Heflin’s Cody DeMoss Gets Toppled By Horse In Las Vegas
Cody DeMoss from Heflin, La., was hoping to win his first world championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 1-10.
He is now hoping that he can compete again at rodeo’s championship event after being injured in the second round on Friday night. DeMoss was riding Lunatic Party owned by Outlawbuckers Rodeo Corporation from Canada. He came off before the required eight seconds was up and while he was on the ground, the horse stepped on him.
The Justin Sportsmedicine team was on-site immediately. DeMoss was escorted to the training room where x-rays were taken and he was evaluated. He sustained a fracture to his left humeral head, the top part of his arm where it attaches to the shoulder blade and a laceration to his left eyelid.
At the time of the injury, DeMoss was hopeful that he would be able to compete in the third of ten rounds of competition here on Saturday night. After consultation with Dr. Tandy Freeman, medical director for the Justin Sportsmedicine team, he has elected to use the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association visible injury rule and will sit out the third and fourth rounds. He will be having treatment three times daily hoping to relieve swelling and stabilize the injury so he can possibly compete here again on Monday, Dec. 5.
Cody’s younger brother Heith is also competing in saddle bronc riding here. Heith rode right before Cody did on Friday night and was one of the first people back in the training room to check on him. Prior to his injury, Cody DeMoss was seventh in the world standings. While he will miss at least two opportunities to add to his earnings, if he is able to ride again he can still improve his position. The six men with the highest scores earn money in each of the rounds where first place pays $17,885.