Kristopher Buffalo is the son of Kirk Buffalo & Pam Tailfeathers (Buffalo) of the Samson Cree Nation and Blood Tribe of Standoff. Kris is a Professional Freestyle Bull Fighter which is very different from the Protective Bull Fighting, because not only is he not wearing protective gear, it is his job to get as close as he can to the bull, by dance around it and try not get trampled or tossed by the bull for 60 whole seconds. I had the chance to sit down and meet with Kris for an interview and he is a very nice and humble man, I asked him “since you won the PBR Bull Fighters Only (BFO) inaugural
event in Red Deer a couple weeks ago, has it opened up the doors to your popularity and to your career as a bull fighter?” he simply replied “Um, I guess, it’s kind of more a less I got more exposed to it, there has been a lot more sponsorship that has followed up with this, and like I said I’ve been exposed through the INFR now,and it’s just kind of more of a international thing now rather than just being known through the all native circuits, so yes, it has really taken off in that aspect”. He won the BFO freestyle event with 84 points. I also asked Kris “Do you hope one day you can make the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) in Las Vegas for freestyle bull fighting?” he replied with a chuckle and said “Well I didn’t even expect to be on the Bull Fighters Only Tour, that was the main thing, I had more goals of filling my CPRA card and then eventually getting my PBR membership through the Bull Fighters. I didn’t expect my bull fighting to take me to where I am today”. For any great role model there is something they all have in common and that’s giving back to the community where they were born and raised. Every Thursday night you will see Kristopher at the Rough stock program they have at the Panee Agriplex, where people from all over Alberta and Saskatchewan bring their bulls and horses to practice their skills to be better at the sport of Rodeo. I asked Kristopher during the interview “is there anything you want to say from a personal note to the youth and the rest of the community” he seemed happy that I finally asked him this particular question and he replied with a smile “Not quitting in anything you want to do, having those dreams and never giving up on them, because you never know what to expect with what you can accomplish and what opportunities are out there
for anything to put your mind to”. Kris is by far the most humble, nice and caring person I have ever had the opportunity to sit down and talk with, the way he carries himself and always perseveres through anything whether it’s a problem in life or a thousand pound bull chasing him around for 60 seconds, he always finds a way and personally, I think he is an amazing role model for the youth for not only Samson Cree Nation, but all Maskwacis, because he represents us and what more could you ask for? he’s a great talent and a great person.
