LASALLE, Colo. (August 18, 2010) - While World Champion Kody Lostroh has stayed busy during his injury-forced sabbatical, he is anxiously counting down the days for his return to competition.
“I hate not being able to ride,” he said from his 1,300-acre ranch in LaSalle, Colo., that he shares with wife Candace. “It’s the longest I’ve ever been off in my whole career.”
Lostroh, who won $1.6 million last year en route to the world title, dislocated his left shoulder (riding arm) on Charlie Bullware at the springtime event in Glendale, Ariz. He elected to have surgery and a subsequent operation on his left elbow.
His six-month recovery is drawing to an end, with a return date slated in one month to six weeks. Lostroh remains ranked 27th in the Built Ford Tough Series standings with $74,830, which places him in the driver’s seat for a return to the Built Ford Tough World Finals in October.
“I haven’t gotten 100-percent motion back in my shoulder yet, but the strength is coming back,” he said. “My elbow was a quick deal. I could start using it again fully in about six or seven weeks.”
During his recovery, he has stayed connected to the sport. He’s attended some PBR events, put on bull riding schools for youngsters and worked with his cows and bulls on his ever-expanding property near Greeley.
“It dang sure makes you want to go do it after watching for so long,” he said.
Lostroh, though, said he enjoys working with the young bull riders.
“It’s awesome doing those schools,” he said. “They are a lot of work but really rewarding”
Fishing and his first skydiving experience have also helped spice up his summertime hiatus.
While Lostroh has ruled out successfully defending his crown, he has the pulse of the leader board.
Standings leader Renato Nunes has a nearly 1,000-point advantage over second-place Austin Meier. “Either one of those cowboys could be crowned champion at the end of the day, along with several others,” Lostroh said.
In evaluating the leaders’ strengths and weaknesses, he said Nunes might not be the most talented rider, but he’s at the top when it comes to determination.
“He really doesn’t ride bulls the way you should, but he just finds a way to get it done,” Lostroh said. “He has more try and grit than anybody else.”
Meier, he said, has always been strong and appears this season to be coming into his own.
