Bullfighter with Red Oak ties to compete at Sidney rodeo
Coming off a literal life-saving performance during the Extreme Bullfighting Tour at the Montgomery County Fair July 16, Mason Sheldon will be competing in the Ultimate Bullfighter (UBF) event at the Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo Friday, Aug. 6, and Saturday, Aug. 7.
Sheldon, a 2013 Sidney High School graduate, attended school in Red Oak for several years. He currently resides in Auburn, Neb., where he works as a heavy equipment operator, farrier and also works part-time at the Fremont County Veterinary Clinic.
Sheldon has been a professional bullfighter for five years. He said growing up in Sidney and attending the annual rodeo led to his decision to become a cowboy protector.
“I grew up with role models like Shad Smith, Gumby Wren and other cowboys and cowgirls that competed at the Sidney rodeo. Also, my dad, Andy, was a steer wrestler and my uncle, Dustin, was a team roper,” Sheldon said. “Not only that, I wanted to continue to be an athlete after high school and fighting bulls felt like my kind of deal.”
Sheldon is one of roughly 60 professional bullfighters active on the UBF roster. According to UBF General Manager Luke Kaufman, the UBF is a sports league that promotes freestyle bullfighting.
“The UBF showcases the best talent in freestyle bullfighting,” commented Kaufman. “Mason qualified to the UBF World Finals last year in Arcadia, Fla., where he represented Iowa as the only competitor from the state. He’s competed at the Nebraska State Fair UBF, Fort Worth, Texas during our Fort Worth Championship and several other stops on the UBF tour. If he has a successful weekend in his hometown, he could earn enough points to qualify to our event in December in Las Vegas, which is held during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.”
Sheldon will be competing at the Sidney UBF qualifier against Miles Jones from Jonesville, N.C.; and Tucker Lane from Oak Grove, Mo., who has won the Sidney event two times.
“Tucker is currently the number three ranked bullfighter in the world and has a very unique style,” said Kaufman.
To be a bullfighter, Sheldon said one has to obviously be physically fit, but also mentally prepared.
“You can do anything if your head is in the right place. It’s also not always about being fast, but rather being in the right place at the right time,” Sheldon explained. “It also helps to have cattle sense; you need to understand the way they move.”
When Sheldon is competing against an athletic bull, bred to be aggressive, he is living in the moment. He said he has no concept of anything else taking place around him except what is taking place between him and the bull.
“I can remember everything afterwards,” Sheldon said.
Tickets to the Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo can be purchased online at sidneyiowarodeo.com/tickets/.
Mason is the son of Andy Sheldon of Sidney and Marcia Thomas of Red Oak.