Funeral Arrangements Set for Brooke Ann Coats; Sheriff's Office Issues Rodeo Report

Funeral arrangements have been set for teen bull rider Brooke Ann Coats of Riverview, who lost her life some 90 minutes after being thrown from a bull at the Remington Rough Stock rodeo on U.S. 301 near the Selmon Expressway.

Also, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has issued a statement that the rodeo operator had met administrative requirements and that Coats and her parents had signed a required waiver under the Florida Equine Law.

“All of the necessary paperwork was in order,” the report noted. “In regards to a rodeo, the State Department of Agriculture oversees the safety of animals, local code enforcement authorities ensure that the property is zoned properly and the local tax collector collects the business tax.”

The report adds that Florida does not require a license or permit to conduct a rodeo.

Moreover,  according to the report, the waiver signed by Coats and her parents holds that “an equine activity sponsor or equine professional is not liable for an injury to, or the death of, a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities.”

It was noted in the report that the “death investigation remains active.”

Coats’ online obituary notes that she was a lifelong resident of Hillsborough County and a junior at Riverview High, where she was a member of Future Farmers of America and both the swim and tennis teams.

Funeral services will be held Feb. 24 at 10 a.m., in the chapel of, at 401 West Brandon Blvd.

Internment will follow in the family lot at in Brandon, at 2323 West Brandon Boulevard.

The family will receive friends Feb. 23, at the funeral home for visitation, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Flowers will be accepted and memorial contributions can be made in Brooke’s memory to the Humane Society.

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