Mackay’s Shane ‘Maddog’ Simpson protecting the bull riders in Origin Series final

Putting yourself between a down and out cowboy and a cranky bull doesn’t sound like the dream job unless you are Mackay’s Shane Simpson, a man who can’t be kept out of the arena.

Fighting off bulls to protect cowboys doesn’t sound like it would have too many things in common with traffic control.

But ask protection athlete – or rodeo clown – Shane “Maddog” Simpson and it is all too similar.

While others might shirk at the idea of jumping in front of a 1000kg bull, the Mackay product said it was “just part and parcel of the job”.

“It’s like being a traffic controller, they don’t know what that car is going to do as it comes to them,” he said.

“Yes it can be a scary job from the outside looking in but if you’re on point and you know what you’re doing and you’re conditioned well, I don’t really get scared or nervous when the bull jumps out.

“It’s just a job for me and it’s something that I love doing.”

Simpson will again put his body on the line in the PBR Origin Series’ decider at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre Saturday night, when country comes to the capital city for the awesome sporting spectacle.

Scores are tied at one apiece after Queensland’s victory in Newcastle and New South Wales’ win in Tamworth.

The whole series would not be possible without the protection athletes or ‘rodeo clowns’.

As one of bull riding’s most decorated protection athletes, Mackay local Shane ‘Maddog’ Simpson returned to the sport at the start of 2021 after his initial retirement in 2013.

“I was at the final there in Townsville in 2020 and when they introduced the bullfighters, I got a little bit emotional about it because it had been a part of my life for so long and I just decided to make a comeback.”

Shane 'Mad Dog' Simpson at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre. Picture: Shae Beplate.

From there Simpson decided to get the body back in shape.

“Bull riders come out for eight seconds at a time but you might have to take that bull away and you might have to be flat out running around for a good 40 seconds, and then you get a minute break and another bull comes out,” he said.

“It’s about being able to do those short bursts of sprints and running around, and then recover as quick as you can for the next one that comes around.”

Shane Simpson with Bad Moon.

Young rodeo clown Brodie Frizzell was recently gored and pinned by a bull at an event near Mackay at the end of April.

Simpson complimented Frizzell for “doing the right job”.

“You don’t know at any one time when things could go bad and that is why we are out there,” he said.

“That bull rider got away safely and that is what we are there for, to take the hits and bumps and get jumped on.”

Being a Queenslander all his life, Simpson said he will always barrack for his home state.

However, when it comes time to do his job, he is there for all of the bull riders and the sport as a whole.

Originally published as Mackay’s Shane ‘Maddog’ Simpson protecting the bull riders in Origin Series final