Amina Bjelic, a 14-year-old from Olovo, is the youngest conditioning trainer of fighting bulls in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). She breaks the stereotype that this job is “reserved” for men, and in an interview, she spoke about her love for these animals.
She is the daughter of Habib Bjelic, a well-known enthusiast of fighting bulls, who is called the “alpha and omega” of the Cevljani bullfights. She is proud that she has combined strength, beauty, and tradition.
“Since I was little, I was surrounded by bulls and training. It’s part of my childhood. Honestly, at first, I looked at it as a hobby, but over time it became more than that – a way of life. When I saw how much effort, love, and discipline this job requires, I decided to dedicate myself to it seriously,” she said.
She described what one of her ordinary days looks like. She wakes up early because caring for bulls requires routine.
“First, I check their diet and condition, then come the training sessions, which differ depending on the stage of preparation. The afternoon is usually reserved for cleaning, taking care of the equipment, and planning the coming days. It’s physically demanding work, but also very fulfilling,” she explained.
The most important thing her father taught her was respect for the animals.
“A bull is not a machine for victories, but a living being that feels and reacts to the trainer’s energy. He also taught me patience – that results only come if you are consistent and love what you do,” she said.
Her goal is to show that women can also be strong, brave, and successful.
When asked how she fights against prejudice toward women who decide to dedicate their lives to training bulls, she replied:
“Honestly, prejudices still exist, but I don’t allow them to discourage me. The best way to break them is to show knowledge and results. When people see dedication and seriousness, the stereotypes slowly disappear. I think everyone has the right to do what they love, regardless of gender.”
Women are slowly “taking over” this field. Besides Amina Bjelic, Martina Batista from Busovaca also trains bulls. Last year, a short documentary about Martina titled “Sve zbog jednog bika” (All Because of a Bull) was shown at the AJB DOC film festival in Sarajevo. It was directed by Emir Solakovic. Amina believes that in the coming years, the presence of women in this line of work will become a completely normal thing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
“More and more women are getting involved in various traditionally ‘male’ jobs, and that’s a sign of progress. I think that in the future it will be completely normal to see women in the arena or at bull training sessions, because love for this job has no gender,” she said.
She trains, hugs, kisses, and respects these animals because only that way can a true fighting champion be made.
Amina takes her bulls, Medonja II and Divljacic, to bullfights. She says the biggest challenge is to understand each bull individually.
“Each one has its own temperament and rhythm. It takes a lot of patience to recognize what suits it and how to get the maximum without forcing it. It’s also physically demanding, but when you see progress, it’s all worth it,” she said.
She also talked about how her peers react when she tells them what she does.
“At first, many were surprised, some even skeptical. There were also strange comments, but over time, people started to respect what I do. Today I mostly get support and positive reactions, especially when they see how seriously I approach my work,” she concluded, Klix.ba writes.
