ProRodeo Sports News - November 16, 2018

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

OVERCOMING INJURIES Brody Cress had an 86-point ride on Smith, Harper & Morgan’s Midnight Cowboy during the finals at Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days in July. Cress broke his right ankle Aug. 4 and will finally make his return from injury at the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 6-15. Dan Hubbell photo

A trio of injured cowboys are rested, ready to compete Back inAction BY TRACY RENCK F or most cowboys, preparation for the 2018Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is about sharpening their skills before Round 1 at theThomas &Mack Center in Las Vegas, Dec. 6. However, a trio of contestants – saddle bronc rider “I’ve been working out five days a week at the Fit-N-Wise (Rehabilitation and Performance Center in Decatur, Texas),” said Cress, 22. “I just had my 12-week X-rays the first week of November, and my ankle is progressing and my goal is to get back as close to 100 percent by the start of the NFR. I want to get my ankle as healthy as I can, so I don’t have to worry about it when I’m competing at the NFR and it is not a distraction.”

Brody Cress, bareback rider Mason Clements and bull rider Roscoe Jarboe – have used the time off since the PRCA regular season ended Sept. 30 to get back to full strength. Cress enters the Wrangler NFR sixth in the 2018 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $111,588. Clements is 10th in the bareback riding standings with $99,536 and Jarboe is fourth in bull riding with $109,737. Cress, a Hillsdale, Wyo., cowboy, who was second in the Aug. 6 saddle bronc riding PRCA | RAMWorld Standings, broke his right ankle following his 86-point ride on Burch Rodeo’s Professional Lunatic at the Home on the Range Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte, N.D., Aug. 4. Doctors put a plate and six screws in Cress’ fibula. They also fixed the bottom of his tibia where it connects with his ankle.

Cress planned to get on a saddle bronc horse for the first time since his injury about three weeks before the Wrangler NFR. He also broke his right ankle wrestling his freshman year of high school. “I want to get back on some bucking horses, so I can get a feel for things again,” Cress said. “I plan to be in the best shape I’ve ever been in at the NFR, and I will be ready to go when I get there.” Cress had a slew of big wins during the regular season, including Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, July 29, becoming the first saddle bronc rider in 82 years to win Cheyenne Frontier Days two years in a row. Turk Greenough won Cheyenne’s saddle bronc riding in 1935-36. A year ago, Cress made his Wrangler NFR debut and won the average with 841.5 points on 10 head. He finished second in the world standings – $2,651 behind world champion Ryder Wright.

ProRodeo Sports News 11/16/2018

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