Photo by Mike Lamb Lonnie Schrunk, Tucker Schrunk, Carson Javers and Tori Braaten posed with the buckles they received at Saturday’s ranch rodeo during Russell Bandwagon Days. The ranch rodeo focuses on events using ranching skills like sorting and penning cattle. See parade photos on page 6B.

RUSSELL — Events at Bandwagon Days brought plenty of excitement to Russell over the weekend — but not all of it was planned.

Toward the end of Saturday night’s bull riding event, a bull escaped from the enclosures set up off of Highway 23 in Russell.

The bull jumped up and over a fence in a movement that Russell Mayor Hilary Buchert said almost looked like a high jump in track and field.

“Everyone started running one way, and the bull started running the other way,” Buchert said.

No one in the crowd was injured, but the community is still on the lookout for the bull, she said.

“Our biggest concern was just keeping everyone safe,” Buchert said. The bull ran into Russell and through the city park before leaving town and heading in the direction of Camden State Park, she said.

As of Monday afternoon, the bull had still not been found, Buchert said. She said she put messages out encouraging the public to contact the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office immediately if they see the bull. They should not try to chase or shoot the missing bull, she said.

Other events during Bandwagon Days went off without a hitch. Earlier on Saturday, competitors gathered for a ranch rodeo in Russell. A ranch rodeo focuses on skills used in cattle ranching, like roping, sorting and penning cattle. Teams participating in the rodeo race to have the best time in the events.

Lonnie Schrunk, one of the competitors in this year’s ranch rodeo, said doing well takes lots of teamwork between cowboys and horses.

“You ride together and you learn,” Schrunk said. “You’ve got to read cattle, and get your horse to be reading the same cow you’re reading. It’s all teamwork.”