2017 World Champions

Bull Riding Sage Kimzey Four-time world champ remains No.1

Sage Kimzey continued to make ProRodeo history by becoming the first cowboy in any event to win the world title his rookie year and keep that ball rolling four consecutive years at the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “Each one of them is a step on the way up the mountain, and each is special because the road is so different each year,” Kimzey said. As a rookie, Kimzey claimed the world title with $318,631 in 2014. The stakes were higher in 2017, as the second-place total was a few thousand dollars above his 2014 total, so Kimzey raised the bar to $436,479. “The trials and tribulations are different, and this being the fourth one, I’mhalfway up themoun- tain that Donnie Gay set (eight world titles),”Kimzey said. “I usually have a healthy lead, but this year I was hurt and banged up and sore, but I got the ball rolling in the spring.” Kimzey prepared as much as possible during the regular season by competing at 125 rodeos – 33 more than in 2016 – and won 20.

Kimzey picked up a series of major wins throughout the season, including $52,400 at the Days of‘47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in Salt Lake City. He also picked up $14,664 at the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in FortWorth,Texas; $12,761 at the K-Days Rodeo in Edmonton, Alberta, and $11,505 at the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo Xtreme Bulls in Lovington, N.M. “You know, every time I nodmy head I give 110 percent. I dedicated my life to the sport and that is what they see in the arena,”Kimzey said. “It’s an entire life of work.” He continued to rewrite history in 2016, becoming the youngest cowboy to surpass the million-dollar mark in career earnings at the age of 22 years, 3 months and 2 weeks. Previously, the youngest PRCA millionaire was Tuf Cooper at 23 years, 22 days. Kimzey also brokeMatt Austin’s 2005 record for regular-season earnings by $8,766. Kimzey earned $237,152 in the regular season and led the field by $32,913. “I don’t see any reason not to win nine or 10 in

2017 WORLD CHAMPIONS

a row,” Kimzey said. “I’ve got the talent and drive and ability, and the Lord has blessed me in ways I can’t imagine.” With groundmoney counting for the first time in 2017, Kimzey’s work from the regular season could have been wiped out, as a round could have been worth up to $84,000 if one cowboy was the only one to cover his bull. Fortu- nately, the Oklahoma cowboy continued to thrive under pres- sure as he rode seven of his 10 bulls and placed in five rounds, splitting the win in Round 3 with Cole Melancon and winning the final round outright. His most profitable win of the Finals came in the final round, when he raked in $28,981 for a total of $199,327 earned in 10 days. – Matt Naber

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Greg Westfall

With ground money counting for the first time in 2017, Kimzey nabbed his fourth consecutive world title in bull riding at the NFR, earning $436,479.

2018 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE

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