Ciera Romanow, 16 yrs, and her horse Yanky, made their last performance at the Arcola Rodeo August 10 after a previous injury to the riders ankle turned out to be serious enough to inhibit her from performing stunts again.
It was Romano鈥檚 fourth year in a row doing a 鈥渟how鈥� at the Arcola Rodeo. 鈥淎rcola was my last show, my ankle just can鈥檛 handle it,鈥� said Romano. 鈥淟ast summer on June 25 I broke my ankle in seven places and tore all the ligaments and tendons around it. I was goat tying at a rodeo, and when I jumped down off my horse; my foot landed funny in the sand, and rolled my ankle back and snapped it.鈥�
Romano spent two months in a cast but it didn鈥檛 stop her from competing at the rodeo with her broken ankle. 鈥淚 just had to have a doctor鈥檚 note, I still barrel raced.鈥� But her injury will have a long term affect on other aspect of her life as well. 鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing because I鈥檓 also really into volleyball, and I was on the track and field team at school again this year, I like hurdles a lot, but sometimes my ankle just gives out, and I trip a lot.鈥�
Romano had taken a trick riding clinic with Niki Flundra, a stunt woman for the T.V. series Heartland, and a few lessons, then practised for 1.5 yrs before she gave her first rodeo show. 鈥淚 think I will miss the 鈥渟how鈥� part. Now I will just focus on barrel racing, High School Rodeo, and CCA鈥檚 (Canadian Cowboy Association Rodeo鈥檚). 鈥淲hen I trick ride my foot is in straps, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 putting too much pressure on my ankle. If I鈥檓 barrel racing my foot is in a stirrup and basically sits with without too much pressure.鈥�
Despite her injury Romano will continue in sports. 鈥淢y ankle still bothers me quite a bit; it took me a really long time to build the muscles back up around my ankle. It鈥檚 still not 100%. But I think you鈥檝e got just fight through it.鈥�
听
