ProRodeo Sports News - June 11, 2021

Molalla, Ore., not far from his home in Terrebonne. But within six months, the pain was back, this time in the right hip. “They thought the right would be OK, but it started hurting and I couldn’t sleep,” Cardoza said. Doctors hoped to avoid another full replacement but that wasn’t the case. Cardoza had the right hip done on Sept. 27, 2019. “I really didn’t want to have the first one done,” Cardoza said. “But it was way better ... it was immediate relief, and the surgery was pretty easy. They had me up walking as soon as the spinal block was off, and I went home the next morning.” He was 32 years old at the time of the first surgery. “Of course, I was pretty young for someone having hip replacement surgery,” joked Cardoza, now 34.

standings in all-around. He’s won titles at numerous major PRCA rodeos. “My favorite is definitely Pendleton (Round-Up),” Cardoza said without hesitation when asked of his personal highlights. “I won that one twice. And the Canadian Finals, Dustin (Bird) and I won the year end there one year. We also won San Antonio.” Roping in 2021 with Brandon Beers, Cardoza was 41st in the world standings as of June 1. The pair picked up second in Redmond, Ore., in March and won a go- round at the Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo in April. He’s also tie-down roping again. “I’ve got a good, young tie-down horse, so I’m still entering the tie-down some,” Cardoza said. Cardoza is going to try and get the most out of his new hips. “I still want to do it all, but the more active you are, the quicker you wear things out,” said Cardoza, who doesn’t expect to steer wrestle much. “They said I should be able to get 15-20 years out of these hips.”

ABOUT RUSSELL AGE: 34 HOMETOWN: Terrebonne, Ore. EVENTS: Team roping heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, steer roping CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 6-time NFR qualifier, 2009 National Circuit Finals Rodeo Champ (with BJ Campbell), multiple Columbia River Circuit titles

His only sanctioned rehab was walking as much as possible. But, as with the first replacement, Cardoza was riding again within weeks. He hit a few winter rodeos in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic shelved the rodeo season for a couple months. Cardoza spent the rest of the year close to home. Now, just over a year removed from the second surgery, Cardoza is back to full speed, training horses, branding and planning another run at the NFR. Cardoza roped at the NFR in 2009-10, 2012 and 2015-17. He’s won multiple Columbia River Circuit titles in the all-around (he also competes in steer roping) and team roping and has finished as high as fifth in the world

For the remainder of the 2021 season, Cardoza and Beers are planning to hit the road hard in hopes of making the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas in December. “We’ve got a little won, so we’re going,” Cardoza said. “We’re entered at Reno and over the Fourth. If we do well, we’ll keep going. “If not, we’ll come home and rodeo around here and I’ll keep riding outside horses.”

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ProRodeo Sports News 6/11/2021

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