Bull Rider Tyler Kippes, 22, experienced a major blunt force trauma to his chest from a bull’s horn while competing in the Austin Rodeo on March 24, 2025.
Tyler was launched over the front of his bull, and caught a horn to his chest as he fell and hit the ground. “It felt like I had the wind knocked out of me,” said Tyler. Soon after, he blacked out.
An ultrasound confirmed that the tricuspid valve on the right side of his heart had ruptured. Dr. William Kessler, surgeon at the Institute for Cardiovascular Health, a clinical partnership between Ascension Seton and UT Health Austin, completed Tyler’s life-saving heart surgery on March 28 at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin. It was a success.
“This is a very rare case,” said Dr. Kessler. “We were able to repair the tricuspid heart valve rather than replace it.” Dr. Kessler and his team said that this was the best possible outcome for Tyler, who is now recovering.
Tyler has been a bull rider for 14 years.
