Aaron Ferguson has been dreaming about yellow chutes for a long time. They’ve been the backdrop on his phone and his computer for the past three years, and now finally he’s going to be the bullfighter in front of them. Those yellow chutes are the famous chutes at the Wrangler National Finals in Las Vegas, and for the first time, Ferguson has been chosen to fight bulls there. And for the 25 year old, it’s a dream come true.
He grew up in High River, Alberta, Canada, and at the age of twelve, spent a summer traveling with his older brother, a bullfighter. “We traveled in Alberta and Saskatchewan, going to rodeos, and I decided I wanted to do it. I thought it was the coolest thing. The way he got around those bulls, it looked like so much fun. (My brother) was a handy bullfighter, and once I got the chance to try it, I did and never looked back.”
After graduating from high school in 2006, he spent a semester at Olds (Alberta) College. Every Tuesday night, they had a practice pen, and Aaron was there. “I just had no clue what I was doing, but I fought a ton of bulls up there.”
After that, he had the chance to attend Western Oklahoma State University in Altus, so he came south. His first break into the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association came with Jerome Robinson and Bronc Rumford. A friend got him the job at one of Robinson’s bull ridings in Wichita, Kan., and he met Bronc, who needed a bullfighter for his Kansas rodeos. “I got five (PRCA) rodeos in Kansas, just enough to get my name out there,” he recalls.
After that, Aaron’s list of rodeos grew steadily. “I got lucky to get good rodeos.” He kept his faith during the rough times. “There were times where I had no hope of getting a rodeo, and the call would come: ‘hey, so and so got hurt, can you be there’? It ended up leading me to great people.” He’s been loyal to those who have helped him since the beginning: he still works all of Jerome Robinson’s events, for the Korkows, Bar T Rodeo, and others. “Just the great people in this business that you meet, they want to help you out, and help you get to the next level. It makes it special to me.”
And he’ll be working the Finals with friends Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. “Me and ol’ Tuck go way back,” he says. “I’ve been lucky to fight bulls with him, and we really fight good together.” And he’s excited to work with Webster for the first time, too. “It’ll be cool, The first time to fight together is at the NFR. I’ve watched him a lot and I know he’s upstanding talent.”
A special guest will be in the stands cheering for Aaron. His grandma, Viv Schwab, age “29” – (that’s what she tells everybody), will be there. “I’ve always had a deal with my granny,” Aaron says, “that when I get (the Finals) she has to come down. It’ll be pretty special to have here there. She’s definitely a character, a very strong woman.”
Aaron’s parents, Brenda and Glen, and his brothers, Craig, who started his bullfighting dream years ago, and Trevor, a former bareback rider, and their wives and daughters, will be in the stands. “They’re all really special to me. They’ve supported me not just with good advice but financially when times were tough.” And they all can get pictures of Aaron in front of those yellow chutes.
