News

Highly favored, highly doubted

Lostroh enters Vegas with perfect form, less-than-perfect arm

LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2009) - He’s held the top spot in the world standings for the past 20 events.

That statistic alone is enough to think Kody Lostroh would be favored to win this year’s world title.

Instead, many experts, even former riders and members of the Ring of Honor, consider Lostroh to be the Top 3 contender with the biggest question mark.

“I think the injuries – the shoulder and the elbow – are going to be the big question mark for him,” Ty Murray said.

“The only weakness I see is that he has an injured riding arm,” explained Cody Lambert. “It started out with a serious ligament injury to his elbow in Omaha and now it seems like it could be his shoulder and his elbow.”

Lostroh first injured his left elbow prior to the summer break. After a two-month layoff, he answered the naysayers by winning his fourth Built Ford Tough Series event of the year in Tulsa, Okla.

Not only was it a grueling three-day event, but it also featured one of the rankest pens of bulls this season. It was so rank, in fact, that the 33 cumulative rides throughout the four rounds was the fewest number at any of the 10 three-day events in 2009.

But it wasn’t long after Tulsa that Lostroh partially pulled his shoulder out of its socket.

According to him, the more recent of his two injuries – both of which will eventually require corrective surgery – also happens to be the more painful of the two. The level of pain Lostroh has to contend with is only mitigated by the fact that he is thought to be one of the most technically sound riders in the Top 40.

In fact, Murray said Lostroh has “flawless form.”

The 24-year-old leads with his left shoulder and tends to ride out over the front of his bull rope. It is precisely that style of riding that will lessen the strain on his shoulder. That is, until he finds himself out of position and strung out on the end of his rope.

The shoulder was enough of a concern that even Lostroh recently paid a visit to Gary Leffew to readdress his form, because unlike Tulsa, in Vegas he’ll have to withstand eight rounds of the top-rated bulls.

“Kody’s strong and fit,” Lambert said, “and has ridden well all year. He does things technically correct and doesn’t get too excited about a win or a loss.”

Throughout the past couple of months, as observers have questioned his durability, his two closest competitors, Guilherme Marchi and J.B. Mauney, have closed in on his lead. But he’s definitely maintained his composure. The Colorado cowboy has successfully stood up to one challenge after another.

“I don’t feel sorry for him,” said J.W. Hart, “because it’s the nature of the sport, but man I feel bad that he’s not 110 percent for the last leg of the season.

“He’s tough enough to pull it out, but what a tough time it is to have a limb going bad on you right now. He seems mentally strong enough and determined, above all, to make it work.”

The next opportunity Lostroh has to make it work will be Friday night in Las Vegas when Round 1 of the Finals gets under way at the Thomas & Mack Center.

NEWS and NOTES

Finals coverage: Log on to www.pbr.tv, the official online network of the PBR and your one source for exclusive PBR video online. During the Finals you can get a total recap of each round of competition with a highlight show and clips of the best action. Fans can also catch the bull drafts, performance openings plus the best of Flint Rasmussen both in the arena and with his very own Outside the Barrel show.

Every morning fans are encouraged to listen to The Final Word with Ty Murray, a special Podcast in which he breaks down the key issues and talking points from each day of competition. Additionally, Cody Lambert will be providing his point of view after each draw and draft in Las Vegas by way of his own Podcast, Behind the Chutes with Cody Lambert.

Fans are also encouraged to log on to www.pbrnow.com throughout each day for up-to-the-minute information from Finals along with the all new Event Center, which provides real-time information at your fingertips. The live features include ride-by-ride scores plus an event tracker with real-time updates of the round and event leader board. Also keep up to date with the action through live blogs and various rider interviews.

Road to Vegas: All roads are leading to Las Vegas! Call               866-PBR-SHOW         866-PBR-SHOW for ticket information or log onto www.unlvtickets.com to order your tickets for what will be one of the tightest finishes for the world title.

—by Keith Ryan Cartwright