ProRodeo Sports News June 14th, 2019

Injured and out SHORT ROUND

Branquinho’s 2019 season ends after knee injury

L uke Branquinho, a five-time PRCA Steer Wrestling World Champion, had his season come to an early conclusion June 2 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a run at the Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo, a ProRodeo Tour stop. “A steer came over my leg, and I’ve been to enough rodeos to know what happened,” Branquinho said about the injury.

Branquinho

Branquinho, who won world titles in 2004, 2008, 2011-12 and 2014, is scheduled to have surgery June 19 in Dallas. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Tandy Freeman of Justin Sportsmedicine. Branquinho was 32nd in the June 13 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $22,423. Branquinho, who has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 14 times – 2001-04, 2006-15 – expects to be sidelined until October. “The last three years it is kind of what has been going on with me (battling injuries),” said Branquinho, 38. “I’m hoping this is the end of it.” In 2018, Branquinho suffered a left biceps injury and in 2017 he was sidelined with a rotator cuff injury. Branquinho has 25 round wins at the Wrangler NFR, the most of any steer wrestler in PRCA history. Veteran saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz’s journey to qualify for his seventh Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has hit a detour. The Desdemona, Texas, cowboy had surgery for a sports hernia May 30 in Philadelphia performed by Dr. William Meyers. Diaz expects to be out of action at least eight weeks. “My groin and lower abdomen both tore off my pelvis,” said Diaz, 32. “I irritated it back in Mercedes (Texas) in March, and it seemed like it was getting worse all spring and then it was getting better. It was back and forth, but I was riding (May 19) and I heard it pop like four times before I could get off the horse.” Diaz

Surgery sidelines saddle bronc rider Diaz

Diaz was 11th in the June 13 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $52,520. Diaz has qualified for the Wrangler NFR six times – 2007, 2009, 2012-13, 2015 and 2018. He finished a career-best sixth in the 2016 world standings. Diaz placed eighth last year. Although Diaz is going to be sidelined, he’s optimistic the injury will not ruin his season plans. “I don’t have any doubts whatsoever that I

can make the NFR,” Diaz said. “I’m hooked up with physical therapist Brad Bettis and told him I want to be back in eight weeks at the latest. He’s going to push me as hard as he can. I’m hoping to be back for Dodge City (Kan., July 31-Aug. 4).”

ProRodeo Sports News 6/14/2019

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