Libby rodeo bullfighter finds joy in keeping cowboys safe

The first time Mick Thompson ever climbed into a rodeo arena with a bull, he quickly questioned his own sanity.

“I got run over the first day I was in the arena … and it wasn’t because the bull was mean and it wasn’t because of anything else,” Thompson said before Friday’s performance at the Kootenai River Rodeo. “It was because I basically froze up and got run over.”

Afterward while sitting on the fence, Thompson remembers thinking, “What in the blank am I doing this for?”

Well, 10 years later, Thompson is still fighting bulls to keep cowboys out of harm’s way. The West Richland, Wash., native has worked the Libby rodeo every year since its inception in 2004.

Through friends helping Libby with rodeo contracting, Thompson soon received an offer to work the inaugural event.

“They said, ‘hey, we want you at our rodeo, would you mind coming in?’ and I said no problem,” Thompson said. “I’ve been here all five years and it’s like family. I love coming here. You can’t beat the country … and then of course the committee’s just nice so I enjoy coming back every year.”

Thompson, 35, didn’t exactly grow up around rodeos. In fact, he calls himself a city boy who eventually went to Central Washington University and competed on the wrestling squad. His brother got the itch to ride bulls and that ultimately pulled him in.

“We were at an event at the Tri-Cities in my hometown and at that time – and I don’t know who they were and I don’t mean any disrespect to them – but the bullfighters there were not doing a good job,” Thompson said. “So, my brother and his buddies were sitting around after the rodeo and they said, ‘hey, Mick, you’re pretty athletic, you should become a bullfighter. Well, that planted the seed.”

Thompson’s mediocrity on the wrestling mat provided the boost he needed to pursue life in the rodeo arena.

“I was getting my butt kicked more than I was kicking the other guys’ butts, so I was getting kind of discouraged,” Thompson said of wrestling. “The rodeo thing popped up and I didn’t even know how to get started.”

Enter his brother and his buddies again. They heard about a school in Redmond, Ore., and soon thereafter, Thompson signed up.

“In 1998, I went to his school and two years later, I got my pro card and it’s been that way ever since,” Thompson said.

Now eight years into his pro career, Thompson sticks around the Pacific Northwest. He works 20 to 25 rodeos per year – many in Montana. His full-time job is as an instructor for the Department of Energy.

“As soon as May starts, I’m busy all the way through September,” Thompson said. “I’m starting to get into Montana more and focusing my attention here. … I really enjoy the people.”

Besides Libby, Thompson also works rodeos in Kalispell, Livingston and Plains.

“It gets in your blood quick and the people are awesome,” Thompson said about his rodeo lifestyle. “Rodeo people are very, very nice and you just learn to love them. What keeps you going is the bull riders, they’re great. When they slap you on the back and say ‘thank you,’ that’s the most important thing. Paychecks, yeah, that’s great and all but when you save their butt … that’s what it’s all about.

“When that starts not being as effective any more, that’s when I need to hang it up,” he added.

Thompson lost his regular partner to a dislocated shoulder over a Fourth of July rodeo. As such, injuries are just a part of life for bullfighters. Thompson broke his leg in 2000 and got kicked in the face in 2004 – leaving a visible scar.

“I’ve been knocked out a couple times and I’ve had broken ribs, dislocated fingers,” he said. “I’ve been pretty fortunate the last couple of years – knock on wood.”

Thompson worked the Libby rodeo this past weekend with Al Sandvold out of Bozeman. Not only do they work to keep the bull riders safe, but also each other.

“It’s almost an artwork. People look at it and think, aw, you’re just the clowns out there but no, we work as a team,” Thompson said.

The bullfighters stick close to the bucking chutes until they’re needed. Knowing when to stay out of the picture is part of the job.

“The best bullfighter you only want to see if there’s trouble,” Thompson said. “So, we’ll actually almost be hiding over by the chutes and let the bull go out and do his thing. When you either hear the whistle or see the bull rider get bucked off, that’s when you see us go into action.”

If a cowboy ends up getting hurt, guilt sets in.

“If a guy gets hurt, I really take it hard because I feel like I could’ve done something different,” he said. “I’m my own worst critic.”