Not everyone would consider a season-ending injury that cost you a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo lucky but bareback rider Ty Breuer was able to see the silver lining in how his 2020 season ended.
“It happened in Logan, Utah, and I was actually lucky when and where it happened,” Breuer said of the completely torn bicep on his (right) riding arm which was surgically repaired on Aug. 8, 2020. “They were able to fix it in less than 12 hours. They told me the longer it takes to get it fixed, the tougher it can be to stretch it all the way back out.”
Breuer missed the final two months of the 2020 season but still finished 14th in the final regular season PRCA | RAM World standings, qualifying him for his sixth NFR. He’d planned to return for the NFR but didn’t feel ready, so he opted not to compete.
Watching the NFR from his couch in Mandan, N.D., was a great motivator.
“I was just feeding cows and watching from home,” Breuer chuckled. “It just makes you hungrier for the next year.”
Breuer scored his first big win of the 2021 season at the Pro Rodeo Tour stop at the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo on May 14 after tying the arena record previously set by Richmond Champion with an 88-point trip aboard Four Star Rodeo’s Deep Springs.
“I had been on that horse maybe five or six years ago when Barnes owned him, and I was pretty happy to have my name drawn next to his.”
In addition to earning important ProRodeo Tour points, Breuer more than doubled his season earnings with a $4,618 check. Breuer has only competed in a handful of events this year, beginning with his first time on a bucking horse since August at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City in February.
“It took a while,” Breuer said of getting his timing back. “Anytime you’re coming back from an injury you’re thinking about it.”
“It takes a couple to get that out of your mind.”
Breuer and traveling partner Tanner Aus plan to crank it up as summer approaches with the goal, as always, another trip to the NFR.
“As long as everyone is healthy and drawing good horses, we’ll keep going,” Breuer said.
Leaving home is harder than it used to be, though. Breuer and wife Kelli have two young children, daughter Kayd and son Treyt as well as a third due near the end of June.
“It’s hard to leave but it’s cool now that they get to watch on the Cowboy Channel,” Breuer noted, adding the youngsters don’t come on the road much. “We don’t hardly even take them to town . . . they’re pretty wild!”
Mostly, Breuer is enjoying competing again and having a regular rodeo schedule compared to a year ago.
“It feels good to be rodeoing like normal,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting in the riggin’ and going.”
In addition to Breuer, Kirk Thomson set a record for the saddle bronc riding, besting the old mark held by Jake Watson by half a point after winning the rodeo with his 87.5-point ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Pearl Necklace.
Other winners at the $176,177 rodeo were all-around cowboy CJ DeForest Jr. ($1,177, tie down and team roping); steer wrestler Josh Garner (8.6 seconds on two head); team ropers Jack Graham/Calgary Smith (11.5 seconds on two head); tie-down roper Kincade Henry (17.8 seconds on two head); barrel racer Katie Pascoe (17.18 seconds); and bull rider Garrett Smith (90.5 points on Corey & Lange’s Billy Hell).
Article Courtesy of the PRCA
