Bull rider Garrett Green charges toward Stampede championship despite hard crash
The Meeting Creek cowboy advanced to Showdown Sunday after a strong ride Saturday, despite landing hard on his chest and spitting up blood.
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Garrett Green of Meeting Creek secured his spot on Showdown Sunday at the Calgary Stampede, advancing to the bull-riding championship after a strong Saturday performance that belied a painful crash.
Green scored an 87-point ride aboard Muffin Man on Saturday, matching the day's best score and earning his ticket to the final round. But the dismount was brutal — he landed chest-first on the ground, squirrelled away from the bull, and immediately visited the medical team spitting up blood. "Just hit down that hard," Green said. "Bruised my lungs or something."
The 34-year-old came into Saturday's go-round outside the top-three money placings needed to advance. He'd been flagged for slapping his first bull of the week, keeping him out of the money despite arriving fresh off an 88.5-point win at a pre-Stampede charity event. He rebounded with an 85.5-point ride Friday for a $5,500 cheque, leaving himself fourth in standings — one spot shy of advancing.
"Yeah, it was tight," Green said. "I was sitting fourth. They take the top three, so I had to do something."
With fans hoping for a Canadian win in the marquee event, Green is ready for Sunday. "I've made Showdown Sunday twice before," he said. "Both times I made Sunday, I rode my Sunday bull to seven seconds. So this year, we're going eight." Despite the pain, he's confident he'll be cleared for competition. "The doctors don't know, but I know I'll be ready."
