In 2017, Marcos Costa was on top of the ProRodeo world.
Since, the Brazilian tie-down roper has been battling injuries.
Costa made history by becoming the first native Brazilian to win a tie-down roping world title. He also won the average at the 2017 National Finals Rodeo with an 81.3-second time on 10 head and the RAM Top Gun Award for most money won at that year’s NFR with $195,519.
That season marked Costa’s third consecutive trip to the NFR.
“After 2017, I had an accident on the ranch and broke my left knee,” said Costa, 30. “I had to go back and redo my knee.”
Knee problems unfortunately, have been a way of life for Costa.
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In April 2018, Costa was sidelined following right knee surgery. It was the fifth time Costa had had right knee surgery since 2011, when he initially tore the ACL in his knee after slamming a calf on top of his leg while roping in Brazil.
In 2019, Costa finished 19th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, and last year, in the COVID-19-marred season, he was 29th.
Costa has continued to persevere. He’s ninth in the latest world standings with $36,756, earning $8,472 at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo, which ended June 26.
“God has given me the chance to be healthy again,” Costa said. “It has been a long fight. When you feel like you can do what you used to do, it is a great feeling.”
Costa is in the midst of a Cowboy Christmas run that includes stops in Greeley, Colo., Prescott, Ariz., St. Paul, Ore., Red Lodge, Mont., Livingston, Mont., Cody, Wyo., Killdeer, N.D., and Belle Fourche, S.D.
“The dream is to get back to the NFR,” Costa said. “I want to be back up there. It is always in God’s hand. I’m going to try and do my best, and I hope God gives me a chance to be up there.”
Costa, who is from Iretama, a small ranching and farming community in the southern state of Parana, is riding Pouraguaja, the reserve 2016 PRCA | AQHA Tie-down Roping Horse of the Year. Costa rode Pouraguaja, now 13, to the world title.
“She’s still good as ever,” Costa said.
Costa travels the PRCA trail with his wife, Keyla, a barrel racer. They married in 2018.
“She is my best friend, my wife, my right arm, she’s my everything,” said Costa, who lives in Tolar, Texas. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world and blessed because when I travel with my wife it feels like home.”
Keyla praised Marcos.
“He’s an amazing husband,” she said. “Now it’s so good because we travel together. God has been so good to us.”