A Brazilian rodeo rider was stamped to death by a bull in front of his horrified wife — just one month after their wedding — in footage that has gone viral after being livestreamed to thousands of online viewers.
Rafael Silvio Oliveira, 32 and a father of two, was competing at the Votu International Rodeo in São Paulo, Brazil, when the fatal accident occurred on Sunday night. Footage shows him clinging desperately to the back of a raging bull before being violently bucked through the air and hurled headfirst toward the ground. The animal then stamps directly onto his torso. Fellow cowboys rushed in immediately to distract the bull as emergency medical staff attended to Oliveira at the scene.
He was transferred by ambulance to Santa Casa Hospital in Votuporanga, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
His wife, Anna Correa — who had married the rodeo star only last month — was seen being led away from the arena by event organisers following the incident. She later posted an emotional video on Instagram thanking supporters for their messages of condolence.
Event organisers issued a statement expressing their grief. “It is with deep sorrow that the organisation of the Votu International Rodeo 2026 received the news of the death of athlete Rafael Silvio Oliveira,” it read. “The organisation expresses its solidarity with Rafael Silvio’s family members, friends and teammates during this moment of grief and reaffirms that it continues to provide all necessary assistance to the athlete’s loved ones. He was promptly assisted by the multidisciplinary health team at the event and transferred by ambulance to hospital, where he died. Our most sincere condolences.”
The footage, which had been livestreamed online at the time of the accident, spread rapidly across social media. One viewer wrote: “I was watching the livestream, everything was so tense. What a sad ending. May God, in His infinite goodness, comfort his wife and children.”
The tragedy is not the first of its kind. Last October, 18-year-old farm worker Kaiky Ferreira da Silva suffered fatal injuries after being thrown from a bull during a similar event. He smashed his head against the animal’s back while trying to stay mounted before crashing to the ground, lying motionless as bystanders desperately tried to bring the bull under control. He died in hospital nearly a week later.
