Jeremy Sparks knows he can't rodeo forever.

And the sport won't be paying his future bills, either.

With that in mind, the Wyoming bull fighter -- who is showcasing his talent at this week's College National Finals -- has embarked on a new military endeavor with the Wyoming Army National Guard.

"The only trouble with rodeo is, even though you make the pinnacle of the sport, a lot of times when you retire, whether you're a champion or not, you walk away with what you came with," Sparks said. "When they go to quit -- and I don't call it retirement because rodeo doesn't have a retirement plan -- they have nothing."

"So that was really the reason we decided to do this."

Sparks took part in a public swearing-in ceremony -- pledging by oath to defend the constitution of the United States against enemies both foreign and domestic -- that included a national anthem by the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and the showing of a pair of Humvees before Thursday night's performance.

Since joining the Air Force following Sept. 11, 2001, Sparks had been that branch's only professional bull fighter.

Now, he'll hold that title for the National Guard, a move that he's excited about even though it was never anticipated.

"I was going to just separate from the Air Force and rodeo and just represent the state of Wyoming by travelling the United States rodeoing," Sparks said. "[The National Guard asked me to join, and] I got to thinking and praying about it, and I thought I could stay in Wyoming, I could continue to rodeo and I could serve the country.

"I can do everything I've been doing. So it kind of fell into place."

Sparks, who lives with his wife Jamie in Cheyenne, is the officer-in-charge for Wyoming's Yellow Ribbon program, which is designed to support deployed soldiers and their families.

And while bull riders put themselves in danger in a much different way and for very different reasons, Sparks strives to give the same support in the rodeo arena, where he and partner Al Sandvold have helped the CNFR avoid any major injuries this week.

"This week's been pretty good," Sparks said. "I tore a ligament in my finger, which is no big deal, and took a pretty good hookin' Tuesday morning, but that's what I get paid to do. If I didn't take a hookin', I would've been derelict of my duties."

Thus far, he's performed admirably in the arena.

And while his military branch and objectives have changed outside of it, Sparks' goals have never wavered.

"I want to be a cowboy who, when he retires, I can say I had a great time, accomplished my personal goals, but I also did something else with my life," he said. "I want to be more than someone who people say, 'He was an awesome bull fighter.' I want them to say, 'Hey, he was an awesome guy.'"

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

SPARKS TRACKER

INSIDE THE ARENA: Most of the CNFR bull riders have escaped major injury this week thanks in part to the efforts of Jeremy Sparks, one of two bull fighters at the Casper Events Center.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Sparks, who spent nearly a decade in the Air Force, publicly took an oath to join the Army National Guard prior to Thursday's performance.

HE SAID IT: "I want to be more than someone who people say, 'He was an awesome bull fighter.' I want them to say, 'Hey, he was an awesome guy.'" -- Sparks.

FOLLOW HIM: Sparks, the "Bloggin' bull fighter," writes about all of his efforts at bullfighter.blogspot.com.