Winning bull rider plans to return for Saratoga Bullfest

Stuart Domingue was the only bull rider who managed eight seconds and a score of 74 among the nine bull riders who competed at the Platte River Rodeo.

Domingue, of Casper, won the Vaun Savage buckle at this past week's rodeo for his bull ride and has been bull riding since he was 12 years old.

"It's something that kind of grabbed a hold of me," Domingue said of his bull riding career. He started with the Western Junior Rodeo Association. In 2011 he joined the Professional Bull Riders. He joined the Western Rodeo Association in 2012.

Domingue bull rides 30 to 50 times a year competitively in rodeos from California to Tennessee.

This is the first year he has won the Vaun Savage buckle and credited his successful ride to the bull. He said the contractor who provided the bulls this year is well-known for his bulls in the WRA and every now and then he throws in a "campaign" bull. Domingue drew that bull Friday night.

"You never know what those young bulls are going to do," Dominique said.

The bulls were in a spinning mood Friday night and dumped several bull riders, including Saratoga's own Spencer Lee. Lee, who is Domingue's roommate.

Domingue rides next in Torrington on Aug. 1, but plans to compete in the Saratoga Bullfest Aug. 2.