The four time NFR qualifier is prioritizing recovery with an eye on the season ahead.
Bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt underwent his successful surgery Feb. 3 to address a lingering hip issue that had affected him for more than a year. Shadbolt decided to step away briefly with his eye on continued success down the road.
The four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Merriman, Nebraska, had a bone spur removed from his left hip by Nashville specialist Dr. J.W. Thomas Byrd. The procedure involved trimming the bone to eliminate bone on bone contact, a problem that had made riding increasingly uncomfortable for Shadbolt.
Shadbolt had been battling the injury throughout the 2025 season and throughout the NFR in Las Vegas. Despite the setback, he fought his way through in the Thomas & Mack Center, placing in two go rounds and finishing eighth in the average. He ended the finals with $43,415 earned and finished 11th in the world standings with $211,676 on the year.
The decision to have surgery came after Shadbolt competed at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, where he rode Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Boot Barn’s Night Crawler for 86 points in Round 1. With surgery scheduled over the Fort Worth finals, Shadbolt opted not to progress further and traveled to Nashville early to address the issue.
Shadbolt told PRCA, “I was just sick of riding with pain. It’s just very frustrating to me to not be able to go out there and ride as well as I think I should. It’s gotten to the point where I think it’s starting to impede on my riding ability.”
The surgery is expected to make riding significantly more comfortable once recovery is complete. Shadbolt will begin physical therapy as part of the rehabilitation process before returning to competition.
Garrett expects to still give himself a good chance at the NFR this year, despite this setback. Shadbolt will miss the big winter Texas Swing rodeos, but hopefully will be healed up and ready to roll once the summer run begins.
Despite the interruption, Shadbolt has already made some ground early in the season and currently sits fourth in the world standings. He will need to work his way back once fully healed to remain in contention for what would be his fifth NFR qualification.
Shadbolt is coming off another strong year that included several notable performances, highlighted by a win at the Reno Rodeo in 2025. A husband and father, he has been optimistic about taking a long view approach to his career, choosing durability over pushing through pain.
With surgery behind him and recovery underway, Shadbolt’s focus now turns to returning healthy and competitive, intent on continuing a career that has already proven to win at the highest level.