Halls Creek bull rider Roy Hester has walked seven days after breaking his neck at the Robe River Rodeo

A Halls Creek bull rider who doctors had feared could be paralysed after suffering a serious spinal injury while competing at a rodeo has got out of bed and walked more than 30 steps. After seven days in a hospital bed, father of four Roy Hester stood and walked between 30 and 40 steps on a walking frame, his partner Marieeta Howard wrote on a GoFundMe page. “Roy will continue to work with the physiotherapist over the next few days so that he can build his strength to be able to be discharged from hospital in the coming week,” Ms Howard wrote on September 9. Mr Hester, an experienced rough stock rider, was competing in the Open Bull competition at the Robe River Rodeo on September 2 when he had an accident and fractured his spine. He was transferred to Royal Perth Hospital and had been expected to undergo spinal surgery. However Ms Howard said on the GoFundMe page that after doctors had consulted with him on his options he declined surgery and chose to be placed into a halo instead. “The spinal team fitted the halo around 3.30pm this afternoon this was a very painful and traumatic procedure for Roy. “The specialist advised us that Roy will have to remain in the halo for 12 weeks to give his bone time to heal. Once Roy is discharged from hospital we will have to remain in Perth for a further four to five weeks so that he can see the spinal clinic for regular tightening of halo screws and wound cleaning.” Ms Howard has posted photos of Mr Hester in the hospital bed in the halo with his youngest child sleeping at his legs and another of him walking with a frame. Mr Hester is a regular on the Kimberley rodeo circuit and has worked at various cattle stations in WA and the Northern Territory. The GoFundMe page raised $7555 for Mr Hester’s family to travel to Perth and for their accommodation expenses for the next few weeks. Ms Howard has now disabled the page from taking further donations as they had reached their funding goal. “Once again we would both like to thank you all for the generosity and support that you have all shown during this time, it is gratefully appreciated and could not thank you all enough,” she wrote.“Please continue to keep Roy in prayer has he prepares himself for the long recovery ahead.”