BANDON, OR — In a bold move that has marine biologists questioning their life choices, a new Oregon Coast attraction is allowing visitors to “saddle up” and ride dolphins like aquatic cowboys.
The park, officially named Flipper Junction Adventure Park, opened this week to massive crowds of tourists eager to slap on a wetsuit and live out their inner rodeo fantasies atop a surprisingly tolerant bottlenose dolphin.
“This is the Wild West meets Wild Ocean,” said park owner Randy McMurtry, as he adjusted a custom leather saddle labeled Sea Biscuit 2.0. “Our dolphins aren’t just animals—they’re partners in adventure. And sure, maybe they’re unionizing, but that’s a tomorrow problem.”
Park guests are first trained on mechanical dolphins in a practice pool before being escorted into the open ocean by staff dressed as rodeo clowns in snorkels. The standard 30-minute ride includes “beginner tricks” like dolphin backflips, underwater spins, and the extremely controversial “Texas Twister” maneuver, in which the dolphin spins so fast the rider gets disoriented and vomits directly into the Pacific.
“It was magical,” said Karen Halloway, 42, still dripping wet from her dolphin ride. “I’ve ridden horses before, but this was different. You really bond with the dolphin as it hurls you off into the waves at 30 mph.”
Not everyone is thrilled. Environmental groups have condemned the park, claiming the dolphins are being overworked and deserve “basic rights, like weekends off and control over their Spotify playlists.”
But McMurtry insists the animals are treated with the utmost care. “These dolphins love it. You should see them at dawn—they’re lined up at the dock, chomping at the bit for their first riders. Well, maybe not ‘chomping’ because they don’t have bits. But you get the idea.”
The park also offers premium packages, including:
- The Flipper Rodeo: A timed event where riders attempt to stay mounted for a full eight seconds.
- Dolphin Drift Racing: For adrenaline junkies with no regard for marine life or personal safety.
- BYOS (Bring Your Own Saddle) Days: For guests who “want a more personal connection.”
Despite the backlash, Flipper Junction Adventure Park has already sold out bookings for the next six months. Plans are in the works to open a second location in Seaside offering orca rides for “advanced-level cowboys.”
“People can say what they want,” McMurtry said with a shrug. “But once you’ve wrangled a dolphin through the Oregon surf, you’ll never want to sit on a boring old horse again.”
