A former BC Rodeo Association bareback rider paralyzed in a 2015 fall is getting back in the saddle once more.

Prince George resident Kevin Cunin, 30, broke his neck five years ago at the BCRA Bulkley Valley Rodeo in Smithers after an awkward fall from a horse during competition. He broke three vertebrae, five ribs and punctured a lung, and was left paralyzed from the chest down, spending almost five months in the hospital.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, Cunin was on hand at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds to give a demonstration to his fellow students in the Thompson Rivers University Applied Sustainable Ranching Program in Williams Lake.

Recently gifted a new, specially-tailored saddle that will allow him to make a return to rodeo and to compete in team roping during next yearB次元官网网址檚 BCRA season, Cunin excitedly discussed how it works with his classmates in the program, while Wendy Meijdam, another student in the program, used CuninB次元官网网址檚 saddle to ride it around the Stampede arena.

Cunin, who spent the first 12 years of his life in Quesnel and has close ties to the Cariboo, said he hopes to use his eduaction in the Applied Sustainable Ranching Program to clear some land on an acreage he owns to create an energy- and cost-efficient cattle operation in Prince George. He is currently in his final year of the program taking classes remotely from Prince George.

B次元官网网址淎fter my wreck and getting out of the hospital I moved back with my partner at the time with her parents out in Vanderhoof,B次元官网网址� Cunin said. B次元官网网址淭hey had some cattle and I got into learning about ranching and cattle, because I didnB次元官网网址檛 grow up around it. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what got me interested in the program. I needed to learn some basics with some more in-depth knowledge to see how I could make an operation work for me so I could still ranch and rodeo with the skills, as well as the restrictions, I have.B次元官网网址�

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Currently working full time in the forest industry, Cunin has always kept his rodeo family close. HeB次元官网网址檚 currently a director with the Prince George Rodeo Club.

B次元官网网址淧retty soon after I started making some calls about getting a saddle made for me to different saddle makers,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 got word of this guy out of Texas B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 another paralyzed cowboy B次元官网网址� who was hurt about 25 years ago named Randy Bird out of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He can rope, so I figured he would be the right place to go to.B次元官网网址�

Missing the sport, Cunin soon started hanging around back at the rodeo arena helping out during roping events.

B次元官网网址淭hey built me a stand, got me up, loaded me up and all winter IB次元官网网址檇 be roping a dummy doing that, so that was pretty cool,B次元官网网址� he said, noting this past July he lined up the purchase of a horse in Westlock, Alta.

B次元官网网址淚 hopped on him, started roping some steers, bought him and got him back to PG a couple weeks later and IB次元官网网址檝e been doing a bunch of work to get ready.B次元官网网址�

Cunin has continued to ride horses since his injury, noting his first time back on a horse was in 2018 with the owners at Pen-Y-Bryn Ranch in Quesnel, Paul and Terry Nicholson.

B次元官网网址淭hey were absolutely phenomenal to work with,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hey do a lot of horse work with vets with PTSD and theyB次元官网网址檙e really cool. It was my first time back on a horse and the three-year anniversary of when I got hurt, and it was so good. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 scary, and it was really good to get back and go out and do some stuff. But it was also extremely frustrating because, with no special saddle, I could kind of walk around and that was about it. I wanted to go loping, and thatB次元官网网址檚 when I kind of realized IB次元官网网址檇 need the appropriate saddle to do it.B次元官网网址�

His new saddle, which costs roughly four times the amount of a regular saddle, was purchased with the help of the Smithers Rodeo Club, Intercoast Construction Ltd., the Quesnel Rodeo Club and Nomad Welding, along with hep from the Interlakes Rodeo Club and Clint Ellis.

The saddle has a tall, large back to help stabilize CuninB次元官网网址檚 core, with a strap that comes across his stomach and holds him in.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 awesome, and IB次元官网网址檓 so looking forward to be back rodeoing, and competing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 played sports like lacrosse and hockey and you get really awesome people involved in sports and the sporting community but rodeo is just a step ahead. Genuinely, really good people.B次元官网网址�

He thanked the organizations, businesses and individuals who helped him purchase the saddle, and also added heB次元官网网址檚 forever grateful for the support he received following his injury and during his recovery.

B次元官网网址淭he rodeo community was there: IB次元官网网址檇 be in the hospital laying in bed, and life sucked at that point pretty bad, but IB次元官网网址檇 open up my phone and look on Facebook and IB次元官网网址檇 see messages from people I knew, and people I didnB次元官网网址檛 even know from all over the place B次元官网网址� guys whoB次元官网网址檇 been in rodeo wrecks down in the U.S. B次元官网网址� even Davey Shields made a special trip from Alberta to come in and chat, so just really cool support from all over.B次元官网网址�

Due to his physical restrictions, Cunin will be a heeler during BCRA events.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got eight vertebrae that are bolted together in my back, and canB次元官网网址檛 really be a header because I canB次元官网网址檛 really turn my back, so being a heeler was the solution. I can make a nice shot and look like the hero,B次元官网网址� he joked.

B次元官网网址淚 hope we have a BCRA season next year and, if they do, IB次元官网网址檓 coming into Williams Lake [Indoor Rodeo] to start the season off with a big win.B次元官网网址�

As for his career decision to eventually start a cattle ranch after graduation, Cunin said heB次元官网网址檚 fully immersed in the Western lifestyle. He said TRUB次元官网网址檚 Applied Sustainable Ranching Program has continued to further his interest in agriculture, and noted it has been B次元官网网址渁bsolutely awesome.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淩odeo, and the roping cattle industry: everyone kind of knows each other and theyB次元官网网址檙e all willing to help each other out,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what I like. It really is a big community and a guyB次元官网网址檚 word still means something.B次元官网网址�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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