Kaycee Feild Claims Title at Darby Extreme Barebacks
Even before he made his way to the chute, bareback rider Kaycee Feild knew this night could be special. When you rodeo long enough – and Feild’s resume of six world titles and 13 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications speaks to his greatness – the draw matters as much as anything else. So, when Field landed on Pickett Pro Rodeo Company’s Night Crawler at the Yellowstone Darby Extreme Barebacks in Montana, well, “it was on.”
The pair had a storied history with Field delivering big scores on the stock in Las Vegas and Forth Worth, two of the sport’s biggest events. Sunday night didn’t disappoint. Feild, as he so often has, followed the script, registering a 93.5-point ride to win the competition in the raucous environment, edging out Cole Reiner (91), Rocker Steiner and Shane O’Connell (90.5).
“Oh man, when I go that horse, it was like, ‘Here we go again.’ She really tests my ability every time I get on her,” Feild said. “She changes leads, makes you move in directions you really are not used to, and she can wiggle guys loose. And after five seconds, she gives you everything she has to get you off.”
Feild, 36, used poise and experience to finish the ride, leaning on his past 93s on Night Crawler. It didn’t make it any easier. That’s the thing with these Extreme events. The competition is motivated and intense, featuring promising young riders and proven vets. It took one of Feild’s best performances of the season. Or of any season.
“For sure I knew it was going to be a challenge. I wanted to stay in control in the short round. There are so many kids competing, and you want to put on a show. And she makes it hard to turn your toes out and make your body look as best as you can,” Field said. “But it worked out.”
Feild’s resume drops jaws. But he did not reach the pinnacle of his sport by looking in the rearview mirror. Even as he conducted the interview, he was eyeing the road out of Montana with his family in tow. These are the moments – getting the kids to sleep and digesting the night’s event – that he still cherishes as he pushes toward another gold buckle this winter.
“You know what, I don’t know if this one rodeo gives enough of a boost necessarily for the season. For that money to count, I have to compete in more rodeos than I have in recent years,” said Feild, who had an 87.5-point trip on J Bar J’s Bunny Hugger in the first section of the event. “I am going to have to push myself more. But I did feel a little extra boost tonight. Being on that horse and in that atmosphere, it was a really great event.”
Courtesy of PRCA