Bull Rider Sage Kimzey Splits Win in Vernal, Utah
At just 26 years old, bull rider Sage Kimzey has nothing left to prove in the rodeo business. He’s earned six PRCA world championships in seven trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, won the average there three times and has more than $2.5 million in career earnings.
Don’t for one second believe that means Kimzey is done striving to be the best.
“I have nothing to prove to anyone at this point, except to prove to myself what I am capable of,” Kimzey said.
“I push to see what I can put my body through, how much I can take and continue to compete at the highest level.”
He’s still chasing his stated goal of breaking Don Gay’s record for PRCA bull riding world championships which stands at eight.
With just three months left in the 2021 season, Kimzey is in familiar territory, leading the RAM | PRCA World Standings once again. He added to his lead during the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo in Vernal, Utah, July 10 after sharing the win with Parker McCown with matching 90.5-point rides.
Surprisingly, it was Kimzey’s first win in Vernal, a stop on the Pro Rodeo Tour.
“I’ve been there a few times; it seems like we get there about every other year or so, but I’ve never gotten much done,” said Kimzey, who made his ride on July 9. “It was good to break the ice.”
The Oklahoma native, who now makes his home in Salado, Texas, knew he had a chance to change that streak when he saw he’d drawn Audacious from Powder River Rodeo.
“That’s a really nice bull; he’s been the money bull for Powder River and D&H for several years now, but he’s actually been even better this year than the last couple of years,” Kimzey said.
Kimzey first rode the bull to the pay window during the 2019 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Last week in Belle Fourche, S.D., Daylon Swearingen had a 90-point ride on Audacious for the win.
“He’s the one you want to draw so I was really happy,” Kimzey said. “It was good to capitalize on him.”
Kimzey banked another $3,038 towards the world standings and picked up more valuable Pro Rodeo Tour points, working towards a qualification to the Pro Rodeo Tour Finale to be held in Salinas, Calif., on the final weekend of the regular season in September. Kimzey is second in the Tour.
“The Tour rodeos are the biggest and richest rodeos, so the Tour standings and the world standings go hand-in-hand,” Kimzey said. “It will be cool to go out to Salinas for the Finale.”
Despite a torrid schedule in 2021 – Kimzey has already attempted 80 bulls, riding an impressive 62% of them – the champ is feeling ready to tackle the heart of the rodeo season for the rest of the summer.
“I’m healthy. All is well and I’ve got no complaints,” he said.
Other winners at the $151,292 rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($1,962, saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Tilden Hooper (88 points on Powder River Rodeo’s 99 Problems); steer wrestler Shane Frey (3.6 seconds); team ropers Clay Smith/Jade Corkill and Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves (4.5 seconds each); saddle bronc rider Jesse Wright (91.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Bet The Ranch); tie down roper Tuf Cooper (7.5 seconds) and barrel racer Emily Miller-Beisel (17.08 seconds).
Courtesy of PRCA