A 20-year-old Brazilian rodeo rider was horrifically killed after he was trampled by a bull.
Frightening footage showed José Silva on the bull for about four seconds at a fairgrounds event in the west-central city of Nova Ubirtã on Saturday.
The galloping bull’s force caused Silva to slip and hang from the side before he fell face-first to ground.
He was then stomped in the head by the massive animal.
As he laid motionless, four cowboys rushed to his side and shielded him from being struck again.
He was treated by paramedics on the scene and rushed to local urgent care facility, where he died from his injuries.
Silva would have turned 21 on Sunday.
The event organizer, Arena Dream Team, and the Mato Grosso Civil Police confirmed that Silva was wearing the required protective equipment.
‘The Dream Team lost more than a competitor, it lost a friend, a brother in the arena,’ Arena Dream Team said in a statement.
Brazilian bull rider José Silva was able to hold on to the bull for four seconds before he slipped and was kicked in the head
‘May he rest in peace in the arms of the Lord, and may God comfort the hearts of all his family, friends and fellow travelers.’
The budding bull-riding star had recently celebrated his second bull riding championship of his short career.
Just hours before participating at Saturday’s event, Silva shared a video of himself at a previous competition, and an envisioning a third title.
‘If God allowed you to dream, believe He will do it,’ he wrote.
The promising bull rider had already won two events in his short career
Young Brazilian bull rider José Silva was motionless on the ground before he was stomped by the bull
Cowboys at the rodeo event surrounded an injured José Silva and shielded him from being attacked by the bull
His next post featured two photo of him riding a bull at another event.
‘The Lord is my rock and fortress, you guide my steps on every path,’ Silva wrote.
The young bull rider’s death comes a year and three days to the date of a similar tragic accident that claimed the life of Brazilian rodeo rider Fabiano Pinheiro.
The 36-year-old was competing at a show in the western Brazil city of Fátima do Sul when he was kicked on the neck by the bull’s two hind legs as he fell to the ground.
Pinheiro was able to get up on his own, but died while he was being taken to an area medical facility.
