Fifteen years! This is the time that Neyliowan Tomazeli, champion of Barretos in 1999, has been away from the arenas. Determined and opinionated, there is no doubt that if he were still riding today, he would certainly be giving a lot of trouble to this new generation of competitors and taking many prizes home.
For seven years, the time he spent competing in rodeos, Neyliowan carved his name into the history of bull riding. He was one of the few competitors who stopped riding after winning everything he aimed for.
Get to know the story of the bull Bandido
His brilliant career, which was not only about glory, began for fun at a rodeo in 1997. The boy who was barely a teenager rode for the first time and did well. He even took home a brand new motorcycle. The achievement gave him the breath and desire, a strong desire to continue. In 1999, he emerged from anonymity after winning in the most famous arena in Latin America: Barretos. It was the first time he rode there and, just like in his first rodeo, he won.
After winning the title, he traveled to the United States. As expected, he also won at his first rodeo there. Neyliowan only did not compete in the world final because he did not participate in all the stages. However, in the land of ‘Uncle Sam’, he took home many prizes and money. But since life in the United States was quite difficult and the cold ‘cut him in half’, he decided to return and compete only in Brazil.
New directions
Back home, Neyliowan ‘went for it’ against the bulls, even when injured. He recalls that once, in the semifinals of a rodeo, the bull stepped on his leg. At that time, another competitor could not ride in his place. So, in the final, the boys helped him climb onto the chute and then onto the bull.
Neyliowan was never afraid. Not even after being thrown into the air by the bull Bandido. It was at the Jaguariúna Rodeo in 2001, an event that was quite popular at the time. In the fall, he broke his spine and was out for nine months. But the scene paid off.
Because of this ride, Neyliowan was invited to participate in the soap opera América. “André Dias [from Rede Globo] called me, invited me to participate in the soap opera. Then I thought ‘why not?’ I went from São José do Rio Preto to São Paulo and from there to Rio de Janeiro,” he recalls. At the airport, he was welcomed by the director of 
TV.
“André was waiting for me and I asked him where I would stay. When I found out I would be staying in a hotel with an elevator, I told him I was taking the plane back. Then André took me to his house. I stayed 15 days in Rio, got to know Projac, the artists.”
Neyliowan and Bandido faced each other again at the Barretos rodeo in 2003. This time he stayed 5.2 seconds on the animal. “I remember tying my hand and even joked not to tighten the saddle too much. I asked to open the gate and he made a very difficult jump and fell. I had time to think ‘will he throw me up again?’ But, thank God, the Lifeguard helped me get out. I remember telling the owner that I would ride him again in the next round if I could.”
Unusual character
In the sport of bull riding, Neyliowan was authentic in his opinions. He was not afraid, and he wasn’t, even after another serious accident in 2004. He was at a rodeo in Guararapes/SP and sensed something strange at the beginning. He even considered not riding, but he went ahead. On Sunday, he was in first place, and drew the bull Jogo Bruto, an undefeated animal. In this ride, the competitor was gored in the head, which resulted in a clot and 11 days in a coma.
“I fell to the ground and went to the other life. Our Lady came down to me and said ‘son, who takes care of you now is me, do not despair.’ After 11 days, the image of Jesus appeared and said I could come back. I was up there. I don’t like to talk about this because it’s a secret between me and God. I only talk about it because there are many people who do not believe in Him, but He really exists.”
Twenty days after the accident, Neyliowan was already back at the farm working and riding bulls, naturally. He stopped competing in 2004 when he felt it was time. “My career started from nothing and took me to everything. Everything I could have won in rodeos, I won. My only goal was to win. My father was happy when I arrived with a motorcycle on top of the truck.”
Retirement
Today, at 42 years old, he shares that from time to time, when he feels a ‘tingling’ in his legs from the desire to ride, he himself closes a bull in the farm, tightens the rope, pulls the saddle, opens the gate, and goes out. Guess what? He stops. The bull has no chance against Neyliowan’s talent.
The former competitor, who was afraid of planes, elevators, and sometimes even people, was not afraid of riding bulls. He turned that into the best thing he could have done in life, his profession. He won all the important rodeos and proved to himself that he was capable. In total, there were 11 cars, 29 motorcycles, two trucks, in addition to the cash prizes.
CARLA PRADO
Journalist
carlaecomunicacao@gmail.com