ProRodeo Sports News - Nov. 22, 2019

DECEMBER 5-14 LAS VEGAS

KAYCEE FEILD

Covering Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Killer Bee during the final round of Rodeo Austin (Texas) was worth 87 points for Feild, but it also landed him in the Dell Seton Medical Center where he remained fromMarch 30 until April 2. Feild suffered a skull fracture, inline fracture of his jaw and inline fracture of his nasal cavity. At the time of his injury, Feild was leading the world standings by a margin of $29,722 thanks to earning $50,000 at RodeoHouston and $25,000 at The American. “HavingThe American and Houston counting was big for me and for the sport of rodeo and the PRCA,” said Feild, who won four consecutive world titles from 2011-14. “Without those rodeos, I wouldn’t have been able to sit out and heal for as long as I needed to.” Feild didn’t return to the chutes until Cowboy Christmas, and he was still atop the pack. “I was able to come back when I wanted to and when the doctors said it was OK,” Feild said. “Without those rodeos, I would have had to go to 20-30 more rodeos, and I would have had to have come back earlier, and that’s not the smartest thing to do to prolong your career. It’s a true blessing for those rodeos to be doing what they’re doing.” Feild took advantage of his downtime to mentally and physically prepare himself for competition. “This year there were things that never happened to me before that have been so motivating,” said Feild, who enters the Finals in second in the standings. “Killer Bee handled me in a way I had never felt before, and I know I will have that horse in the 10th round of the NFR. Just to compete against that one horse is something I haven’t felt ever – wanting a little revenge.” DAKOTA ELDRIDGE Eldridge missed last year’s Wrangler NFR

Kaycee Feild fractured his skull and suffered an inline fracture to his jaw and nasal cavity during Rodeo Austin (Texas). The four-time world champion (2011-14) was unable to compete from the end of March until the Cowboy Christmas run in July, but he remained one of the top-ranked bareback riders for the remainder of the season. Kirt Steinke photo

and a portion of the 2019 season due to a knee injury suffered at Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days in July 2018. “Having a good attitude and a positive mindset went a long way,” said Eldridge, a two-time Wrangler NFR average winner. “Just having the confidence in knowing I’ve made the Finals five times before in the back of my mind helped – but you never know how it could go. I feel like steer wrestling is as tough as it’s ever been, so to compete against them fresh off an injury was challenging.” Eldridge’s turning point in the season came when he won $18,394 between the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede, July 3, and the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo, Aug. 4. “It’s easy to get burned out and down, and for some reason this year I told myself that I’m blessed to be out here doing what I love, so I told myself I would win as much as I could,” Eldridge said. “Between Greeley and Dodge City, I knew it and craved it and could see it – and that’s what’s tough to keep all year, having that drive and determination at every rodeo. It’s a long year and there are a lot of sleepless nights to have that kind of determination and drive. It was either make it or break it right there, and I put my mind to it for the biggest week of the year.”

A knee injury at Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days in 2018 put Dakota Eldridge on the sideline for the remainder of the 2018 season and part of 2019. Now, he’s back in Las Vegas for his sixth Wrangler NFR (2013-17 and 2019). PRCA ProRodeo photo by Eva Scofield

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2019

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