A beloved Texas cowboy was killed by a horse while caring for a sick calf in a freak accident.
Ace Patton Ashford, 18, of Lott, died Aug. 12 after his leg became entangled with a spooked horse that then dragged him “a great distance in an open field,” the Lott Volunteer Fire Department said. KWTXAshford had been caring for a sick calf.
Paramedics found the recent Rosebud-Lott High School graduate in “bad shape” around 8 a.m. He was airlifted to hospital with head injuries, where he later died.
Ashford was set to attend Hills College in Hillsboro on a rodeo scholarship, according to KWTX.
He competed in rodeo since he was four years old and had made a name for himself as a roper over the years, according to Lazada Team Diary.
Ace Patton Ashford, 18, of Lott, died Aug. 12 after his leg became entangled with that of a spooked horse, which then dragged him “a great distance across an open field.”
Paramedics found the recent Rosebud-Lott High School graduate in “bad shape” around 8 a.m. and he was airlifted with head injuries to the hospital, where he later died.
Ashford placed during Las Vegas Week in December 2023, in addition to winning a warm-up at the World Junior Team Roping Championships in March, and at The Patriot and Phillip Ranch in July, according to The Journal.
‘Ace would dedicate countless hours to casting to reach his full potential,’ he said. obituary saying.
He was a member of his high school’s rodeo association and also manager of the Roping team.
He comes from a rodeo family and his older brother, Ross Ashford, recently won in Dodge City, Kansas, and is ranked in the top 15 in the world.
Ashford was going to attend Hills College in Hillsboro on a rodeo scholarship.
He competed in rodeo since he was four years old and had made a name for himself as a roper.
Ashford (pictured left) placed during Las Vegas Week in December 2023 and won a warm-up at the World Junior Team Roping Championships in March.
Tributes poured in for the young ropemaker, who is remembered as an “old soul” who “would stop at nothing to help anyone in need.”
“Ace had a heart of gold and was loved by all who knew him. Ace never met a stranger,” his obituary read.
His father’s insurance company wrote: ‘We are deeply saddened by the Ashford family who lost their youngest son in a tragic horse accident on Monday. We pray for peace and comfort for all the family and friends.
‘We will always love you.’
“It was pure gold,” Cody Snow, a roper at the National Finals Rodeo, told The Journal.
Tributes poured in for the young rope maker (pictured with his family), who is remembered as an “old soul” who “would stop at nothing to help anyone in need.”
Ashford (right) was a member of his high school’s rodeo association.
Snow had been with Ashford the night before his death and had dinner with him.
“We spent one last night with him,” she said. “I’m glad I got to see him before we left.”
“That’s what you want your son to be when he grows up. That’s why it hurt so much,” Marcus Becera told The Journal. “Everyone knows what a good kid he was, how caring he was, how respectful he was.”