MOORMAN WINS BFO AT CAL POLY IN FRONT OF 17,000 FANS
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — In front of an estimated 17,000 fans packed into Spanos Stadium, reigning world champion Chance Moorman delivered a high-level performance to win the first-ever BFO Cal Poly event during the university’s Royal Weekend.
Moorman set the tone early with a 90-point fight in Round 1, the top score of the night, establishing a clear standard in a field that included multiple world champions and rising contenders. He returned in the Hooey Championship Round and backed it up with an 87-point performance, sealing the victory.
“It felt good,” Moorman said. “That first round, everything came together the way you want it to. After that, it’s just about staying sharp and finishing the job.”
The event marked BFO’s debut at Cal Poly and drew one of the largest crowds BFO has seen in years, with the stadium near capacity and the atmosphere building as the competition progressed.
Cole Pfister finished second by putting together two solid bouts, marking 86 in Round 1 and matching it with another 86 in the championship round. His performance kept pressure on Moorman but ultimately fell just short.
Two-time world champion Tyler Mansell placed third with an 85.5, while rookie Brody Brogan continued to establish himself at the professional level with an 84-point effort, following up his strong debut in San Antonio earlier in the season.
Moorman said the depth of the field and the environment added to the significance of the win.
“You’ve got guys here that can win any night,” he said. “Cole rode great, Tyler’s always right there, and the younger guys are coming on fast. Then you put 17,000 people in the stands, and it raises the level for everybody.”
For Cal Poly, the event represented more than just a one-night competition. It was part of a broader effort to bring high-level western sports to campus and connect the rodeo program with a larger audience.
“This is exactly what we hoped it could be,” said Cal Poly representative Ben Londo. “We had BFO’s top athletes, a packed stadium, and the crowd was engaged the entire time. It shows what this sport can look like at a high level.”
Londo said the response from both students and the local community exceeded expectations.
“The energy was there from the start,” he said. “People here understand rodeo and western sports, but this introduces them to something a little different. It’s fast, technical, and it holds your attention.”
The event also served as an entry point for many in attendance who were seeing freestyle bullfighting for the first time, with the format and pace translating well to a stadium environment.
For BFO, the success of the Cal Poly event adds to a growing list of large-scale shows and reinforces the organization’s ability to draw significant crowds outside of its traditional markets.
About Bullfighters Only (BFO)
Founded in 2015, Bullfighters Only is the world’s leading freestyle bullfighting league and the premier professional organization for the sport. BFO hosts international competitions featuring elite athletes from North America, Europe, and Latin America. The organization has paid more than $3 million in prize money while helping transform freestyle bullfighting into a modern global action sport.