PRO RODEO – JB Mauney, arguably one of the best bull riders of all time, told the ProRodeo Sports News on Tuesday (September 12th) his bull riding career is now over as a result of a neck surgery he had September 8th.
Mauney broke his neck when he was bucked off by Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Arctic Assassin on Sept. 6 during the Lewiston (Idaho) Round-Up Division 2 Xtreme Bulls event.
“I had surgery (Sept. 8) and they put a rod in and plates and screws (in his neck), and took a disc out”, said Mauney, who’s only 36 years old. “Unfortunately the surgery has ended my bull riding career.”
Mauney, who is one of the most popular bull riders ever, qualified for his lone Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2021. His top highlight at the NFR was splitting the Round 1 win with an 87.5-point ride on Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s Cocktail Diarrhea on Dec. 2 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“(This) is not the way I wanted to go out but everything happens for a reason,” Mauney said.
I’m so thankful to have seen this man ride. It was damn good too.
It sucks that his career has finally come to an end due to a recent neck injury. He will definitely go down as one of the best to ever ride. No questions or arguments to be made by anyone who loves that damn old rodeo. Bull riding has never been known as a life long career, but there are a select few of them…that have made it look like it could be.
JB Mauney, thank you for being the best and showing the world what a real cowboy…and a bull rider is supposed look like. Cheers to your recovery and retirement.
