ProRodeo Sports News, June 1, 2018

Tie-down roper on comeback trail after hip surgery New Shade of Gray

BY TRACY RENCK I n April 2017, veteran tie-down roper AdamGray was at a crossroads in his rodeo career. The Texas cowboy and four-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was hampered by a nagging left hip injury that was caused by years of roping. After seeing several doctors, hip replacement surgery was recommended. Gray didn’t like that option. “I had a couple of fractures in my left hip and I had a large bone mass on the end of my ball joint which was coming in contact with my hip socket which had the fractures,” said Gray, 34. After seeking more opinions, Gray opted for another plan. “I found a surgeon who said he could fix hips without replacing them as long as the problem is with the ball,” said Gray, who made the Wrangler NFR in 2009, 2011-12 and 2014. “I had the surgery in April of 2017. When I started roping six months after the surgery, it didn’t really feel good and I was regretting having the surgery, but once I was around the year mark frommy surgery I started feeling better.”

The recovery was a slow process, but now, 13 months removed from the procedure Gray appears to be back in top form. GRAY FINDS GROOVE IN REDDING Gray won the prestigious Redding (Calif.) Rodeo for the first time in his career with an 18.2-second time in the two-head average. “This win was gratifying,” Gray said. “You always wonder after (having surgery) if you are going to be the same and you’re going to compete at the same level you did before. The two years I struggled with the injury in 2015 and 2016, I finished 17th (in the world standings) and I realized things weren’t good the way they were, and I needed surgery.” Gray put himself in position to win the Redding title by winning the first round in 8.7 seconds. He followed that run with a 9.5-second effort during the May 18 night performance. His average time held by one-tenth of a second over Jordan Ketscher to capture the title. “I had a good calf in the first round and made the best run I could,” Gray said. “After I made my second run, I didn’t know if it would hold (for the win). You just never know with rodeo. There are times when I have set times that I

TOPS AT REDDING — May 17-19

ALL-AROUND COWBOY Jordan Ketscher $4,062

BAREBACK RIDING 1. Bill Tutor ................................ 87.5 pts. 2. (tie) Kaycee Feild .......................... 85.5 Orin Larsen ................................... 85.5 4. Clayton Biglow ................................. 85

STEER WRESTLING 1. Ty Erickson .................. 8.8 sec. on two 2. Nick Guy ......................................... 9.5 3. Tanner Milan ................................... 9.6 4. Taylor Gregg ................................... 9.8

TEAM ROPING 1. (tie) Williams/Minton . 14.8 sec. on two A. Macy/W. Cox ............................ 14.8 J. Flenniken/J. Minor .................... 14.8 4. C. McKoen/Q. Patzke .................... 15.8

Tie-down roping and team roping

ProRodeo Sports News 6/1/2018

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