Cowboys Pitch In To Help Copan Rancher

By Craig Day, The News On 6

COPAN, OK -- Ranching is one of the most dangerous professions around.  A group of Oklahoma cowboys is rallying around a friend injured when his horse fell on him.

There is always work to be done.  And, there's always a chance something can go dangerously wrong.  Cody Sander knows that firsthand.

"You just got to go on, it is what it is," said rancher Cody Sander.

When his horse fell on him at his ranch in Copan, his leg was snapped above and below the knee, and was held on by just four inches of skin.  If his friend Devin McNown hadn't found him when he did, Sander would have likely bled to death.

"Put a tourniquet took my belt off and put it on my leg and that's what saved my life, so," said rancher Cody Sander.

His life was saved, but his leg was lost.  But, for a man who grew up on a ranch near Woodward, and spent much of his life on the back of horse, not getting back in the saddle wasn't an option.

"It's not going to do any good to feel sorry for yourself so you just go on," said Cody Sander.

"There was no ‘oh my goodness I lost my leg,' nothing like that, he just went on with life like you should," said Devin McNown.

With a new prosthetic leg, Sander is back doing most of what he was able to do before the accident.

"Where there's a will, there's a way," said Cody Sander.

His positive attitude is an inspiration to many friends who are now organizing a benefit ranch rodeo to help pay for the $75,000 prosthetic.

"If something like that happened to one of us, we sure hope people would get together like this to help us out," said Chris Potter.

The event will be held at the fairgrounds in Pawhuska, all day Saturday. 

Sander says he's lucky to have such good friends.

"When you have good friends that pitch in and help, it makes a big difference," said rancher Cody Sander.

Organizers hope for a good turnout at the fundraiser for a man who may have lost his leg, but didn't lose his determination and can do spirit.

The fundraiser begins Saturday morning at 10 o'clock with a Western trade show at the Osage County Fairgrounds.  The ranch competition begins at noon.  And, there will be a barbecue dinner and a live auction during the afternoon.