Running with Bulls A Good Career Move by Ed Knocke    Dallas Morning News

Had Kenny Petet not had a pair of tennis shoes in his pickup truck during a Rodeo school back in 1992, life could   have     turned out quite differently for the Orofino, Idaho, native. The bullfighter who was supposed to work the school didn't show, so stock contractor Bob Barnes needed a bullfighter. "I remembered I had a pair of tennis shoes in my truck," I told him I would give it a try. So Petet replaced his cowboy boots with the sneakers, which would give him a faster getaway in a dirt arena, and he took on his first bull. Petet found his niche that day, and he has been obsessed with fighting bulls ever since. For the past five years, he has-been the regular bullfighter at the weekly Mesquite Championship Rodeo. Petet         will be featured with fellow bullfighters Cory Wall and Greg Rumor at the Wrangler Bullfight Tour that makes its annual stop at Mesquite. In each Wrangler tour event, the bullfighter spends a minimum of 40 seconds in the arena with the bull. After that, the bullfighter has the option to continue for another 30 seconds. Judges award points based on how well the bullfighter controls the action and how many risks he takes, as well a show of how agressive the bull is. Petet, 35, doesn't compete on the Wrangler Tour full time because he is committed to 54 weeks of action at Mesquite. Instead, he fights bulls weekly while protecting fallen cowboys. But each year he gets to display his unique talents during the bullfight tour, which is designed to showcase each bullfighter's style. "If you want to compete for the[Wrangler Tour] world championship, you have to travel a lot," he said. "I have a good deal here where I'm able to fight bulls every weekend and I'm able to sleep in my own bed every night." To say that Petet's career has taken several turns over the years is an under statement. When in college, he competed in rodeo as a bronc rider, but at the time didn't consider the sport seriously. He earned a degree in business management from Boise State and considered a banking career instead. But, after four years behind a desk, Petet became restless. He decided he might give rodeo another chance. At the time he was competing as an amateur on weekends. Turning pro, however, seemed to be a difficult alternative. "Idaho is bronc riding country," said Petet. "There are so many good bronc riders up  there, it's hard to break into the pro ranks. "But a short time later he got his first break. He saw an advertisement in the Pro Rodeo Sports News, placed by Barnes, inviting bronc riders to come to Iowa to compete in rodeos. Petet decided to leave the banking business and pursue a rodeo career. He won some money at the Midwest rodeos, but he never became a world class bronc rider. Today he's glad he made the decision to fight bulls. It's that natural high he gets when he enters the arena that keeps him going. "Those bull riders get one adrenaline rush a night," he said. "I get 30 a night."