PRORODEO Sports News - May 17, 2019

PRCA champ Tim O’Connell on mend after NFR injury Recovering SHORT ROUND

R eigning three-time PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider Tim O’Connell said. During Round 10 of the Wrangler NFR, the Iowa cowboy posted an 87-point ride on J Bar J’s All Pink and went home with his third consecutive gold buckle. But the ride also saw him suffer a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. O’Connell has been out of competition and focused on recovery since suffering a shoulder injury at the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “It’s going so-so, I ran into some complications a month ago,”

O’Connell won $132,551 at the Finals and finished the season with $319,801. He also split the average title with Steven Dent, each finishing with 849.5 points on 10 head. It was O’Connell’s third consecutive Wrangler NFR average title. After he Wrangler NFR, O’Connell, 27, had an X-ray and an MRI, with the results sent to Dr. Tandy Freeman of Justin Sportsmedicine. In mid-January, O’Connell announced he was out of competition until summer. Since, he’s been in physical therapy six days a week with sessions lasting three-to-four hours. “Honestly, that was the downfall,” said O’Connell, who earned $8,363 in the fall this season. “I was doing too much too soon, and they said my body reacted, and it locked my shoulder up.” O’Connell had the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo on his radar but wasn’t sure if he’d be ready in time for the ProRodeo Tour event. “I’m really hoping to be back by the Fourth of July,” O’Connell said. “We’ll just see. If I’m at 80% I will (come back). I feel like I can make the Finals if I do the Fourth of July on. If I miss Fourth of July, I’ll rethink the year and wait until I’m 100% to come back.” Four-time PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild is well on his road to recovery after getting injured in the finals at Rodeo Austin (Texas), March 30. Feild, who won four consecutive world titles from 2011-14, had an 87-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Killer Bee but was injured moments after the whistle. Feild, 32, suffered a skull fracture, an inline fracture of his Feild working out again

jaw and inline fracture of his nasal cavity “I went to a brain doctor (at the University of Utah on April 28) and I had great results,” Feild said. “There was no sign of any injury. He told me that I could get back to working out and being active but to go 50 percent and take lots of rest.” Feild is atop the May 16 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $115,965. “My plan is to be in better shape than ever when I come back,” Feild said.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/17/2019

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