The 24-year-old said he lost more than two gallons of blood from the horn wound which severed his small carotid artery, according to the report.

Hundreds of spectators looked on as Zachary Naegel was 'busted' off his animal at the Conley Invitation Bull Riding competition in Palmetto, Florida, USA, on 7 February. The 24-year-old made the 11-hour trek from his home in Amity, Louisiana, to take part in the competition and was left with life-threatening injuries.

In rodeo, horn tipping is standard practice — meaning the bulls’ horns are blunted to lessen, but not eliminate, the chances of riders getting gored. However, that didn’t stop this “freak” accident from occurring.

Naegele has been riding bulls for over nine years and competes in the lower tiers of professional riding. His journey in the sport began at Cross Brand Cowboy Church in Loranger, Louisiana, when he was 15 years old.

Zach Naegele was seconds into his ride at the Conley Invitational Bull Ride in Palmetto Saturday evening when a freak accident nearly killed him. It happened in front of a packed house, and he credits God and first responders,

A fearless rodeo rider in Florida had a close brush with death when the bull he was riding gored him in the neck while being bucked off the beast’s back.

Bull rider Zach Naegele is fortunate to be alive after losing a lot of blood from a freak injury that nearly killed him on the spot.