ProRodeo Sports News - Feb. 17, 2023

prospective fighters. A good friend made sure Webster had the painted bull, ‘Nation’ for short, for his lessons. That is the bull that injuredWebster, the pain a gift that led him to his cancer discovery. “Nation is still at the ranch with the ladies,” Webster said with a laugh. And it was his friend Stanley English who helped steer Webster’s career. As a teenager, Webster was going back and forth riding calves and steers. “He told me I really needed to decide what I wanted to do,” Webster recalled. English, Webster relayed, passed away from testicular cancer. It has made Webster more grateful for his path back to the arena. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it is estimated that between 8,000 to 10,000 men will develop testicular cancer annually. The cure rate is roughly 95 percent for all men, especially for those who find out early. “With my platform I have, I can’t stress enough that early detection is the biggest key,” Webster said.

happy place. I was craving getting back out there.” It makes sense when you look at Webster’s schedule. While he ranches and raises calves, Webster logged 182 performances involving 5,500 bulls during the 2022 season. When he returned last month, the reality of his journey clobbered him over the head. “The whole thing from the time I found out to getting back in shape, there was some real mental and physical wear and tear. I had butterflies that night,” Webster said. “I felt like a young kid again. Everything felt really fast. But in San Antonio, I started getting my groove back and I felt like was I getting back to my ‘A’ game.” WatchWebster’s highlights, and it’s impossible not to be impressed with his athleticism and technique. He fights bulls for a living. But one special bull

“To be back out there competing, it has meant everything. I have been underneath a couple of bulls since I have come back. I have made a couple of saves. I am telling you, it really just makes you feel alive.” – CODY WEBSTER

“If you are feeling off, get it checked out. Checking early is your friend.” From a diagnosis in late December to surgery a few days later, Webster sat out only four weeks before returning to Sacramento followed by his current run at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. “It might have been a little fast for my comeback,” Webster admitted, while crediting his wife Ashley for his successful return. “But that arena is my

kept him living his dream. “Everything has been clear and clean with my checkups. I have been working out. It’s a blessing,” Webster said. “To be back out there competing, it has meant everything. I have been underneath a couple of bulls since I have come back. I have made a couple of saves. I am telling you, it really just makes you feel alive.”

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee Cody Webster shares a light moment during the 2022 Wrangler NFR presented by Teton Ridge in Las Vegas. Webster is one of the top bullfighters all time in the PRCA.

ProRodeo Sports News 2/17/2023

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