Pro bull rider tossed during tournament suffers brain bleed. ‘Very long road ahead’
A professional bull rider ranked No. 16 in the world suffered serious head and neck injuries after being tossed to the dirt during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo competition, officials say.
Reid Oftedahl of Raymond, Minnesota, was injured during the Friday, Dec. 2, event in Las Vegas while riding a bull named Under the Influence, according to ProRodeo.com. Video shows him lying motionless on the dirt after being thrown from the bull about 8 seconds after the ride began.
He was wearing a helmet during the ride, but the fall reportedly left him unconscious. He remained unconscious as he was taken to a hospital, Tenn Texas Radio said.
Oftedahl is a member of the Midwest Agri-Commodities team, which said he suffered “a small brain bleed and fractured C7” during the incident. The team said the bull rider is still able to move all of his extremities.
The injuries will end the season for Oftedahl, a 28-year-old making his debut in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, ProRodeo.com said.
“Reid has a very long road ahead,” Midwest Agri-Commodities said.
Leading up to the national competition, Oftedahl had won events in North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, South Dakota, Minnesota and Indiana this year.
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