Professional bull riding is the most dangerous sport in the world. Injuries are far more common than 90-point rides.

The danger and the elite level of competition make Sean Willingham’s 200 consecutive Built Ford Tough Series events all the more special.

“It’s just wild that I’ve been to 200 events consecutive without missing an event,” he said. “That’s just crazy. That’s unheard of in the sport of bull riding, as tough as it is.”

Willingham, 29, hasn’t missed an event since the final regular-season performance of the 2004 season.

“I get to show up every weekend and do my job,” said Willingham. “I love riding bulls, and it’s just great knowing I’ve been to 200 events, and I hope I keep it going.”

He has a career riding average of 44.5 percent, and has been close to the cut line a few times, but has been fortunate enough to stay relatively healthy throughout his career. He’s competed with a broken wrist, and he’s ridden through a pulled groin and broken ribs.

“That’s part of bull riding,” said Willingham, who credits the streak to staying in shape. “You have to fight through the injuries and still ride.

“Once you’re in shape, your bones and your muscles heal quicker, because you’re always being active and you’re always using them and working them out and doing other stuff, and it helps with the bull riding.”

Willingham regularly works out on his own and with the help of two personal trainers, one of whom happens to be his sister. Along with cardio and weight training, he’s also done yoga to improve his flexibility.

He said there is no one workout that replicates the stress of bull riding.

Any rider who takes time off – be it for injuries or the break between seasons – will be sore once he returns, but a well-rounded workout goes a long way toward keeping riders in top physical condition throughout the year.

”You need to work out to stay in shape,” Willingham said. It cuts down on a lot of injuries if you’re in better shape.

“In anything you do, you want to stay healthy and live a long life. Riding bulls is a dangerous sport. … The healthier you are, the longer your career will be. That’s why I’m here today.”

To put Willingham’s streak in perspective, it’s been six and a half years since he last missed an event.

During the streak, he’s gotten on more than 550 bulls on the BFTS level, which doesn’t even take into account the hundreds of others he’s faced at Touring Pro events during the summer breaks.

J.W. Hart’s record of 197 events in a row was once thought unattainable, but Willingham is now 75 events shy of Luke Snyder’s streak of 275, which was snapped a year ago when he failed to qualify for the Iron Cowboy Invitational.

Willingham, who has twice finished the season ranked in the Top 10, would have to continue competing until near the end of the 2013 season to set a new all-time mark.

“Shoot, I don’t even want to try and think about it,” said Willingham, who has missed only five events in his entire professional career. “That’s a long time. That’s a crazy record, and nobody ever thought anybody would have broken J.W. Hart’s record.

“I plan on still being here then and until a few years after that still riding. We’ll see.”

— by Keith Ryan Cartwright