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Injured Byrne shuts it down until November

Aug 26, 2017 | 1:00 PM

After an injury plagued season, Prince Albert’s Tanner Byrne is shutting himself down from the Professional Bull Riding season to heal his various injuries.

According to reports on PBR.com, Byrne suffers from both a fractured wrist and ankle. He plans on returning this November for the Global Cup in Edmonton.

“No point now in being at about 50 percent health, and just trying to keep going. It’s not going to work,” Byrne told Kacie Albert of PBR.com. “I’m riding good, but there’s nothing I can do when I can’t even hold on to my rope. I have to call it for right now, take care of myself and get back to 100 percent.”

In 2016, Byrne was ranked 15th in the world and was awarded his third straight Glen Keeley Award — given to the top-ranked Canadian bull rider.

But injuries played a part before this season even started. 

Before the first Built Ford Tough Series event of the year in New York in January, Byrne tore his groin while practising for the event, forcing an early omission in the season. Before April, he also suffered a broken collarbone and had only appeared in three events.

He was forced to sit out the annual Clunie-Cooper Memorial hosted in his hometown each May alongside other events before getting back in the saddle on June 14. Byrne said he started feeling his wrist become an issue during an eighth place finish at the Calgary Stampede.

“I think I really have to take this sport one day at a time, focus on myself and focus on my body,” Byrne said. “I think it’s just going to be about rehab, physiotherapy and getting in better shape. This has lit a bit of a fire under me and it goes to show that this is not a very forgiving sport. Any little slip-up and you can spend the whole year on the sidelines.

“I’m ready to roll though, ready to rock. Take some time away from the sport here, in a while, maybe take some bulls to some events though and like I said, refocus, regroup and get back to riding like I know I can.”

 

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow