Right time arrives for Ryan Gray to hang up his rodeo spurs

The decision was made once and for all well in advance of the events of Nov. 11–13 in Dallas, Texas.

But the broken shoulder Ryan Gray suffered during the final weekend of the inaugural season of the Elite Rodeo Athletes tour certainly made his decision to retire that much easier.

Bigger forces were at work pulling the Cheney High School grad off the wild bareback horses on which he has made a living since 2002.

Word of him hanging up the spurs circulated through the U.S. Airlines Arena in Dallas and on social media. And Gray wanted — and did his best — to go out on memorable notes, some certa...