A young bull rider was seriously injured during a tournament on Friday, at the Conley Invitational in Palmetto, Florida. The 24-year-old who was competing in the event was struck in the throat by the horn of the bull he was riding before being thrown off. Despite the severity of the injury and the heavy blood loss, the young man managed to run toward the arena exit.
The Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the governing body of the sport, had organized the competition, which involves participants trying to stay on the bull for eight seconds without using their free arm. The event culminates in a championship, where the team with the highest cumulative score wins.
Thanks to the quick intervention of the emergency medical services already on scene, more serious consequences were avoided. In an interview with the press, Naegele explained that while he was in the ambulance on his way to the hospital, he could feel his body giving out, and he had to fight to keep breathing. The bull’s horn pierced his carotid artery, one of the main arteries that supply blood to the brain, causing a blood loss of nearly two liters. The medical team had to perform surgery to limit the damage and estimated that a full recovery would take at least eight weeks.
Despite the traumatic experience, Naegele is determined to return to riding. He pointed out that he knew God had bigger plans for him in life, but at that moment, it was time to heal. In addition to wanting to resume his career, the young rider expressed his desire to join one of the PBR teams, particularly the Oklahoma Wildcatters.
