Teen Cowboy Dies in Tragic Freak Accident While Tending to Sick Calf
A teenage Texas cowboy died after an accident that involved a horse.
Ace Patton Ashford, 18, of Lott, Texas, died on Monday, according to KWTX-TV.
Ashford had been tending to a sick calf when the horse was spooked, according to the Lott Volunteer Fire Department.
“Somehow, the man’s leg got tangled, and the horse [dragged] him quite a distance in an open field,” a representative of the fire department said.
Ace Ashford Horse Accident: Beloved Member of the Lott community died on August 12https://t.co/XWKphNpcW0
The ailing calf was being attended to by Ashford, a recent Rosebud-Lott High School alum, when the horse became agitated. pic.twitter.com/nSBvBP1oij— Michael Scott (@MScottNews) August 14, 2024
Ashford suffered head injuries and was described by first responders as being in “bad shape” when he was airlifted to a hospital where he later died.
“The news of Ace’s untimely death has sent shockwaves through the community, as those who knew and loved him struggle to come to terms with the loss of a young man whose life was filled with promise, kindness, and an extraordinary sense of humility,” his obituary said.
“Ace Ashford was more than just a bright and promising student; he was a beloved son, brother, friend, and community member who touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” the obituary said.
Ashford graduated from Rosebud-Lott High School and was planning to attend Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, in the fall, according to The Team Roping Journal.
“He was about as pure as they get. He was gold,” Nation Finals Rodeo competitor Cody Snow said.
“He just started coming up and roping with Ross and I all the time now that he’s 18,” he said, referring to Ashford’s older brother, Ross Ashford. “We’ve got to be around him a lot the last year, and he’s been roping good. He’s got a lot of try, and he’s just a good dude.”
“That’s who you want your son to grow up to be,” Marcus Becerra said.
“That’s why it hurt quite a bit. Everybody knows how good a kid he was, how cordial he was, how respectful he was. He was good with horses. He had manners, and he was a real great kid.
“[Y]ou meet these kids when they’re young, and you get to know them. You see from the time they’re little, and you get to watch them win, and you pull for them,” he continued.
“That kid grew up to be a really good kid, and his family is golden.”
“If you knew Ace Ashford, you knew an amazing and humble young man. Recent high school graduate on his way to his college career. He was taken from us too soon and we are all in mourning,” said a Facebook post from Troy Ashford Farmers Insurance, his father’s business.
“Ace — our heart hurts and we will never truly understand why, but we know you are flying high with the greatest man possible and are no longer in pain. We will always love you!”
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