RIDGEDALE, Mo. – Arizona Ridge Riders’ Chase Dougherty announced Monday morning on his social media accounts that he has been released from the hospital following injuries sustained at Thunder Days on Sunday afternoon.
Arizona Ridge Riders Chase Dougherty says on Instagram he is being released from the hospital this morning and headed home. pic.twitter.com/M48tdAB7ed
— Justin Felisko (@jfelisko) September 26, 2022
Dougherty was hurt during the Bonus Round when Moonlight Party stepped on him during the 1.48-second buckoff.
The 24-year-old was transported via ambulance to a local hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where he was treated for his upper body injuries, and monitored overnight.
Dougherty was in the process of making his PBR Teams regular-season debut for the Ridge Riders after missing the first two months of the season recovering from a broken right kneecap he sustained during the PBR Team Series Preseason Event in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bull riding event winner had been working his tail off in the gym twice a day in recent weeks to return to help the Ridge Riders pursue the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship.
“I never really had to work out to stay on, but when I hurt (my knee) I had to work out just to get my leg back,” Dougherty said earlier this weekend. “Then I realized how much better I felt throughout the day. I thought getting up at 5 was going to kill me, and going to bed at 10 was going to kill me, but I’ve felt better these last four months that I have since I’ve probably started riding. Before this, I worked out and rode horses and stuff, but I wasn’t in the gym like this. I’ve been in the gym every day since I got hurt for at least four hours. I watched Daylon (Swearingen), Jose (Vitor Leme) and all of these guys and there’s something that clearly sets them apart. I think that’s what it is, it’s the gym.”
The Ridge Riders’ fourth-round draft pick went 0-for-2 at Thunder Days, while the Ridge Riders finished 1-2 to drop to No. 3 in the PBR Team Series standings. Arizona defeated the Carolina Cowboys (265-0) and lost to the Texas Rattlers (89-87.75) and Kansas City Outlaws (264.75-166.75).
PBR Teams is off next weekend before the schedule shifts to Fort Worth, Texas, for Rattler Days on Oct. 7-9.
Arizona (12-9-1) will enter its game against the Missouri Thunder (11-11) on Oct. 7 at Dickies Arena only two games behind Carolina (14-8) for first place in the league standings. The Ridge Riders are only half a game behind No. 2 Oklahoma (13-9).
The top two teams at the end of the regular season (Oct. 17) will earn a first-round bye for the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship on Nov. 4-7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media