Proctor Fights through Torn Groin; Enjoying Rodeo Run
By: Justin Felisko
June 20, 2018
Shane Proctor competed at Chad Berger’s $100,000 Match of Champions with an injured groin. Photo: Andy Watson/BullStockMedia.com.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Shane Proctor was packing up his gear bag at the Reno Rodeo last Thursday as the pain in his left groin continued to throb and radiate.
Proctor had just bucked off at the Reno Rodeo Xtreme Bulls event and felt a pop in his groin. The 33-year-old had recently injured himself at the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Oklahoma, at the end of May and knew things were not good.
Regardless, he hopped in the car and began heading east.
“I really didn’t want to drive the 8 hours to Salt Lake (City) to get on a plane, but I told Chad Berger I would be here,” Proctor said. “Hell or high water, I will be here.”
There was no hiding the fact that Proctor was in a lot of pain in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The 2011 PRCA champion bull rider only lasted 2.04 seconds on More Big Bucks and a jump and a half on Stretch.
Proctor could barely walk back to the locker room after each buckoff as the pain in his groin continued to worsen.
“I took 10 days off trying to heal for this,” Proctor said. “I went to Reno Xtremes on the 14th and all that scar tissue I had healed popped. Now we are back at square one. That is part of the sport. Whether it is PBR, rodeo, whatever. That is bull riding.”
The torn groin is a tough break for Proctor for his pursuit of becoming the first roughstock athlete since Ty Murray (1994) to win the all-around in the PRCA.
Proctor is currently 14th in the PRCA all-around standings and 37th in the PRCA bull riding standings.
“We will see,” Proctor said. “I am going to let it heal up a little bit. If you are not 100 percent, it is really hard to be successful in this sport.”
Proctor believes he is on a good pace to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in bull riding, unlike coming up just short in 2018.
He has earned $20,030.63. The PRCA standings are based on money-earned, not points.
“Last year at about this time, I had about $2,500 won,” Proctor said. “Just missed making the NFR. This year I have a little over $20,000, but I have had some injuries along the way too. I am going to have to heal up from them first before we really continue.”
Proctor has also been competing in saddle bronc riding, but he has yet to crack the Top 50 of the standings. However, the primary goal for him in 2018 has been to increase his qualifications in the saddle bronc for 2019.
“Bronc riding has been going really good,” Proctor said. “I am not quite in the Top 50 yet, but I have started from scratch. It just keeps getting better and better every week. My goals are to get in the Top 50, Top 30, Top 20. It is very realistic I won’t make the bronc finals this year, but it does set me up for the future. That is important in our sport. Being able to get into the big rodeos in the winter and to be able to get into those short rounds. I am really excited for the future.
“I feel like 2019 is going to be a real good year. I will have my qualifications up in the bronc riding and I will get into everything. That is something that people don’t see about this game. Roughtstock events are limited (entries). It does make it a little more difficult being a roughstock cowboy, but now with everything starting to build up I should be able to get on.”
“I have been real happy with everything,” Proctor said. “My mind is at ease with the decision I made. I just love this sport and I love the cowboy atmosphere. It has been fun.”
Outside of being able to compete in various disciplines, Proctor has also been able to fully engrain himself in the rich rodeo history at certain events, such as the Cowboy Downhill ski event in Steamboat Springs in January.
“I hadn’t really gotten time to spend time at rodeos,” Proctor said. “I am able to do more of the traditional stuff that I never got to do before because I was running around so much. That has been a lot of fun. Being able to actually enjoy what you are doing.
“Everything I have wanted to do, I am able to do this year.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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