story by Lily Weinacht
Dr. Chris Miller’s contribution to rodeo over the last 22 years can be seen in many rodeo athletes, from the junior high and high school level to professional rodeo. Specializing in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery of the knee and shoulder at Kansas Orthopaedic Center, he also works closely with the KHSRA the entire rodeo season. During the week of the NHSFR Chris and his medical crew treat an average of 200 athletes. Chris, who hails from Whitewater, Kansas, also worked at the NJHFR for 10 years. “I don’t come from a rodeo background,” he says. “I was introduced to it when I got home from my fellowship and started practicing back in the 1990s. I quickly realized that not very many medical people back then were interested in rodeo, but I recognized the tremendous need that was there. I started by taking care of Kansas High School Rodeo, which very quickly grew into college rodeo in the Central Plains region, then local and regional rodeos and the Central Plains Rodeo Association. This was all in the space of a year, and I eventually started taking care of several PRCA rodeos around Kansas, and we help the Justin team with the National Steer Roping Finals here in Wichita in November. The parents and kids and competitors are extremely appreciative of anything we’re able to do for them, and that appreciation drives a lot of the desire to continue.”
When Chris first started working in rodeo, he worked from the back of a pickup and traveled with a horse trailer to events. In March of 1996, Chris worked at his first high school rodeo in Kingman, Kansas, and it rapidly progressed from there. “I bought a trailer to haul tables around in. It’s been a gradual process, but now we have two fairly large mobile training rooms and a full-time athletic trainer. I’m a partner in Kansas Orthopaedic Center, and we’re fortunate to have some really good people work with us on a regular basis and help us out on weekends when I’m double or triple booked.” During the NHSFR, Chris often works with four or five colleagues on his medical team. He worked his first NHSFR in 1996 in Pueblo, Colo. He went with a team and then became the official National Sports Medicine Provider in Springfield, Illinois in 2006. This past year marks his 22nd year at the Finals and he received “Man of the Year” this year at Gillette, Wyoming.
Chris’s relationship with the KHSRA and KJHSRA also ranges from serving two years as the KHSRA Vice President, to opening his arena to the KJHSRA state finals for 11 years. Presently, he serves on the KHSRA Board of Directors as one of the Southwest District Directors. Chris’s lifelong interest in ranching and the rural lifestyle was fulfilled when he started practicing in Wichita and purchased his ranch near Whitewater. He raises hay and has several horses and dogs, but the indoor arena is the predominant part of the ranch. “It’s pretty popular with folks in the area. We have roping practice and barrel races, and dogs shows and horse shows. I have a manager, Jeff L’Ecuyer, who lives and works there and handles the arena. I’ve team roped the last 15 years, but I’ve gotten more serious about it the last three years. I’m definitely making improvements, and it’s wonderful having a lot of people to help coach me along the way.
“The friendships you make along the way and the relationships you build, and knowing there are still people depending on me definitely makes it worthwhile,” Chris says of his work. “I still hear from people that graduated high school 20 years ago that come in for an appointment or want an opinion. I think that’s a great testimony to the depth of relationships we’re able to build, and an indication that people are placing a great deal of value on knowing somebody they can trust. I tell the kids every year that when they graduate high school, the relationship doesn’t end there, it just goes to another level, and that’s what I’m here for the rest of my life.”
