ProRodeo Sports News -- May 24, 2024

SHORT ROUND

Eight-time NFR qualifier Erickson out after surgery Sidelined

T y Erickson, a 2019 PRCA World last month. The 33-year-old broke his left ankle and snapped the tendons during a run on April 26 at the Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo. Erickson hopes to return to action in July and make a run at a third-straight trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “It was kind of a freak deal,” Erickson told the ProRodeo Sports News . “I got off and I guess I got my feet tangled up with the horse’s.” Erickson underwent syndesmosis sur gery to repair the injury on May 8 in Bozeman, Mont. He will miss at least the next seven weeks while recovering in his hometown of Helena, Mont. “The tendons snapped and there was Champion Steer Wrestler, will miss a chunk of the summer run while he recovers from an injury sustained late

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee NFR steer wrestler Ty Erickson will miss a good portion of the summer run while recovering from a broken left ankle that he suffered in Clovis, Calif., April 26.

nothing attached to them,” Erickson said. “My hope and goal is to be back by the Calgary (Stampede) and the NFR Open (in July).” Erickson has qualified for the NFR eight times (2014-19, 2022-23) and finished 11th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings last season. He currently is fourth in the world standings with $53,598 but knows a lot can change between now and the end of the regular

season on Sept. 30. “It’s huge to get back as fast as possible because I’ve had a great start so far this year,” Erickson said. “But there’s so much money to be won that a guy can fall in the standings pretty quickly. I feel like if I can get back for Calgary and the NFR Open then I’ll give myself a pretty good chance to make the NFR.”

NFR qualifier Sonnier’s injury a ‘blessing in disguise’

Bareback rider Kade Sonnier, who finished third in the 2023 PRCA | RAM World Standings, suffered a spiral fracture in his right thumb May 4 and will be sidelined for an extended period of time. The 24-year-old earned $2,020 with his 88.5-point ride on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in Guymon, Okla., May 4, but ran into trouble on the dismount. Sonnier will miss six to eight weeks while recovering and spending time with his newborn

The injury, while not ideal, has given Sonnier the gift of more time with his baby girl Kalgary Anne, born on April 17, and his partner Sonora Schueneman. The Carencro, La., native is currently 19th in the world standings with $30,390. He’s slated to return by the end of June if everything goes right during the recovery process. Sonnier said he’s around $10,000 behind his pace this time last year and hopes to have a strong summer run to make up ground and return to the Wrangler NFR.

Sonnier

daughter. “I’m not exactly sure how it happened,” Sonnier said. “There was a lot going on and it all happened pretty quick. I didn’t feel it break. I was walking out of the arena and my thumb was pretty numb.”

“There’s a lot of money to be won in July,” Sonnier said. “And there’s a lot of money to be won in August, but most people don’t realize it. You can make as much money in August as you can in July. So I’ll get healed up.”

ProRodeo Sports News 5/24/2024

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