Reigning World Champion Rocker Steiner’s Return to Arena After Neck Surgery Delayed

Rocker Steiner shared that his doctor advised waiting a few more weeks before returning to competition following major neck surgeries earlier this summer.

Rocker Steiner | Nathan Meyer Photography

Reigning World Champion Bareback Rider Rocker Steiner is known for rolling into the arena full throttle, but he has had to put the brakes on his long-awaited return to competition.

Steiner, a four-time National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier with lifetime earnings of $1.35 million, has accomplished incredible feats at 22 years old.

Steiner's Unexpected Twist to 2026

Rocker Steiner | Fernando Sam-Sin

After winning his first gold buckle at the 2025 NFR, Steiner rode that momentum straight into a new year and started 2026 on a hot streak. He banked $122,142 in season earnings by early May and led the World Standings by a huge margin.

Following his impressive winter and spring runs, Steiner realized in May that lingering neck issues were affecting him more than he realized.

Right after winning his second consecutive The American Rodeo Championship and the $100,000 check that comes with the title, Steiner announced he would be sidelined for the majority of the summer.

Initially, he reported that he expected to be out for approximately three months to recover from neck surgery, putting him on the sidelines for the entire summer run.

Two herniated discs were pressing into Steiner's spinal cord, causing weakness and numbness in his left hand. Steiner had just gone 90.5 points aboard Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's Resistol's Secrets Out at The American Rodeo, and 91 points at Rodeo Corpus Christi, but the threat to his long-term career was immense.

Neck injuries were nothing new for Steiner, like most professional bareback riders. During the filming of the candid 2025 docu-series Hell On Wheels, produced by The Cowboy Channel, Steiner had to take some time off to address issues with his neck.

While a break and regenerative therapies can be game-changers in many cases, Steiner had gotten as far as he could without surgically correcting the root issue.

Now deep into recovery, Steiner was set to ride at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston, Ore., on Thursday, August 13. Matched up with Scarlett Dynamo of Bridwell Pro Rodeos, it was going to be an exciting return for the electric young bareback rider.

Unfortunately, that return is going to be pushed back for a few more weeks.

Steiner shared in a social media post:

"Might have jumped the gun a little bit. Saw the doc this morning and he strongly suggested a few more weeks off. The risk of me re-injuring my neck is still too high, and if I have another surgery, chances of me ever riding again are very low. I'm upset about it but at the same time excited to just get better and come back when I know I'm gonna be ok. I’m sorry to everyone who made plans and bought tickets to come see me in Hermiston. I will be back in a couple of weeks."