Sage Kimzey Battles Through Ankle Injury
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Bull rider Sage Kimzey knew he wasn’t healthy.
The six-time reigning PRCA world champion was determined to see what he could accomplish at RFD-TV’s The American in Arlington, Texas, March 7-8.
Kimzey wasn’t at his best, but he was able to share the title with Brazilian Joao Ricardo Vieira, thanks to their 84-point rides in the first round at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Kimzey was aboard Frontier Rodeo’s Easy Sid and Vieira was on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s 3 Days. They each earned $65,125 at The American – $40,125 which counted toward the PRCA world standings.
Kimzey moved into first place in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $67,463.
Kimzey said he was hobbled by his left ankle. Kimzey had left ankle surgery Feb. 14 in San Antonio. He was injured during a ride at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, Feb. 11, on Powder River Rodeo’s Hot Pursuit.
“Getting on all last week definitely set me back a little bit in the healing process, but it is healing up,” said Kimzey, 25. “If I’m going to put myself through that kind of misery, at least I made it count.”
Kimzey, had the same surgery that University of Alabama former star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had on his ankles in 2018 and 2019. The innovative procedure, called “tightrope,” has been used to accelerate recovery from ankle sprains. The tightrope procedure involves tying things together rather than bolting things with screws.
“I wouldn’t say my ankle was to the unbearable point, but it is definitely uncomfortable where it hurts to do about anything,” Kimzey said. “I was laying around the house and Alexis (Bloomer, Kimzey’s fiancé) took care of me hand and foot to try and get me ready to compete and that helped a lot. Without the Justin Sports Medicine, I wouldn’t even have known where to go to get it checked. The care and knowledge those guys have is worth its weight in gold to all of us.”
At The American, Kimzey took protective measures for his left ankle.
“Justin Sports Medicine made me like a semi-soft cast out of orthoplast and impact gel and that was shielding my ankle to where if it did take any crazy trauma that it would be all right,” Kimzey said. “The big thing is where I tie my boots on my spur strap is right over the ankle joint itself. When I’m just walking around in tennis shoes I hardly limp, but whenever I get everything strapped up and all that pressure sitting right on my ankle makes it pretty painful for sure. They expect a full recovery. I needed a little bit more time than what I had and luckily I have it now.”
Kimzey said he’s slated to compete again at Rodeo Austin (Texas) March 20.
“We will see how I feel for that,” he said. “If I need to give it (the ankle) more time, I will give it more time.”
Courtesy of PRCA