American Freestyle Bullfighting

Online Only Presale

Pre-sale starts Wednesday, March 27 at 10 am and ends Saturday, March 30 at 10 am.
Tickets go on sale to the general public Saturday, March 30 at 10 am.

To get the pre-sale password, subscribe to the Fair's E-Club and select Concerts as one of your interests. You'll automatically receive an email with the password the morning of the pre-sale.

Tickets

Reserved Seating - $25 - $30^*
Concert tickets include Washington State Fair gate admission, a $14 value.
Ticket required for children 2 years of age and older.

*Online orders subject to standard fees. A $4.50 service fee will be added to each ticket purchased in person at the Box Office.

About Shorty Gorham's American Freestyle Bullfighting

Legendary bullfighter Shorty Gorham, best known for his cowboy protection at PBR events, is reviving the forgotten sport of American style bullfighting and creating a new generation of stars with the formation of Shorty Gorham’s American Freestyle Bullfighting.

Freestyle bullfighting is 40 seconds of nonstop electrifying intensity with the spotlight tightly focused on the bullfighter and bull performing in the center of the arena. Unlike cowboy protection, in which bullfighters work to keep bull riders and other cowboys safe and out of harms’ way, freestyle bullfighting calls for the bullfighter to engage a 1,000-pound fighting bull. These bulls are born meaner, faster and more agile than their much larger counterparts. Freestyle bullfighters can be saved only by their own physical abilities and experienced decision-making.

Like bull riding, individual scores for both cowboys and bulls, represent half of their total score. Judges score bulls based on how hot they are – in other words, their willingness to engage its opponent for the entire 40 seconds – while freestyle bullfighters are assessed points for their own willingness to face off one-on-one with Spanish and Mexican fighting bulls, without seeking a reprieve by scaling the arena walls. They also earn points by performing crowd-rousing tricks like a head-on “Super Man Jump” over the length of a bull, as it runs full speed, directly towards them.

As much as American freestyle bullfighting is a premiere western sport, AFB is an extreme sport pitting one freestyle bullfighter against a Spanish fighting bull in a matchup best described as the most dangerous dance on dirt. AFB is the ultimate salsa dance with one man and one animal, alone in an arena in a matchup of skill, finesse and athleticism - versus power, size and ferocity. “This ain’t no bull ride,” said Gorham. “It’s the bullfighter’s turn to shine.”