Tim O'Connell's 2024 Season Paused, Ambitious Goals for 2025

If you think the odds are against three-time World Champion Bareback Rider Tim O'Connell, you'll be sadly mistaken when you see the comeback he has planned for 2025.

"Control your controllables" is how Tim O'Connell began his announcement to the public on April 12, 2024, that he would not be competing for the remainder of the 2024 season. As challenging as the sidelines are for any professional athlete, O'Connell continues to be a role model in the rodeo world by handling this new season of change with grace and perseverance.

In his newfound "off-season," he will undergo two surgeries and enjoy his first-ever summer off since he began his professional bareback riding career.

Tim O'Connell is a three-time World Champion Bareback Rider of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) for the last 10 years and is now facing the reality of sitting out the remainder of the season due to injury.

After the 2023 NFR, O'Connell had surgery on his groin to ensure that he would be ready when the rodeos started back up in the 2024 season. He got on his first horse since surgery on Easter weekend, and when it was all said and done, his groin couldn't withstand it.

He will undergo groin surgery again in the next few weeks. In the 6-8 weeks following that surgery, he will then have surgery on his right knee to repair his ACL, which has been absent since 2017.

Recognizing the need for more time for full recovery from his most recent surgery, O'Connell is taking the rest of this year to allow ample time to heal.

Tim, his wife Sami, and their sons Hazen (6) and Stratten (2) recently moved from Marshall, Missouri, to Cascade, Iowa. Their move prioritized their family, being in close proximity to Tim's parents, extended family, and Sami's family. The exemplary school system is an added bonus.

O'Connell's wife, Sami, consistently supports Tim, whether from home or in the stands. Tim's year off is a change for the whole family, as this is what they have known for the last 10 years.

"Seeing someone you love not being able to do what they love is heartbreaking, but he continues to be positive about it, which helps a lot," stated Sami.

The O'Connells look forward to their first summer in their new home as a family of four. Tim plans to remain involved with rodeo, even though he won't be competing, so fans can expect to see him throughout this season.

O'Connell will be missed as a competitor on the rodeo stage, but he is already enjoying his extended time with his wife and boys. It's no surprise that he will be eager to return when the time comes.

"It is exciting to build that hunger for rodeo again; it feels like I'm waiting to turn 18 to get to rodeo in the PRCA. This isn't ideal, but I know God has a purpose and a plan. I will enjoy this time and prepare for my return," says O'Connell.

He may not be qualifying for his 11th NFR this year, but it's inevitable that when try No. 11 comes into play next year, O'Connell will be back in full-force fashion.