposed.
• Total Professional Deaths: Since 1989, at least 20-21 deaths have been recorded on major professional bull riding circuits. This figure does not fully account for amateur or local youth incidents.
• Common Causes of Death: Deaths are most often caused by thoracic compression (the bull stepping or stomping on the rider’s chest/back), which can damage internal organs and cause heart attacks even when the rider is wearing a protective vest.
• Non-fatal Injuries: Broken bones (32%) and concussions (25%) are the most common serious injuries. Head injuries account for about 60% of all rodeo-related deaths across disciplines.

Professional organizations such as the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) have implemented safety measures, such as mandatory vests and optional helmets, to reduce these risks.

Important Considerations:

• Amateur vs. Pro: These figures often focus on professional leagues like the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) and don’t always capture the high risks in amateur or junior events, yesweekly.com and the Oil City News note.
• Safety Efforts: According to YouTube, high-profile deaths like that of Lane Frost in 1989 have led to increased safety measures in the sport.

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The Stark Numbers: Annual Fatalities and Lifelong Risk

It is difficult to determine an accurate, global annual death toll due to different reporting standards across the professional, collegiate, and amateur circuits. However, data from large organizations and long-term studies provide a clear range.

• Annual fatalities: On the professional rodeo circuit, deaths among bull riders average between 1 and 2 per year. Some broader analyses that include different levels of competition estimate 1 to 3 deaths per year.
• Long-term context: Over a significant period of time, this risk accumulates. Since 1989, at least 21 deaths have been recorded in professional bull riding, with a total of about 20-21 deaths on the broader professional rodeo circuit during the same period.
• Risk rate: The most telling metric is the incidence rate. A landmark 20-year study by the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine found that the incidence rate of deaths in rodeo was 4.05 per 100,000 participants. For context, a 10-year review of patients at a Level I trauma center for rodeo injuries found only one death in 70 critically injured patients.

Sport	Catastrophic Injury Rate (per 100,000)	Key Comparative Insight
Professional Bull Riding	19.81	Baseline – The most dangerous common organized sport.
Professional Football	Less than 1.0	Bull riding’s catastrophic injury rate is over 20 times higher.
General Rodeo	~20.0	Bull riding is the most dangerous single event within this high-risk sport.

Annual Death Statistics

Metric	Rate	Source Period	Comparison
Fatality Rate	4.05/100,000 exposures	1989-2009	10x football injuries
Annual Pro Deaths	1-3 est.	Recent years	PBR 200+ events
Injury Rate	32.2-48.2/1,000 rides	1995-2014	Bronc riding lower
2007-09 Fatalities	7 total	95,892 exposures	7.29/100,000

Case Studies

Lane Frost (1989) died after riding in Cheyenne, birth vest mandated – his bull takin’ care had punctured ribs into arteries. Amadeo Campos Silva (2021) flipped under a bull’s leg in Fresno, succumbing to chest trauma despite gear. Dylan Grant (2025) was taken down in Texas, airlifted but lost – highlighting the dangers of spur catches. They spurred PBR safety reforms.

Expert Opinions

Rodeo tops the danger charts – bull riding has 10x the injury rate of football, requiring evolution,” says Canadian Academy of Sport Med study leads. PBR’s Cody Lambert: “Freak flipping, not aggression, hitting – gear saves lives.” Vet Peggy Larson pushes bans past 2025, but death-defying: Stats improve annually.

Are you looking for a breakdown compared to previous legendary Rodeo Riders like Lane Frost & Mason Lowe? 

I can provide a side-by-side comparison of their career earnings and titles.

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Frequently Asked Questions: How Many Bull Riding Deaths Per Year?

A Calculated Risk, Respected

So, How Many Bull Riding Deaths Per Year? The answer is sadly more than zero, with a steady average of one to two professionals per year. The statistical risk of catastrophic injury or death, however, is quantitatively higher than in any other mainstream sport.

The modern bull rider is not a daredevil who ignores reality. He is an elite, calculating athlete who accepts well-known and unusual risks. The sport itself, while rooted in tradition, is slowly evolving. Through mandatory gear, modern field medicine, and ongoing safety research, the community works to reduce the ever-present risks. Yet, in the final analysis, bull riding remains a profound test of courage – a voluntary dance of immense, uncontrollable power where the stakes are, quite literally, as high as they can be.