A Texas community is mourning the death of an 18-year-old junior rodeo champion who died in a freak accident involving a horse.
A Texas community is mourning the death of a rodeo rider who died in an accident.
Ace Patton Ashford of Lott, Texas, was caring for a sick calf near Chilton around 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 12, when a horse spooked nearby, a Lott Volunteer Fire Department official told CBS station KWTX-TV.
“Somehow the man’s leg got tangled and the horse dragged him for a long time across the field,” VFD Officer Lott told KWTX.
When first responders arrived at Ashford, the man was still breathing and had a pulse, but had suffered a serious head injury.
According to his obituary, the recent high school graduate was airlifted to Baylor Scott & White Hospital, where he died.
Today, friends and family remember the “incredible and humble young man” who lived his entire life in the small town of Lott (population 650) but dreamed of becoming a rodeo cowboy.
Ace Patton Ashford, an 18-year-old rodeo rope access technician, died in a horse accident just weeks before fulfilling his dream | The American Sun
Ashford, a graduate of Rosebud-Lott High School, received a scholarship to Hill College in Hillsboro and was scheduled to join its rodeo team this fall.
“Ace loved the cowboy life and was a true example of a hardworking country boy,” his obituary read. “Ace devoted countless hours to the ropes to reach his full potential.”
The teenager was a successful roper who began competing in rodeos at the age of four, Team Roping Journal reported.
Last year, Ashford found great success in the arena, placing highly in Arizona during Vegas Week in December, and also winning the warm-up event at the World Youth Team Stringing Championship, as well as competitions at Patriot and Philipp Ranch this summer, according to Roping Journal.
“He was the kind of boy you’d want to see grow up,” flagger Marcus Becerra told the newspaper. “It kind of hurts. Everyone knew how good he was, how kind and respectful he was. He was good with horses, had great manners and was just a really great kid.”
Ross Ashford’s younger brother, Ace, a national finals rodeo heeler, also enjoyed spending time with his girlfriend of three years, Sydney Boatright, according to his obituary.
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Hours after Ace’s death, Boatright updated her Facebook profile picture with a photo of the two of them embracing in a field.
“I love you forever, Ace Patton,” she wrote, adding a heart emoji.