Post by Homeslice on Jul 17, 2006 19:09:40 GMT -5
From the PBR Site:
A Living Legend Says Good Bye
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 17, 2006) - Legendary PBR bullfighter Rob Smets (Merkel, Texas), 47, initially announced at the end of January during the Express PBR Classic held in Oklahoma City his plans to end his bullfighting career. Smets anticipated that the 2006 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals presented by Wrangler, October 27 – November 5, would be his final bullfighting appearance. However, after 27 years of battling bulls and saving lives, Smets will officially close the curtain on his bullfighting career effective immediately. A tribute to Smets will take place during the World Finals with dates and details forthcoming.
“I’m enjoying my time working behind the mic lately. I’ve been given the opportunities so now it’s just a matter of capitalizing on them. I might be retiring, but the PBR is sure not going to be rid of me yet. I want to try and give back to the sport through my involvement now since it’s given me so much,” said Smets.
Smets will join the Amp’d Mobile crew in Tulsa at the Express PBR Classic, a part of the Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, and will work with OLN on the Dickies National Bullfighting Championship events in Cheyenne, Tulsa and Las Vegas. He has also been busy supplying commentary at event promoter Jerry Nelson’s venues and plans to attend the Last Frontier PBR Challenge events in Alaska this September.
Smets set out to win one Wrangler Bullfight Tour World Championship and won five, worked six Wrangler National Finals Rodeos, and was voted to work the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals nine times. One member of the fearless PBR Dickies Durabullfighters team, the “Kamikaze Kid” became famous for the fearless chances he took in the arena.
“Rob Smets has not only saved countless lives in the arena but has become a tremendous role model, teaching a new generation of bullfighters what it means to put everything on the line in the arena. He epitomizes what it means to be a bullfighter and is a living legend,” said Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer of the PBR.
Smets sustained the third broken neck of his 27-year career on March 3 during the Reno-Tahoe Invitational presented by Silver Legacy. The injury occurred when Smets was up-ended by a bull landing directly on his head and caused associated nerve compression, shoulder pain, numbness in the small finger of his right hand, and weakness in his right hand. Dr. Andrew Dossett, who incidentally treated Smets’ second broken neck, performed surgery on Smets on March 8 at the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas to repair the fracture of his C7 vertebra. He was predicted to be out of commission for a minimum of 8-12 weeks, but has ultimately decided not to return to the arena to fight.
Smets is not cavalier about the number of times that he has tempted fate and walked away, “I feel really good. On July 8 it had been four months since the injury. Dr. Dossett told me the last time not to fight bulls again. He told me this time that people that break their neck three times aren’t normally around to give advice to, but he told me not to go back. Carla [Rob’s wife] was in there with me and that helped make it more final I think. The only way I can explain it is that it’s a God thing. It’s sure not a Rob Smets thing. I’ve been arrogant about a lot of things in my life, but not this. It’s part of God’s plan for me and now I just have to see where that takes me.”
Born September 11, 1959 in Palo Alto, Calif. Smets was not exposed to rodeo or bullfighting until his sophomore year in high school. After suffering a break of the C-4-5-6 vertebra in 1992, Smets not only ignored physicians’ advice to seek other employment, but earned his fifth world title in 1994. In 1996 tragedy struck once more when Smets fractured his C-1 vertebra. The blow would have sent most down for the count, but he returned with a vengeance, attending every PBR World Finals from 1997 to the present.
Smets anticipates spending more time with his family, which includes his wife Carla and daughters Corey, Josey, Sammy, and Dylan. An avid team roper, he also foresees devoting more time to cattle business ventures.
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It's sad to see him go sooner than we thought, but if he has to and wants to, it's his choice. I'll truly miss seeing him fight bulls but I hope he sticks around with the PBR for the long run, whatever he does. Best of luck to Rob and his family now and in the future. Thanks for the memories, Rob.
A Living Legend Says Good Bye
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 17, 2006) - Legendary PBR bullfighter Rob Smets (Merkel, Texas), 47, initially announced at the end of January during the Express PBR Classic held in Oklahoma City his plans to end his bullfighting career. Smets anticipated that the 2006 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals presented by Wrangler, October 27 – November 5, would be his final bullfighting appearance. However, after 27 years of battling bulls and saving lives, Smets will officially close the curtain on his bullfighting career effective immediately. A tribute to Smets will take place during the World Finals with dates and details forthcoming.
“I’m enjoying my time working behind the mic lately. I’ve been given the opportunities so now it’s just a matter of capitalizing on them. I might be retiring, but the PBR is sure not going to be rid of me yet. I want to try and give back to the sport through my involvement now since it’s given me so much,” said Smets.
Smets will join the Amp’d Mobile crew in Tulsa at the Express PBR Classic, a part of the Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, and will work with OLN on the Dickies National Bullfighting Championship events in Cheyenne, Tulsa and Las Vegas. He has also been busy supplying commentary at event promoter Jerry Nelson’s venues and plans to attend the Last Frontier PBR Challenge events in Alaska this September.
Smets set out to win one Wrangler Bullfight Tour World Championship and won five, worked six Wrangler National Finals Rodeos, and was voted to work the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals nine times. One member of the fearless PBR Dickies Durabullfighters team, the “Kamikaze Kid” became famous for the fearless chances he took in the arena.
“Rob Smets has not only saved countless lives in the arena but has become a tremendous role model, teaching a new generation of bullfighters what it means to put everything on the line in the arena. He epitomizes what it means to be a bullfighter and is a living legend,” said Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer of the PBR.
Smets sustained the third broken neck of his 27-year career on March 3 during the Reno-Tahoe Invitational presented by Silver Legacy. The injury occurred when Smets was up-ended by a bull landing directly on his head and caused associated nerve compression, shoulder pain, numbness in the small finger of his right hand, and weakness in his right hand. Dr. Andrew Dossett, who incidentally treated Smets’ second broken neck, performed surgery on Smets on March 8 at the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas to repair the fracture of his C7 vertebra. He was predicted to be out of commission for a minimum of 8-12 weeks, but has ultimately decided not to return to the arena to fight.
Smets is not cavalier about the number of times that he has tempted fate and walked away, “I feel really good. On July 8 it had been four months since the injury. Dr. Dossett told me the last time not to fight bulls again. He told me this time that people that break their neck three times aren’t normally around to give advice to, but he told me not to go back. Carla [Rob’s wife] was in there with me and that helped make it more final I think. The only way I can explain it is that it’s a God thing. It’s sure not a Rob Smets thing. I’ve been arrogant about a lot of things in my life, but not this. It’s part of God’s plan for me and now I just have to see where that takes me.”
Born September 11, 1959 in Palo Alto, Calif. Smets was not exposed to rodeo or bullfighting until his sophomore year in high school. After suffering a break of the C-4-5-6 vertebra in 1992, Smets not only ignored physicians’ advice to seek other employment, but earned his fifth world title in 1994. In 1996 tragedy struck once more when Smets fractured his C-1 vertebra. The blow would have sent most down for the count, but he returned with a vengeance, attending every PBR World Finals from 1997 to the present.
Smets anticipates spending more time with his family, which includes his wife Carla and daughters Corey, Josey, Sammy, and Dylan. An avid team roper, he also foresees devoting more time to cattle business ventures.
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It's sad to see him go sooner than we thought, but if he has to and wants to, it's his choice. I'll truly miss seeing him fight bulls but I hope he sticks around with the PBR for the long run, whatever he does. Best of luck to Rob and his family now and in the future. Thanks for the memories, Rob.
