ProRodeo Sports News - Sept. 7, 2018

XTREME BULLS Kimzey Crush

BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI S age Kimzey is proof that bull riders won’t let a few injuries keep them down. After his opening ride at the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale left Kimzey gripping his right (riding) elbow and grimacing in pain, the four-time defending PRCA world champion bull rider returned for an 87.5-point ride on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Double Down in the event finals. Kimzey was the only cowboy to cover both bulls, winning the event and securing the Xtreme Bulls Tour year-end title for the second consecutive season and third of his career. “It was a really good night, that’s for sure,” Kimzey said. “Not a bad 16 seconds of work, right?” The Strong City, Okla., cowboy is searching for his fifth consecutive world title, and the Sept. 1 triumph gave him a boost toward that. After finishing with 166 points on two head, Kimzey walked away with $33,323 at the Ellensburg Xtreme Bulls event. In the process, Kimzey broke the PRCA record for money earned in a season before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with $274,099, including ground money. Kimzey owned the previous record with $237,152, set last season. His haul at Ellensburg ranks second all- time in one-stop earnings on the Xtreme Bulls Tour, behind only Jordan Spears’ $39,386 won last season at Ellensburg. It was Kimzey’s seventh Xtreme Bulls win, second most in PRCA history. He trails only Matt Austin’s eight for the most Xtreme Bulls wins. “It’s one of the things that’s really high on my priority list,” Kimzey said, “to do good at the Xtreme Bulls and to hopefully win the title every year. Not only is it important as far as it being a big accomplishment in my career, but also if you’re doing good in the Xtreme Bulls, you’re doing good in the world standings. They directly correlate with one another and are World champ grabs third X Bulls crown

Sage Kimzey captured his second consecutive Xtreme Bulls Tour year-end title, wrapping it up with 166 points on two head at the Ellensburg Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale. Bill Lawless photo

ProRodeo Sports News 9/7/2018

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