South Georgia Rodeo Athlete Faces Long Recovery After Life-Altering Injury

A South Georgia college student is facing a future no rodeo athlete wants to face after suffering a serious injury during a rodeo on October 17th. 18-year-old bareback rider Clayton Dover suffered shattered C6 and C7 vertebrae in the accident.

According to an online fundraiser organized by Adam Baswell and an article written for WJCL News, Dover underwent a 6½-hour operation to stabilize his spine and is currently paralyzed in his lower body. Dover, who competes for The South Georgia State College Rodeo Team is now facing a long road of recovery ahead of him.

Now, with such uncertainty on the horizon, friends and the The South Georgia State College Rodeo Team have turned to social media to rally support for the cowboy as he faces a tough road ahead.

The team posted this in support,

“In the rodeo world, we know how to stand together when times get tough,” the team wrote. “Today, we’re asking cowboys, cowgirls, friends, family, and the entire rodeo community to come together and surround Clayton with prayers, strength, and love.”

The post continued: “Every prayer, every word of encouragement, and every show of support matters. Strength in numbers. One rodeo family. One powerful community.”

The rodeo community has taken a massive response in support of Dover and a GoFundMe campaign titled “Support Clayton Dover’s Recovery” was created to help the Dover family have a little bit of peace of mind going forward into the unknown of medical bills and recovery. As of Oct. 22, the campaign had received 70 donations totaling more than $7,100.

These donations are meant to help support the family through his emergency surgery, specialized care, and the long term treatment that is to come afterward. This also includes mobility equipment, adaptive gear and home modifications intended to help him live more independently.

The fundraiser is being used as a way to encourage community members to donate and rally support behind Dover. With recovery expected to take months, the family and this cowboy are going to need all the help they can get.

In a post for the fundraiser Adam Baswell wrote,

“Clayton and his family are now facing a long and uncertain road ahead, one filled with immense physical, emotional, and financial challenges,” Baswell wrote. “Through it all, Clayton’s strength, grit, and determination continue to carry him forward as he begins the hard work of recovery.”

The rodeo team is using the hashtag #PrayForClayton to rally support.

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