Global news headlines brought attention to the world of Oregon rodeo when a bull hopped a fence at the Sisters Rodeo on June 8, injuring three people.

Brian Davis, board member of the Grant County Ranch & Rodeo Museum and a former professional bull rider for 15 years in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, said he had been on a bull that had jumped an 8-foot fence during an event in Union in the late 1980s.

But he says such occurrences are incredibly rare.

“You could go to a thousand rodeos and only see it once,” Davis said.

“I didn’t have it happen many times in my career,” he said. “It does happen to people. Bulls can jump fences. They can jump 15 feet high if they want. They get extraordinarily muscled.”

Managers putting on rodeo events, including the Sisters Rodeo Association and events in Eastern Oregon, agree that such incidents are extremely rare and assure the public that security measures are in place for spectators at their events.

At the Sisters Rodeo, a bull named Party Bus jumped the arena fence and escaped into a concession area where it tossed one person head over heels into the air.

“First responders confirmed that three persons were injured as a result of direct contact with the bull; two of whom were transported to a local hospital and one who was treated on-site. Several other minor injuries were reported,” according to a statement from the Sisters Rodeo Association. “We understand that all persons were treated and released to recover at home.”

Mindy Winegar, manager of the Grant County Fairgrounds, which hosts its annual fair and rodeo in August, said what happened at the Sisters Rodeo was “very unfortunate and rarely happens.”

“Our stock contractors work their livestock at each arena, ensuring the stock gets familiar with the out gate process prior to the rodeo starting,” she said in a statement. “Superior Rodeo and Hamsher Fighting Bulls have professional pickup men and bullfighters that help keep all our contestants and spectators safe.”

Kylie Evans, secretary for the Elgin Stampede, said in a statement that event officials take a number of safety precautions, including flagging arena panels as a deterrent to the livestock, using taller-than-average fence panels and employing skilled livestock pickup men.

“The Elgin Stampede Board and contract personnel place our stock, contestants, visitors and volunteers in the utmost levels of safety and security,” Evans said. “Personnel who manage the stock are highly skilled; we have the highest confidence in them and our arena facilities to ensure visitors remain safe before, during and post each performance and that the stock are also handled safely and efficiently.”

Bill Taylor, director of the Haines Stampede in Baker County, said while incidents like what happened at the Sisters Rodeo are a rare occurrence, “you never can predict what an animal is going to do, be it a bull or a horse.”

Taylor said bleachers at the Haines Stampede are elevated above the fence by about 4 feet and fences are 7½ feet tall with a safety area in between.

“I think rodeos should do what they can to keep their spectators safe,” he said, “and at Haines, between our spectators and the arena, we do have a safety barrier that is a no-spectator area.”

Trever Hamsher, who runs the freestyle bullfighting event every year during the Grant County Fair and Rodeo, said he makes sure the spectators are protected with double fencing and a second, temporary arena constructed within the fairgrounds arena.

“What happened at Sisters was an unfortunate event, and I feel bad for everybody that got injured,” he said. “Of course, anytime you’re dealing with livestock, anything can happen. But we try to take all precautions possible to make sure things like that are avoided.”

Hamsher also makes sure to have personnel on horseback to ensure better containment. Dealing with livestock, he said, is always unpredictable, and bulls have a mind of their own.

Hamsher said the untrained should not approach a bull if one is encountered.

“Don’t approach a horse from the back, a bull from the front, or a fool from any direction,” he said.

Pendleton Round-Up officials did not respond to a request for comment.