Behind the Scenes With Anita Ellis: What It Is Like Living With a Brain Injury

She might make it look easy, but every day is a battle that is much harder than just running barrels, which is already pretty difficult.

Amanda Dilworth- Professional Photographer

It is really hard to put into words what it is like embarking on the professional rodeo trail, as it isn't for the faint of heart, even the healthy ones, and while from the outside it might seem like Anita Ellis is just like the rest, she is not.

If people reacted to and treated internal injuries the same way that they did the physical ones, then everyone would applaud this cowgirl every time she swung a leg over her horse. But that typically isn't the case, despite the fact that a bum knee is much better than a bleeding brain.

Now, Ellis is one of those people who would refuse to acknowledge that her journey has been that different. In fact, most of the time, she feels guilty about what she put her family through during the worst moment of her life, which took place on November 15, 2026.

This wasn't a day that Ellis wanted to (or could) remember, as it led to a traumatic brain injury, a lengthy hospital stint, and a missed trip to Las Vegas for her NFR debut. So, skipping over the specific details of that time is better for everyone.

A year later, this beautiful mother of four conquered her goal of finishing in the top 30 in the World to ensure that she would qualify for the Winter rodeos. However, as easy as she may have made it look, every single day is a battle that one wouldn't wish on their worst enemy.

For weeks, Ellis fought with her family simply because she couldn't remember what happened and wanted to run down the Thomas & Mack. Her anger consumed her in indescribable ways, and it doesn't necessarily just go away.

When someone's brain is trying to heal itself- which hers still is, 365 days later- it will randomly send pain signals, and the Vagus Nerve will flare up, igniting a person's fight-or-flight. Imagine being completely out of control of your own body, but still competing as one of the best in the sport?

Competing inside the arena is tough enough, and not many can do it at the level that Ellis has shown us pre- and post-brain injury. While her accolades continue to impress, it is the battle that she is conquering personally outside of the arena that should draw the most praise and attention.

What Ellis Had To Say About Her Life on the Road This Season

Anita Ellis competes at Jerome, Idaho PRCA | RyAnn Deaville

Fear has been something that has been indescribable for Ellis to deal with, especially since the only thing that used to freak her out was, shockingly, chickens. Now, it is a different story, and even that is hard to grasp most days, as it feels like being in a constant war with her own body.

"The overwhelming emotions that come on are a struggle people with a TBI have to deal with every day. They all come crashing down on you at once for what feels like no reason some days. I've never felt grief, sadness, anger, or fear that has ever come close to this," stated Ellis.

There was also the fact that Ellis had to let go of what she would call her "ego" to let the people around her help her out. Anyone who has traveled with a barrel racer knows that they like things done a certain way and want to be in control 99% of the time.

Well, she had to relinquish all of that to accomplish her dreams, and that meant handing over the wheel to her husband, Brandon, who has been the kind of partner that anyone would hope to have. Anita wasn't a fan of not being in the driver's seat (literally), but even being a passenger was exhausting.

Anita and her husband Brandon, after winning the 2025 Calgary Stampede | Anita Ellis Post-Calgary Victory/Anita Elli

When I say "exhausting," I don't mean it in the sense of when someone doesn't get a good night's sleep. This is a feeling that goes deep into someone's bones and their core, and no matter how long they close their eyes, it won't go away.

But Brandon handled all of that in stride, and when asked about what it was like observing her journey day in and day out, he had a lot to say:

"Some days I'm her pit crew, chauffeur, emotional support, and the alarm clock that won't let her quit. Other days I am just the guy saddling the horse while she proves the doctors wrong. Watching her fight through exhaustion, mood swings, heart palpitations, elevated blood pressure, and a brain that's still rewiring itself, to then turn around and win San Antonio on Rico a few months after the accident was equal parts terrifying and the coolest thing I have ever seen- mostly terrifying."

He continued on, stating that it's slightly unfair to the rest of us who didn't get superpowers. She's constantly working on her recovery, not just daily, but almost every waking hour she dedicates to getting better.

With the people that Anita has by her side, there is no chance that she won't get to run in that yellow arena one day, but the inspiration she has become to many (including me) will forever etch her as one of the greatest to ever do it, at least in our book.