5 ANIMALS ARE ATHLETES, TOO Rafter G Rodeo, the producer of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo for more than 40 years, is not only in the business of rodeo,it’s in the livestock breeding business as well. Under the management of Jim Gay, the company also raises rough stock, including bucking horses and bulls, to become the animal athletes needed for the rigors of rodeo competition. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are invested each year in the rodeo stock industry, making these hooved athletes extremely valuable to those who care for them. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has established 60 rules to which rodeos must comply in order to maintain their status as a sanctioned event. Fall short, and sanctioning could be in jeopardy. For Gay, that means going above and beyond the rules to ensure all of his stock is in the best condition possible. “We contract with a number of stock producers to provide the amount of stock we’ll need for the length of the rodeo,” said Gay. “This rodeo should have the best stock available – National Finals calibre stock, and that’s what these cowboys have come to expect. So, there is a significant responsibility in caring for these animals, keeping them healthy and in great shape. These animals may only work eight seconds in a day, but we work all of their lives to keep them healthy.” Producers and rodeos are required to be familiar with all 60 rules; rules the Fort Worth Stock Show follows to the letter. Significant is providing equipment meant to maintain animal health, including protective headgear for team roping steers, straps that are neoprene or fleece lined for rough stock and chutes designed for animal safety. Even the walls of Dickies Arena are designed to absorb an impact and no major injuries have occurred since its first installation in Will Rogers Coliseum in 2018. Should an animal be injured, a veterinarian is on standby to assess the injury and provide necessary treatment. Furthermore, the PRCA judges in the arena are required to ensure that contestants adhere to the rules as well. Spurs must be dull and tie-down ropers are assessed fines if they jerk a calf over backwards and contestants can be called for “unnecessary roughness” and disqualified or fined if they abuse an animal, in or out of the arena. When an athlete is injured, the response is pre-planned and makes for a calm approach, which helps calm the injured rider. “Calm is contagious. If we stay calm, the rider stays calm,” said Freeman. “Every time somebody gets hurt, and depending on the injury, there is a system of triage to decide whether the rider goes straight to an ambulance or comes back to the training room,” said Rich. There is never a hurry to get the rider out the arena, but at the same time, there is usually no reason to assess the injury in the arena. “The rider’s safety is paramount. So it’s not about how fast we need to get them out of there. It’s about what we need to do to safely extract them,” said Freeman. “Now that said, there are a lot of things that could be done, but with really no reason to do it in the arena, we take them back to the training room. On the other hand, if you’ve got an athlete who is impaired, they’re unconscious or whatever the issue is, it’s paramount that he’s stabilized enough to transport him safely to where he needs to be.” In the 2020 rodeo alone, the team treated 262 contestants, including 59 new injuries, during the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament. “We actually keep a log of ‘body parts’ we treat as well, so that year we addressed 439 areas with 745 treatments, and provided tape to 209 contestants we have taught to tape themselves,” said Rich. Tom Feller, director of event marketing for Justin Boots, noted that John Justin, who first volunteered as an usher for the Stock Show, would be proud of what the program that bears his name has accomplished. “The way Mr. Justin conducted his life and continues to support the community through the Jane and John Justin Foundation is really about who they were,” said Feller. “John and Jane were always very, very giving — always concerned about giving back. That goes back to his grandfather who started the company. He said he wanted to leave behind an institution that would uphold the spirit and standards of the true West. Even with Mr. Justin gone, we continue to carrying out his wishes.” Six-Time PRCA World Champion Bull Rider Sage Kimzey receives therapeutic support from the Justin SportsMedicine Team.
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