A RODEO rider was brutally impaled in the neck by a bull leaving him covered in blood in front of horrified fans.

Zachary Naegele, 24, survived the gruesome ordeal at the Conley Invitation Bull Riding Competition in Palmetto, Florida on 7 February.

The rider drove 11 hours from his home in Amity, Louisiana to get to the event, but when he entered the arena on his chosen bull Zachary said he was “busted off” the animal.

Initially he believed he had been hit in the face – moments before blood started quickly gushing out of his neck in front of terrified spectators.

Horrific images show the bull’s left horn puncturing a three-inch hole through the unfortunate rider’s neck and carotid artery.

Zachary, who has been riding for the better part of a decade, said: “At first I didn’t know it impaled me in the neck.

“I saw the blood when I ran away and as soon as I got behind the chute I grabbed my chin because I thought the bull had busted my chin or jaw.

“But when I grabbed my jaw, the blood was still pouring out. If you’ve ever taken a syringe full of water and squirted it, that’s how it looked coming out of my neck.”

Usually, bull horns are tipped in competitions, meaning that they are blunted to lessen the damage they might do if they hit a rider’s neck.

However, it does not completely eliminate the risk of riders being impaled.

Zachary was rushed to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, Florida, where he underwent emergency surgery.

The brave cowboy rode it out despite claims from doctors suggesting that he “shouldn’t have survived his injury” due to the severe amount of blood lost.

After feeling as if he was “slowly dying”, Zachary made a miraculous recovery, was discharged from hospital and is now able to walk, talk and eat on his own.

Despite the near-devastating accident, the bull rider claims the experience has not put him off from wanting to return to the rodeo arena soon.

Zachary added: “During the 20-minute ride to the hospital, I felt myself slowly losing breath and going in and out and slowly dying.”

“I remember them saying they couldn’t feel a pulse in my neck or arm anymore but could feel a pulse in my foot so they kept trying.

“I lost so much blood, I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”

After he was stabilised, Zachary underwent plastic surgery to have his carotid artery rebuilt and nerves in his neck reattached.

Zachary, who has been riding bulls for nearly a decade, said: “It was more surprising [when I woke up] as I didn’t think I was going to make it.”

A spokesperson for Conley Invitational Bull Riding said: “We’re incredibly grateful that Zachary is safe and on the road to recovery.

“Bull riding is a sport of unmatched skill, courage, and unpredictability, and while injuries are an unfortunate reality, the resilience of athletes like Zachary is truly inspiring.

“At the Conley Invitational Bull Riding, contestant safety is always our top priority. We’re thankful for the swift response of our experienced professionals and medical team, whose dedication helps keep our riders as safe as possible.”

You can donate to Zachary’s GoFundMe page here: