By Rich Winter

605 Sports

LAS VEGAS — Taos Weborg’s trip to the Junior World Finals Rodeo could not have gotten off to a worse start. 

Competing in bareback and saddle bronc, Weborg’s week in Las Vegas turned on a dime during the first go-round of the bareback riding on Thursday, Dec. 1.

“The horse came out, jumped and came down and sucked back,” Weborg said. “I felt my shoulder pop and that sent a pain down my arm. It put me in shock for a jump and I had to power through the rest of it.” 

Despite what turned out to be a broken collarbone, Weborg recorded the highest score of the first round (84). 

With the junior saddle bronc competition scheduled for the next day, Tony and Meg Weborg took their son to the emergency room. X Rays confirmed a broken bone and doctors warned the family of the possibility of surgery if Taos kept on riding and had a fall from the horse. 

“Taos was upset when we got in the car and he said, ‘I’m riding tomorrow.’” Meg Weborg said. 

Weborg fractured his right clavicle and while he uses his right hand to strap into the riggings 

with saddle bronc riding, he uses his left hand for the riggings in the saddle bronc riding. 

In order to compete in saddle bronc he would need to raise his right arm while riding. 

“He couldn’t even begin to lift his right arm up,” Meg Weborg said. “We collectively decided to stick to the bareback competition.” 

Weborg came into the rodeo with goals of winning the bareback, the saddle bronc and the all-around competitions. Despite some serious pain he decided to keep riding.

“I was winning the round in the first go and I decided I can’t stop and no excuses,” Taos Weborg said. “Just because it hurts doesn’t mean you can’t do it.” 

After turning his horse out for the saddle bronc riding on Friday, Weborg stepped back in the chute Saturday for the second go round of the bareback riding. With his shoulder heavily taped and bandaged, Weborg attempted his second ride. 

“The horse he drew Saturday was a 406 horse and wasn’t very good,” Meg Weborg said. “Taos did well (63) but it still hurt like hell.” 

With the poor performance of the horse rodeo officials gave Weborg the option of a re-ride. 

“His dad said no re-ride, we need to save your arm,” Meg Weborg said. “That second ride wasn’t what Taos wanted but we also knew if he got on a re-ride and hurt the shoulder he wouldn’t be able to ride Monday.” 

After a day off Sunday, Weborg came back to the arena for the short go of the bareback competition. The Weborg’s were familiar with the horse their son drew for the final round. 

“When we saw the draw we were all excited because it was a good horse that really bucks hard,” Meg Weborg said. “That would be great if he was totally healed but we knew the horse could jerk him and we didn’t know if he could last. He was excited and wanted to do his best to win the round.” 

With the shoulder once again heavily taped Tony Weborg helped his son get his hand in the rigging. Competitors wear gloves and they have to work their hand into that rigging before they can ride. 

Taos Weborg tapes his broken collarbone before the bareback competition at the Junior World Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas - Photo courtesy of Weborg family.

“I could feel my shoulder popping the whole time we were getting set to ride,” Taos Weborg said. “The horse came out, he was pretty strong. After a couple of jumps I could feel my shoulder hurt really bad. He came back down and it came up a little more and I just handled it as best as I could.” 

It wasn’t the prettiest ride but Weborg scored a 72 on that final ride and finished third in the world for the junior bareback riding. 

“When he got off the horse we could tell he was in a lot of pain,” Meg Weborg said. “His goal was not to cry but he went behind the chute and a few tears were shed.”

His goals weren’t accomplished in Las Vegas but as the Weborg family drives back to Gregory Taos Weborg said he is proud of his accomplishment. 

“I’m happy that I rode and that I was the only kid that rode with a broken collarbone,” he said.