Barrel Racer Fallon Taylor Injured in the Arena at the Tri-State Rodeo

Well-known barrel racer, World Champion Fallon Taylor, was running in the Tri-State Rodeo in  Fort Madison, Iowa, over the weekend when fans watched her and her horse fall in the arena. During her run, it appeared that her horse, Kooter, was tripped up, causing both him and Taylor to flip. She was thrown from the saddle and landed hard on her back. 

While they both got up and out of the arena quickly, they sustained minor injuries, including a puncture wound in the gelding's leg and some swelling. Taylor sustained a bad back injury in 2009, and the fall caused this to flare up. 

The racer has seen the National Finals Rodeo arena seven times in her career. She held the No. 1 spot in the world in 2020 and currently sits at No. 42 in the world standings this season. After her fall in Iowa, Taylor posted to social media that she believes it’s time to "reevaluate her rodeo goals.”

This isn’t Taylor’s first wreck of the season, in just 45 days she’s had three separate accidents. Without the time to recover in between rodeos, there is a higher chance of injury for her and her horse. 

In a Facebook posted by Theresa Murray, Taylor was seen being thrown in the arena.

“So, after three major third barrel wrecks in the span of 45 days I think I’ll be reevaluating my rodeo goals. I have no quit in me - but also these horses and my family deserve to see less of me walking out of arenas."

The post continued, “I will rodeo! I love it and can’t wait to enter the next one when my horse feels up to it, but I’ll be way pickier about where I enter and probably be spending the majority of my time at a barrel race near you with some awesome ground.”