GUYMON, Okla. – Still three months shy of his 21st birthday, Sage Kimzey is living his dreams.
He is the No. 1 bull rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in his rookie season, having earned more than $72,500 heading into this weekend. He’s about to add a little more to his bank account.
On Saturday night during the third performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, Kimzey rode the Line Man of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo for 92 points to take the bull riding lead.
“I had a great bull from Pete Carr, and I knew it was going to be good if I could get him rode for the full eight seconds,” said Kimzey, of Strong City, Okla. “It’s always a great accomplishment to be 90 anywhere, especially at a rodeo this close to home.”
Kimzey has done pretty well in his home-state rodeos this week. On Friday night, he posted a 91 in Duncan, Okla., and owns the bull riding lead in the southern Oklahoma community.
“My confidence is through the roof,” he said. “I’m riding extremely well, especially for my age. It’s like a baseball player when he talks about a ball coming slow to him and as big around as a beach ball; that’s how bull riding is to me right now. Everything’s slow; everything’s clicking.”
Kimzey will have to wait until Sunday’s final performance is complete to see if his score holds up. If it does, he should win in excess of $3,500 – not too bad for eight seconds of work.
“They told me that he’s a handful and that he’d make you work for the whole eight seconds, and he sure did,” he said of Line Man, which was selected to buck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last December. “He’s an awesome bull. Any time a bull is honest about it and gives you a chance to be that many points, he’s definitely an NFR-caliber bull.”
Kimzey made several moves in order to stay atop the black-and-white, spotted bull, but that’s been a trademark of the young cowboy each of the past two seasons. In 2013, he set a PRCA record for money earned by a permit holder with nearly $48,000. Now he’s focused on continuing his top-caliber campaign in fine fashion, and the gold buckle awarded to the world champion would be the perfect fit.
“Everybody’s goal growing up as a young kid is to be a world champion,” he said. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be since I was 3 years old. It’s always in the back of your mind, but it’s always one bull at a time, too.”
He’s one bull closer to that goal.
Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
April 28-May 4
Results through the third performance
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tim O’Connell, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlet’s Web; 2. Jared Smith, 85; 3. Tilden Hooper, 83; 4. Kyle Brennecke, 82; 5. Winn Ratliff, 81; 6. (tie) Clint Cannon and Luke Creasy, 80; 8. (tie) Matt Bright and Joe Gunderson, 79.
Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Keven Daniel/York Gill, 6.4 seconds; 2. Paul David Tierney/Matt Kasner, 6.7; 3. Chace Thompson/Twister Cain, 7.2; 4.Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 7.5; 5. Arky Rogers/Travis Woodard, 7.9; 6. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 8.2; 7. Travis Bounds/Wade Kreutzer, 6.5; 8. Brock Hanson/Cesar de la Cruz, 7.9. Aggregate leaders: 1. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 23.6 seconds on three runs; 2. Brock Hansen/Cesar de la Cruz, 25.7; 3. Arky Rogers/York Gill, 27.3; 4. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins III, 27.5; 5. Chace Thompson/Twister Cain, 28.3; 6. Travis Bounds/Wade Kreutzer, 30.2; 7. David Key/Jett Hillman, 32.6; 8. Matt Sherwood/Dugan Kelly, 33.1.
Steer roping: Fifth round leaders: 1. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.2 seconds; 2. Jason Evans, 11.7; 3. Mike Chase, 12.0; 4. Joe Wells, 12.6; 5. Cody Lee, 12.7; 6. Brady Garten, 13.1. Aggregate leaders: 1. Chance Kelton, 68.1 seconds on five runs; 2. Brady Garten, 78.6; 3. Tony Reina, 85.4; 4. Randy Wells, 55.5 seconds on four runs; 5. Mike Chase, 56.1; 6. Cody Lee, 59.6.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chad Ferley, 86 points on D&H Cattle’s Shaken Not Stirred; 2. (tie) Chet Johnson and Tyler Corrington, 84; 4. (tie) Rusty Wright and Rusty Aldridge, 82; 6. (tie) Brady Nicholes, Ty Thompson, Cody Taton and Hardy Braden, 79.
Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Quinn Campbell, 3.7 seconds; 2. Dru Melvin, 3.9; 3. Kyle Irwin, 4.0; 4 Riley Duvall, 4.6; 5. Brady Hageman, 4.8; 6. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Payden Kime McIntyre, 4.9; 8. Dean Gorsuch, 5.1. Aggregate leaders: 1. Quinn Campbell, 13.2 on three runs; 2. Josh Peek, 13.9; 3. Payden Kime McIntyre, 14.3; 4. Dean Gorsuch, 14.5; 5. Dru Melvin 14.7; 6. Rowdy Parrott, 15.2; 7. Jacob Talley, 15.8; 8. Kyle Irwin, 16.0.
Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. (tie) Hunter Herrin and L.D. Meier, 7.7 seconds; 3. Timber Moore, 8.2; 4. Catfish Brown, 8.4; 5. Jake Hamilton, 8.5; 6. Marcos Costa, 8.8; 7. Roger Nonella, 9.0; 8. Ryan Jarrett, 9.5; 6. (tie) Clay Long and Dane Kissack, 9.7. 8. Joe Frost, 10.2. Aggregate leaders: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 26.0 seconds on three runs; 2. Timber Moore, 26.7; 3. Clay Long, 27.2; 4. L.D. Meier, 27.2; 5. Hunter Herrin, 27.4; 6. Dane Kissack, 28.2; 7. Roger Nonella, 29.3; 8. Jake Hamilton, 29.5.
Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Toni Harden and Alicia Stockton, 17.18; 3. (tie) Carlee Pierce and Kim Schulze, 17.21; 5. Victoria Williams, 17.29; 6. Natalie Foutch, 17.37; 7. Tara Carr, 17.47; 8. (tie) Liz Combs, Kyra Stierwalt and Shawna Bourne, 17.48. Aggregate leaders: 1.Alicia Stockton, 34.61 seconds on two runs; 2. Natalie Foutch, 34.82; 3. Victoria Williams, 34.92; 4. Kim Schulz, 35.08; 5. Toni Hardin, 35.12; 6. Britany Diaz, 35.15; 7. (tie) Liz Combs and Shawna Bourne, 35.16; 9. Kyra Stierwalt, 35.18; 10. Emily Holtman, 35.22.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Sage Steele Kimzey, 92 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Line Man; 2. Caleb Sanderson, 89; 3. Scottie Knapp, 87; 4. (tie) Trey Benton II and Aaron Pass, 85; 6. Jeff Bertus, 81; 7. Cody Sierks, 79; 5. Corey Maier, 78.