What makes a man put himself in the line of fire – in front of raging bulls – over and over again?Age: 24
Born: Dec. 13, 1983
Hometown: Shamrock, Texas
What makes a man put himself in the line of fire – in front of raging bulls – over and over again?
“For the love of the game,” Cole Otts said. “I love to fight bulls. I’d do it every day if I could. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Otts grew up in the Texas Panhandle just off Interstate 40, and his childhood was filled with some wild, whacky fun.
“My dad’s a rancher, and we’d always gather these wild, high-headed cattle,” Otts said. “When I was a little kid, a buddy who lived down the road and I would just go out and sort our high-headed cows and pen them up until they were good and ready and wanted to fight. Then we’d fight them.”
What started off as a way to fight off boredom became a career, something he’s has been doing for about six years. He’s finished runner-up at the bullfight in Ada, Okla.; and has worked at various finals events in the state of Texas.
“When you fight bulls freestyle, you need to be in shape and you’ve got to be on your 'A' game,” Otts said. “It’s a little faster paced, and you don’t have to know that much about cattle. In protection, being around cattle all your life and knowing how cattle move helps a lot.”
And even in his relatively young age, Otts recognizes something about the sport he loves so much.
“Bullfighting has really evolved, which is good and which is how these protection competitions have come on,” he said. “There are a lot more guys out there now that can sure enough fight bulls than there used to be.”