Since our rodeo experience was cut short on Saturday, we decided to return for a repeat performance on Sunday. We arrive at 4 and the show is already under way. We take our same seats as yesterday. The women selling beer and soda have taken us under their wings - yesterday they gave me a trash bag to protect my purse and camera - today they motion to the small overhead awning they have constructed - just in case of another downpour. We laugh and I show them that I am still carrying the trash bag - just in case.
The bull turnover is faster today. Some are more interesting than others and some more aggressive. There are a couple of possible injuries then a really bad one which I somehow managed to catch on film (or digital image). Someone sitting on the fence was unable to get out of the way of the bull's horn, which looked like it ripped through his stomach. The crowd pulled him to safety through the fence like a rag doll, then carried him around the outer fence to the clearing. There was mass panic, mixed with that infectious crowd action of wanting to see what happened. Although the town has an ambulance, it was not at the event. A pickup truck erratically backed into the area and they toss him in the back - no stretcher, no neck collar, no real medical attention en-route to the hospital. At this point it is unclear how bad it is, even if he is alive or dead - a hysterical women gets in the back with him and they speed off.
A few minutes later the show resumes. And a bit later the same pick up returns - now it has lost its ambulance function and is delivering beer! Ambulance turned delivery truck - only in Central America!
[We were a bit shaken by the gore of it all. Rodeo was lots of fun, until things got crazy and someone was unconscious and possibly seriously injured. Good news followed in a few days. One of the teachers at our school knew the guy who took the horn to the gut - luckily there was no actual puncture and he is ok - no doubt he will be back to the rodeo in no time.]
