Strawberry Days Rodeo features bull fighter with two missions
Bullfighter Chuck Swisher puts on typical bullfighter makeup as he readies himself before the Strawberry Days Rodeo held Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the PRCA Rodeo Grounds in Pleasant Grove. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Bullfighter Chuck Swisher puts on typical bullfighter makeup as he readies himself before the Strawberry Days Rodeo held Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the PRCA Rodeo Grounds in Pleasant Grove. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Bullfighter Chuck Swisher puts some of his belongings in a trailer before the Strawberry Days Rodeo held Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the PRCA Rodeo Grounds in Pleasant Grove. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Bullfighter Chuck Swisher makes his way out of a trailer as he readies himself before the Strawberry Days Rodeo held Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the PRCA Rodeo Grounds in Pleasant Grove. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Bullfighter Chuck Swisher sports a painted cross on his chin as he relaxes before the Strawberry Days Rodeo held Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the PRCA Rodeo Grounds in Pleasant Grove. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Chuck Swisher is a professional bull fighter — not a matador, but more like a rodeo clown with a mission.
In Swisher’s case he has two missions; protect the rider and preach the Good News.
Swisher will be fighting bulls and most likely preaching while he is in Pleasant Grove this week for the city’s annual Strawberry Days Rodeo.
He says he starts the day with a prayer knowing his job is to safely get the rider off the animal. “Bulls are bred to buck and they can be quite a handful.”
“Bull fighters distract the bull when riders get knocked off,” Swisher said. “We are the Secret Service for bull riders.”
Swisher, who travels the rodeo circuit around the country, said it’s not the safest career choice, “We’re the ones who get run over. We are doing our job best when you don’t see us at all.”
Bull fighting is just another day at the office for Swisher, and he has been doing it for 12 years. In the past two or three years Swisher has taken upon himself a greater work.
Swisher is a non-denominational Christian. He says he is not one for organized churches, like being a Baptist or Catholic. It’s more about relationships for him; it all comes down to following Jesus Christ.
His complete conversion to Christianity has spiritually moved him to share his joy in Christ with those he meets.
Swisher said when he is bull fighting, he is facing 1,500 pounds of farm animal, with horns the size of a baseball bat. It comes down to how to read the animal.
“It is unpredictable. You don’t know if they woke up on which side of the hay bale,” Swisher said. “It’s a quick eight-second ride. You have to be cattle savvy.”
You might say Swisher is a David; the bull’s his Goliath. David was the underdog. David overcame. David conquered. So did Swisher.
“The God of David is the same God as my God,” Swisher said.
Part of Swisher’s prep for his rodeo work includes putting on face paint. He always adds a small cross on his chin.
“I paint a cross on my chin as a reminder to me I’m a Christian and I should act like a Christian,” Swisher said. “It opens doors.”
Swisher said he’s not a preacher, but he likes to find a church everywhere he’s at.
“I find a church and build a relationship with the local pastors,” Swisher said. He likes to find cowboy pastors.
He said for 12 years, he’s been in this career, but he is now a Christian first.
“God has given me the platform to share the message,” Swisher said. “We are supposed to speak the word to all nations. There are a lot of cowboys that don’t know God.”
Swisher says he doesn’t carry a Bible everywhere he goes, but he is led by the holy spirit to always be prepared.
While Swisher doesn’t expect to retire from bull fighting until his 40s, he is working with the pastor of his home church in Dover, Oklahoma. He works in and helps the church when he’s home, and recently help start a men’s ministry.
“I feel that’s why God is pulling at me to minister now,” Swisher said. “The next stage in life could be preaching.”
“It’s hardest to share at home,” Swisher said. “People know where you’ve come from.”
As for fighting the bulls, he said he “gets prayed up” and then checks everything else.