Injury Update

Harve Stewart is riding with his jaw wired shut after breaking it a few weeks ago in New Orleans, and Ben Jones rode this weekend with what may be a broken wrist. Lest you wonder, the medical staff can make recommendations, but riders make their own decisions about treatment and how and when they return to riding bulls. Please note that my vicarious immersion in the bull riding world is now so deep that I no longer think it's all that crazy to ride bulls with your jaw wired shut. The wrist is another matter. (He'll have x-rays this week.)

Other injuries:

- Bruised ankle
- Broken cheekbone
- Concussion 1 (head hit ground)
- Concussion 2 (head hit ground)
- Concussion 3 (hit by horn)
- Aggravated hamstring/groin sprain
- Aggravated knee injury
- Broken sternoclavicular joint
- Aggravated sprained hand

From what he said in his post-ride interview, it also sounded like Ryan McConnel's "bell got rung" on his dismount from Charlie Bullware, though he is not on the injuries list.

It's the time of year and the point in the season where injuries get worse and happen more frequently. In the first few events of the season there are few injuries reported. As the season progresses the riders' bodies become more battered, they ride with more injuries, and they don't want to sit out because the competition is heating up.