M and Ines take part in an alligator wrestling class at Colorado Gators. M pulls a 6-footer out of the water. A TV crew from the Discovery Channel is filming the alligator wrestling class. The alligator wrestling episode aired in the premier of the Discovery Channel's Wreckreation Nation on 1/6/09 at 10pm Eastern. Previews are at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CST4TA-3H1Y and http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/wreckreation-nation-wrecking-reflections.html
M and the 6-footer
M releases the 6-footer.
Students in the alligator wrestling class: Sophia, Ines Hubler, M Hubler, a Rodeo wrestler, Dave Mordal (Discovery Channel's Wreckreation Nation host).
Ines pulls a 6-footer out of the water.
Ines pulls harder when the alligator tries to walk back into the water.
Ines pulls a 6-footer to a spot far enough away from the water.
Ines grabs the neck of the alligator.
Ines has wrestled the 6-footer. Jay, one of the two trainers takes a picture.
Jay checks if the 6-footer is healthy.
Ines on a 6-footer.
M tries to catch a 6-footer - the alligator fights. Jay, one of the two trainers, gives her instructions.
M pulls a 6-foot alligator out of the water.
Near the beach, the alligators holds on to the dirt and resists M, and he is strong.
On land, M has to pull even harder.
M grabs the neck of the alligator.
M wrestles a 6-footer. Noah (trainer) takes a picture.
M has wrestled the 6-footer.
Noah (trainer) and Jay (trainer) check if the alligator has any infections.
Noah and Jay check if the alligator has wounds.
Jay checks the teeth.
M releases the alligator.
All seven students of the alligator wrestingling class are in then 8-footer pen (from left): The Rodeo wrestler and his friend, Dave (Discovery Channel's Wreckreation Nation's host), Sophia, M Hubler, Ines Hubler, Sophia's coach (on an alligator), Noah (trainer at Colorado Gators)
Dave hesitates to wrestle the 8-footer.
Sophia has wrestled an 8-footer. The Rodeo wrestler and Ines hold the tail. Noah helps to lift the head.
This alligator is very peaceful, and Dave overcomes his fear and wrestles it.
Dave has wrestled an 8-footer.
Ines pulls an 8-footer out of the water.
M wrestles the 8-footer. Ines holds the tail.
M wrestles the 8-footer.
M has wrestled the 8-footer.
M releases the 8-footer.
Ines wrestles a vicous 8-footer.
Ines has wrestled the 8-footer, but he starts a fight. This photo shows that M is worried. The two trainers, Noah and Jay, are next to Ines and try to help. The alligator attacks and bites Ines in the face, wiggles, and tries to rip out some flesh. Noah presses the alligator's head against Ines' head, to stop the alligator from pulling on the flesh. Then the alligator opens his mouth the get a better bite. At that instant, Ines frees herself, and Jay, Noah, and the wrestler pull the alligator away. The alligator's second bite misses Ines, and Ines is safe.
Ines is bleeding heavily. Noah and the Rodeo wrestler restrain the alligator. Everybody is afraid that the alligator may have ripped the cheek or other parts of Ines' face from the bone and Jay covers Ines' face. But Ines has only a small triangular section of skin pulled off (1/2 inch in diameter), one deep puncture, where a tooth piered to the bone (1/4 inch in diameter), and a couple of scatches (1/2 inch - 1 inch long). M brings Ines to a quiet place where Jay and M clean the wounds with bleach water. Ines almost faints but then recovers quickly.
Ines with alligator bite
Ines and M complete the class. M has wrestled a 12-footer.
Ines has wrestled a 12-footer, with the marks of a alligator bite in her face.
Ines holding the mouth of a 12-foot alligator. The alligator wrestling episode aired in the premier of the Discovery Channel's Wreckreation Nation on 1/6/09 at 10pm Eastern. Previews are at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CST4TA-3H1Y and http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/wreckreation-nation-wrecking-reflections.html http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/wreckreation-nation-clips-gator-attack-hell.html http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/wreckreation-nation-alligator-face-bite-victim-talks.html http://www.travelchannel.com/Video/dangerous-wrestling-lesson-16521 Ines is mentioned in this NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/arts/television/22genz.html Here are more pics of our adventures: https://picasaweb.google.com/home?hl=en&tab=qq
