Tulsa Injury Updates: Lawrence Out for Remainder of Season with Neck Fracture
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Stetson Lawrence’s streak of eight consecutive PBR World Finals qualifications will come to an end this season after the 32-year-old announced on social media Monday that he sustained a C7 neck fracture and will need to undergo surgery.
Lawrence met with specialist Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas and plans to get surgery as soon as possible.
The Williston, North Dakota bull rider expects to be out for three months.
“I plan to come back for the start of the next year,” Lawrence told PBR.com via text on Tuesday morning.
Lawrence landed on his head when Dirty Sancho bucked him off in 2.82 seconds during Round 2 of the PBR Express Ranches Classic, presented by Pit Boss, on Sunday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
2021 will go down as a season Lawrence will certainly like to forget, as he missed the first six months of the season recovering from offseason reconstructive left shoulder surgery.
Lawrence, who is ranked 69th in the world standings, made his 2021 season debut in Kalispell, Montana, and then won the Dusty Gliko Bull Riding Challenge 24 hours later.
The fan-favorite said in Tulsa he was thankful to walk out of the arena under his own power, but he knew something was certainly not right.
“I think there is something wrong,” Lawrence said. “I still have tingling in my arms and no strength in my arms. But I am for sure happy to be walking.”
ADDITIONAL INJURY UPDATES FROM TULSA
Thiago Salgado looked like his weekend may be over Sunday when PBR Sports Medicine carried him out of the arena after he twisted his right foot inside the bucking chute in Round 2, aggravating a pre-existing injury per Dr. Tandy Freeman. However, Salgado returned for the championship round to ride Honey Man for 83.25 points and a career-best second-place finish.
Cole Melancon missed the 15/15 Bucking Battle Saturday after sustaining a neck strain and bruised right thigh when Back Jack bucked him off in 3.58 seconds in Round 1.
“It hurt like hell, but once things calmed down, it was alright,” Melancon said on Saturday. “I am just sore and beaten up. It ain’t going great coming back, but we will figure it out.”
Melancon would compete on Sunday in Round 2, but Skirt Chaser bucked him off in 2.29 seconds.
The No. 18-ranked bull rider has drawn Punisher (2-0, UTB) for this weekend’s Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic in Sacramento, California (CBS national television Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET). In July, Punisher bucked Melancon off in 3.9 seconds in Big Sky, Montana, for a 46-point bull score.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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