It's a stern reminder that tragedy can strike anyone. He was a world champion. He rode so good. That just goes to show it could happen to anybody, not just amateurs and first-timers. But any time bull riders speak about their sport's inherent dangers, they almost always try to justify them.
Rationalization is a common defense for bull riders.
The automobile analogy is common among them. I have more friends I can count on two hands that have been seriously hurt or killed in car wrecks. But no matter how many examples a cowboy can give, the average sports fan still has trouble figuring out why they risk their lives for so little money, at least compared to other peril-ridden sports such as auto racing and boxing. The Professional Bull Riders tour can double income, but the sum still falls short of the millions earned in other dangerous sports. It's hard to explain to the everyday Joe.