ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 21, 2018

XTREME BULLS

TOUR RECAP

Riding Through Sage Kimzey notches third X Bulls crown

BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI W hen Sage Kimzey is scheduling his bull riding competitions for the season, the Xtreme Bulls Tour is at the top of the list. Kimzey was the only cowboy to cover both bulls at the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale, Sept. 1, winning the event and securing the Xtreme Bulls Tour year-end title for the second consecutive season and third of his career. 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 onmy 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 inmy 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 definitely important for us.” The Strong City, Okla., cowboy was searching for his fifth consecutive world title, and the win in Ellensburg 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. He went on to end the regular season with $297,026. Kimzey owned the previous record with $237,152, set last season. His haul at Ellensburg ranks second all-time in one- stop wins on the Xtreme Bulls Tour, behind only Jordan Spears’ $39,386 won last season at Ellensburg. “It was a really good night, that’s for sure,” Kimzey said. “Not a bad 16 seconds of work, right?” PARTY TIME

Sage Kimzey locked up his third Xtreme Bulls Tour title at the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo Xtreme Bulls. Billie-Jean Duff photo

BUILDING TOWARD A TITLE The win at Ellensburg put Kimzey’s season Xtreme Bulls winnings at $79,796, more than $32,000 ahead of Riker Carter, who finished second in the Xtreme Bulls competition. More important than that lead was Kimzey’s PRCA | RAMWorld Standings lead. Entering the night, Kimzey had built his season earnings to $236,806. He led Parker Breding, his closest competitor, by more than $70,000. That lead ballooned to $105,070 Sept. 1. “This is one of the last game changers of the season for us,” Kimzey said. “There are only a few big, huge payoffs left coming down in the last month of the season. It’s definitely an event that can make or break a season. It plays a big key in the race for a world title. So anytime there’s that kind of money up, you try a little harder.” In the Xtreme Bulls, Kimzey has won $255,801, including ground money, over his career, putting him in third place all time. This season he’s overcome several nagging injuries and a fractured pelvis suffered near the start of the year. But he’s put the pain of those injuries aside to put together another impressive season. “I hyperextended it (elbow) again,” Kimzey said. “I’ve been battling it since the NFR last year. It stays pretty sore, but in the world of bull riding it’s not that bad of a thing.”

Kimzey also proved that bull riders won’t let a few injuries stop them. After his opening ride 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 finals. Kimzey celebrated in style, too. A week after turning 24, the bull rider found a reason to keep on celebrating. During a season-end party put on by the Ellensburg committee, Kimzey’s girlfriend surprised him with a birthday cake among all 40 bull riders from the Xtreme Bulls finale, bullfighters, stock contractors and the Ellensburg committee. Everyone sang him, “Happy Birthday.” “It was good, for sure,” Kimzey laughed. “My girlfriend said, ‘I was so glad you won, because it would’ve been pretty awkward to celebrate if you’d have been in a bad mood.’” Kimzey had no reason to be in a bad mood, though his night did start inauspiciously when he tied for eighth with Dustin Boquet in the first round. That earned them $423 each. After that, the money flowed to Kimzey. His final-round ride was worth $18,800. Winning the average netted him another $14,400.

ProRodeo Sports News 12/21/2018

ProRodeo.com

89