ProRodeo Sports News | 2020 Year-End Edition | Dec.18, 2020

“That’s what I always wanted growing up, to be one of the best cowboys to ever live,” Wright said. In the bull riding, Wright edged Ty Wallace for the world title. Wright finished with $267,941, while Wallace had $256,599. StetsonWright wasn’t the only cowboy celebrating. Bareback rider Kaycee Feild added another memorable chapter to his outstanding career. Feild became the third bareback rider in ProRodeo history to win five world championships when he posted a 91-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Junior Bonner on a re-ride in Round 10. “I’m trying to block it all out before I start crying when I see my family,” Feild said. “This is pretty special.” Feild finished first in the world standings with $277,648, overcoming TimO’Connell by $6,657. While Feild has five gold buckles, Ryder Wright now has two. Ryder split the Round 10 win with a 91-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Big Texas to catapult to the world and average championships. “(This feels) twice as good,” saidWright, who also won in 2017. By splitting Round 10 with his Stetson, Ryder finished with five go- round wins – Rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. He tied the PRCA record for most saddle bronc riding wins at the NFR for the second time in his career, doing it first in 2016. He shares the record with Billy Etbauer (1992, 1999 and 2005) and Dan Mortensen (1998). Ryder also established a saddle bronc riding record for most money won in a season including the NFR with $358,471 and set the average record at the Finals with 876.5 points on 10 head. Shad Mayfield’s tie-down roping world title was also full of drama, though not the kind of drama Mayfield wanted. The Clovis, N.M., cowboy had a forgetful Finals, placing in just two rounds and registering six no-times.

But Mayfield rode a huge regular-season performance to finish atop the world standings with $198,399, just $231 more than runner-up Marty Yates. Mayfield came into the NFR with an $89,479 lead over his nearest competitor, and he needed every dollar. “It means the world to me,” Mayfield said. “It’s something I wanted growing up, it’s been a dream of mine. I had a great year coming in, the best year I could ever imagine having.” There was a new face and a former champion getting gold buckles in team roping. With a world championship in reach, team ropers Colby Lovell and Paul Eaves won Round 10 with a 4.4-second run to capture gold. Lovell finished with $187,836 in the team roping heading world standings, defeating runner-up Luke Brown by $453. Eaves finished with $178,486, edging runner-up Paden Bray by $2,983 in heeling. Eaves also won a heeling world championship in 2018 while roping with Clay Smith. “It was crucial, we had to do it,” Eaves said. Lovell was thrilled to be a world champ. “Man, it’s everything,” he said. “There’s a fine line of people that have it, and you grow up roping your whole life wanting it.” Steer wrestler Jacob Edler was making his Wrangler NFR debut and had an experience he’ll never forget. The State Center, Iowa, cowboy clocked a 3.9-second time to place fourth in the final round and win the average and world championships. Edler finished with $200,510 in the world standings to hold off Stetson Jorgensen, who had $198,830. Edler won the average with a 43.4-second time on 10 head. Jorgenson was second at 43.7 seconds. Jorgensen had a 5.0-second run and failed to place in Round 10. “I’m still trying to make everything come to reality right now,” Edler said.

Jacob Edler takes down his steer in Round 3 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 5. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Steve Gray

ProRodeo Sports News 12/18/2020

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