By KATY HART, Student Writer
He nods his head. The practice pen chute cracks open. The cowboy swings his rope over the calf’s neck, in one swift motion, he is ready for a comeback in the event of calf roping.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University senior, Berk Long has been preparing for months to make his first run back from a five- month recovery after surgery.
“The doctors told me to quit rodeo, but here I am,” Long said.
The summer before his last college rodeo season Long had bone spurs removed from his hip joints. The hip surgery caused him to be on crutches for three months. As he went through recovery, Long watched and supported his teammates from the arena sidelines for the first part of the collegiate rodeo season.
“The first thing that came to my mind when the doctors told me I couldn’t rodeo,” he said. I thought, well that’s not going to happen. I’ll find a way.”
Long is an agriculture business major at Northwestern and competed for three years on the rodeo team as a calf roper.
Transitioning back into riding horses again has been a long road. Long is from the small town of Mutual in northwest Oklahoma where he grew up riding horses.
“I started when I was just 2 or 3 years old,” he said with a smile. “My dad made me want to be a cowboy. He competed his whole life and riding horses progressively through the years.”
Calf roping and riding horses has paid a toll to Long’s body at his young age. Just a few months ago the doctors were planning for total hip replacement, but bone spur surgery couldn’t wait any longer.
“Surgery was hard on my body, after being out that long,” he said.
Long said his hardest undertaking for the new season is getting back into shape. He chose to start again with the basics and has bought new horse to help. His recovery journey is long from over, Long will have to have future surgeries.
He is optimistic about his current abilities even after missing the first four rodeos.
“I’m very blessed to get to come back and rodeo this semester. I spent a lot of time in physical therapy and worked hard to come back. This is all I’ve ever known and I want to get back to doing it. I feel very fortunate to be able to get to come back and rodeo my last spring.”
As Long loads his horse in the trailer, for his first rodeo of the spring season, he said he is focused and determined to do what he loves. He has goals of making the college rodeo finals this year. With six rodeos left in the semester, he’s free from crutches and ready to make a comeback.