Darmody, one of six leading bull fighters invited to compete at the event, showcased his skills in distracting bucking bulls and protecting competing riders.

The 25-year-old from Yass spent much of last year on a rodeo circuit in North America. The goal of a bull fighter is simple: do whatever it takes to protect riders from being attacked by bulls and provide them with a chance to escape the arena.

Following a four month stint in the United States and ten weeks in Canada, Darmody returned to Oceania for an international bull fighters meet in Christchurch, New Zealand. The blonde haired bull fighter won New Zealand’s premier bull fighting title for a second consecutive year.

For Darmody, 2008 was a stellar year on the dirt and a fortunate period free of injuries. “Last year was a real success. My dream is to simply make a living off bull fighting. That’s it. So to be able to tour America is more than I could have hoped for.”

Of course protecting bull riders isn’t always smooth sailing. “Every now and again you can get pretty hurt,” Matt explained. “But, if you’re doing your job properly, you’re always going to get hurt.”

Darmody looks forward to flying to the US to tackle some of the country’s fiercest bulls. Although, in his own words, some of the toughest bulls he’s laid eyes on amble about in paddocks a couple of minutes from town and belong to Yass bull-breeding duo George and Richard Hempenstall.