Craving Rodeo, Matching Records

By: Ruth Nicolaus

St. Paul Rodeo kicks off with world champion, home-state cowboy leading their events

St. Paul, Ore. – A six-time world champion bareback rider has made his comeback at the St. Paul Rodeo, and he’s making a big splash.

After sitting out of rodeo for four months, Kaycee Feild, Genola, Utah, scored 89.5 points to take the lead after the first performance of the rodeo, tying the arena record set in 2017 by Tim O’Connell.

He was aboard the Four Star Rodeo Co. horse Big Star, owned by Jeff Davis. Davis gave him advice about how the horse would buck. “Jeff told me the horse was pretty nice,” Feild said. “About the second jump I was thinking he was lying to me. I was pretty mad at Jeff,” he joked. “I had to get tough and get through the ride, so I could come back and whoop his ass,” he laughed.

Feild, who is the reigning PRCA world champion, hasn’t rodeoed since March, staying home to take care of family.

“There were things at home I needed to take care of,” he said. “When I was on the back of the chutes, my thoughts weren’t where they needed to be, to be a world champion, so I went home to refocus.”

Feild, who won the world title in 2011-14, 2020 and 2021, reviews his goals daily, with three big ones he wants to accomplish before his career is over.

“When I was thirteen, I said I was going to be a seven-time world champion,” he said. “And I need to win Cheyenne (Wyoming, Frontier Days) and Pendleton (Oregon, Roundup). Those are ones I’ve never won.”

He’s glad to be back to rodeo. “I’m craving it,” he said.

Feild won the St. Paul Rodeo in 2009.

In the bull riding, an Oregon cowboy leads after the June 30 performance.

Justin Houston, Sandy, Ore., scored 87.5 points on the Four Star Rodeo bull Hell Hound.

The 23-year-old man was the only bull rider to make a qualified ride, and he was delighted with his lead. “I can’t believe it, to be honest with you,” he said.

Houston competed in the St. Paul Rodeo arena as a youngster in the peewee rodeos, starting at age eight.

He comes from a long line of barrel racers and bull riders. His mom, Stacy Houston, was a barrel racer, and his dad, John Houston, rode bulls, as well as uncles on both sides of the family. “I’m following in their footsteps. It would be really cool to succeed in what they did as well.”

A check in St. Paul after the rodeo ends July 4 would be good, but his lead so far is a thrill.

It gives him “all the confidence I can ask for,” he said. “I’m pretty pumped. There’s still a lot of rodeo ahead, but if it holds (for a first place finish), I can’t believe it.”

The first night of rodeo was in honor of all first responders and recognized the passing of Austin Smith, the St. Paul Fire District member who died in February. Over $71,000 has been raised to benefit the St. Paul Fire District in purchasing vehicle extrication tools.

Other high scores and fast times from slack and the first night of rodeo at the St. Paul Rodeo are steer wrestler Jace Melvin, Bluff Dale, Texas, in the first round (3.9) and Timmy Sparing, Helena, Mont. in the second round (3.6); tie-down ropers King Pickett, Stephenville, Texas and Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, in the first round (8.0 seconds each) and Haven Meged, Miles City, Montana in the second round (7.7); team ropers Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga. and Junior Nogueira, Lipan, Texas, in the first round (4.6) and Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla. and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., Mo. in the second round (4.6).

Saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alb. was 82.5 points to lead his event, and rookie barrel racer Tristan Parrish, Yakima, Wash. took the lead with a time of 17.55 seconds around the barrels.

The second performance of the St. Paul Rodeo takes place July 1 at 7:30 pm. The rodeo continues through July 4 with performances at 7:30 pm each night and a 1:30 pm matinee on July 4. Fireworks follow each night of rodeo.

Tickets are available online at StPaulRodeo.com and at the gate. For more information, visit the website.

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Results from the slack and evening performance, St. Paul Rodeo, June 30, 2022

Bareback Riding

1. Kaycee Feild, Genola, Utah 89.5 points on Four Star Rodeo’s Big Star; 2. Cole Reiner, Buffalo, Wyo. 85.5; 3. Tolman Moore, Las Cruces, N.M. 77.5; no other qualified rides.

Steer wrestling

1st round leaders:

1. Jace Melvin, Bluff Dale, Texas 3.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho and Tucker Allen, Oak View, Calif. 4.3 each; 4. Bridger Chambers, Butte, Mont. 4.6.

2nd round leaders:

1. Timmy Sparing, Helena, Mont. 3.6 seconds; 2. Joe Nelson, Watford City, N.D. 3.8; 3. Riley Westhaver, Alva, Okla. 4.3; 4. Shayde Etherton, Borden, Ind. 4.6.

Bull riding

1. Justin Houston, Sandy, Ore. 87.5 points on Four Star Rodeo’s Hell Hound; no other qualified rides.

Tie-down roping

1st round leaders:

(tie) 1. King Pickett, Stephenville, Texas and Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas 8.0 seconds each; 3. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas 8.5; 4. Haven Meged, Miles City, Mont. 9.0.

2nd round leaders:

1. Haven Meged, Miles City, Mont. 7.7 seconds; 2. Chase Joyce, Drewsey, Ore. 7.9; 3. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 8.2; 4. (tie) Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas and Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif. 8.3 each.

Saddle bronc riding

1. Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alb. 82.5 on Four Star Rodeo’s Toodaloo; 2. (tie) Teagan Smith, Winterset, Iowa and Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa 80.5 each; 4. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah 80.

Team roping

1st round leaders

1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Lipan, Texas 4.6 seconds; 2. Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Levi Lord, Sturgis, SD. 5.3; 3. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M. 5.7; 4. JC Yeahquo, Crescent, Okla./LJ Yeahquo, Crescent, Okla. 6.0.

2nd round leaders

1. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M. 4.6 seconds; 2. Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alb./Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas 5.4; 3. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Lipan, Texas 5.5; 4. Cory Kidd V, Statesville, N.C./Lane Mitchell, Stephenville, Texas 5.6.

Barrel racing

1. Tristan Parrish, Yakima, Wash. 17.55 seconds; 2. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. 17.68; 3. Sissy Winn, Chapman Ranch, Texas 17.73; 4. Taylor Arakelian, Clovis, Calif. 17.91.