Bareback Rider Austin Broderson on Long Road to Recovery After Freak Accident in Denver
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Canadian bareback rider Austin Broderson, 19, is on the long road to recovery after he suffered severe injuries after a freak accident following a ride aboard Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Jack Dupp at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, Jan. 15 in Denver.
After the eight-second buzzer sounded, Broderson’s troubles began as his bareback riggin was slipping. Ultimately, Broderson ended up under the horse, still attached to the riggin, with the horse continuing to buck and run around the arena.
Broderson, who is on his PRCA permit, was eventually cut loose, and medical personnel immediately tended to him, and he was taken from the arena to Denver Health Hospital.
Broderson’s, parents, father, Steve and mother, Samantha, traveled all night from their home in Turin, Alberta, to be by their son’s side Tuesday morning. Samantha provided an update to the ProRodeo Sports News about her son’s injuries.
“He has a fractured C-7 vertebrae; fractured hip and the other break is the nasal bone in his face and minor scrapes and bruises,” Samantha said to the PSN on Jan. 17. “He also has no feeling or movement in his left arm. They had to do surgery (Jan. 15) and successfully put a stint in to restore blood flow to the left side of his arm. He’s not paralyzed. His vertebra in his neck is fractured, but his spinal cord is intact.
“When Austin is awake, he’s trying to crack jokes and tell the doctors his pain level is 2 out of 10, which none of us believe. He’s trying to keep us pre-occupied and not worried, so that’s a good sign.”
“We know that injuries are part of all sports. It’s a tragedy when it happens on your home field,” said Paul Andrews President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show. “The rodeo is an important part of our events and we feel like we are part of the rodeo family. As such, our thoughts and prayers are with Austin, his family and everyone affected.”
Stock contractor Binion Cervi concurred with Andrews.
“Rodeo is a dangerous sport, and nobody likes to see anything like that happen,” Cervi said. “For what did happen, I’m just thankful he is on the road to recovery.”
Samantha added that Austin is a second-year business student at Casper (Wyo.) College and competes for the rodeo team.
“The outreach has been so amazing,” Samantha said. “He has a lot of people out there praying for him and caring about him. He’s a tough cookie and stubborn and I know he’s going to push through.”
A GoFundMe page has been started for Austin.
Courtesy of PRCA