PUEBLO, Colo. – Six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier J.R. Vezain was lying in bed at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston this past fall when his phone rang.

On the other end of the phone line was PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert.

Vezain was still recovering from surgery after he broke his back (T10 and some of his T9) on September 22, 2018 at the Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo in Pasadena, Texas, when the bareback rider’s bronc (Brazo’s Bash) flipped over on top of him.

The severe wreck and Chance fracture had left Vezain with mobility issues from the waist down, and doctors had to place two rods and eight screws into his back to immobilize the fracture and shift his spine back into place during a five-hour procedure.

Vezain and Lambert, an astute follower of all things Western sports, had crossed paths before at THE AMERICAN.

Lambert had always been a big fan of Vezain’s grit and determination in the arena, and he was not surprised one bit to hear of his determination to one day walk again.

The PBR co-founder wanted to do something for Vezain, and he had an offer on the table for the bareback rider.

How did he feel about becoming a PBR judge?

Lambert knew Vezain may not want to judge, but after talking with two-time World Champion Justin McBride, he decided to give him a call.

Vezain’s first reaction was an “I don’t know.”

“Being a rodeo cowboy, the last thing you ever want to be is a rodeo judge,” he said.

The two men laughed about it before Vezain agreed that he would be interested in learning how to become a judge.

The standout bareback rider used to ride bulls, while his brother-in-law is bull rider Nevada Newman.

Vezain and his wife, Shelby, are expecting their first child on May 14. Therefore, J.R. knew the opportunity to stay involved in Western sports and have a source of income would be extremely helpful for his family.

“Frick, there are not even words that can explain how thankful we are,” Vezain said earlier this month. “As a cowboy, the last thing you want to do is ask for help. What it did was give me an outlet. We have a baby on the way. It gave me outlet to keep making some money and to have a job to keep supporting our family as we try to get back on our feet.

“I am super beyond blessed for the opportunity.”

He and Lambert reconnected following the 2018 PBR World Finals.

Vezain was in the midst of the next stage of his rehab at Neuroworx in Sandy, Utah, when Lambert flew out the day before Thanksgiving to run him through a personal PBR judging seminar.

“Sometimes you have something different to offer and that is where that came from,” Lambert said. “I felt like I wanted to help him with some money and stuff like that, but sometimes you can help someone a different way. I barely knew him before he got hurt. As good as his attitude was then, and as much effort as he put out, I felt that I could offer him a chance to do something to pay the bills too.

“I felt like I could do something like this and nobody had to know about it. Rodeo and PBR has been really good to me. You want to help those that want to help themselves. I want to reward the guys that put out the true, honest effort, and J.R. epitomizes that.”

Lambert spend a few hours observing Vezain work through a series of physical therapy exercises before the two headed to Vezain’s temporary apartment to through a crash course in bull riding.

Vezain would watch a bull ride and then select some scores that he felt were appropriate. Lambert would then ask him what his thought process was, and would proceed to educate the bareback rider on the scoring criteria for PBR events.

The 27-year-old from Cowley, Wyoming, quickly caught on to the ins and outs of bull riding judging, Lambert said.

“He was a fast learner, but he was a real bull rider,” Lambert said. “It is not like he had been on a couple of bulls in his life. He was a real bull rider before he became one of the elite bareback riders. He has been around the sport and we need that cowboy attitude in all aspects of it. Having him as a judge is good for our business.”

Vezain made his PBR judging debut at the Reno, Nevada, Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event on Jan. 11. He would then judge the Fresno, California, Velocity Tour event on March 22 before making his Unleash The Beast debut in Tacoma, Washington, eight days later.

The Melstone, Montana, resident then judged in his home state at the Billings Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires, two weeks ago.

“When you are used to running your hand in at the biggest level, scratching numbers ain’t so bad,” Vezain said. “It was fun. It was exciting. Doing this compared to the Velocities was a step up, so it was fun. I was a little apprehensive at first. I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I am not sure if I would enjoy judging my peers in bareback riding, but I enjoy judging bull riding. I am a fan.”

Vezain also welcomed the opportunity to have a pleasant distraction away from his rehabilitation.

Instead of focusing solely on leg movements and exercises, he could also take time to focus on studying the nuances of bull riding.

“Shoot, we are from rural Montana,” he said. “You live on the ranch out there and have cows and raise some sheep and stuff. To get stuck in a city for six months was nerve-racking. It definitely gives a guy something to do. It can keep a guy’s mind busy and have something to look forward to. I have been back in the leather shop doing leather work again, tooling. Definitely to have that outside extra something else to let your mind think about other than rehab and recovery is a blessing.”

Vezain and his wife returned back home to Montana on April 5 to prepare for the birth of their baby boy.

J.R. received a custom, in-home rehab program courtesy of Neuroworx, and he will continue to do strength and flexibility training for the next six to eight weeks.

Once Shelby gives birth, the family will work with doctors to determine the next step of his recovery.

Some have asked J.R. if he regrets being a bareback rider now that he has sustained such a horrific injury.

He has instead remained positive and channeled his inner cowboy to overcome his latest bout of adversity.

Vezain refuses to use his wheelchair as any kind of excuse.

“It definitely is life-changing,” he said. “There are daily struggles a guy has to get over. That is the thing. Just because I am in a wheelchair for the time being doesn’t mean I have to change my whole life. We are cowboys. You adapt. If you want to do something, you learn how to do it. If you want to get on a horse, you learn how to build a ramp and get on a horse. If you want to check on your cows, you learn how to get in a vehicle and drive.

“I haven’t really gave in to quitting or giving up or finding an office job. I don’t know. I think a guy just has to keep striving, keep working and continue to keep trying to get better every day. The rest is up to God. Let him work his story and make something come out of it.”

Monday is the seven-month anniversary of Vezain’s wreck.

He has continued to see progress in his recovery, and he remains committed to one day walking again.

“I believe so,” Vezain concluded. “I am going to make it happen regardless. One way or the other, I am going to walk again. Whatever it takes, it will happen.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko