(Editor's note: PRCA release)
LAS VEGAS – History doesn’t have to wait any longer for Kaycee Field.
The five-time and reigning bareback riding world champion is the all-time PRCA record holder in bareback riding round wins at the National Finals Rodeo with 26 surpassing Bobby Mote.
Feild etched his spot in history by winning Round 5 with a 91-point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s Famous Dex at the 2021 Wrangler NFR presented by Teton Ridge Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
“I’m overwhelmed with that record and beating Bobby Mote,” said Feild, 34. “He was my toughest competitor in my early career. This is a big one, and we are not over we have five more nights. I just have to forget about this one and come here (Tuesday) and enjoy everything after the 10th round.”
Feild is on a heater. He won Round 3 outright with a 90-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage and split Round 4 with an 87.5-point ride on Bar T Rodeo’s Outlaw and then won Round 5. Feild won a PRCA record six rounds at the 2011 NFR.
“I feel so good,” Field said. “I got here tonight, and I was just feeling very confident. The horse I drew I had seen a handful of times. I have a calmness that gets over me when I get in the chute and things are very clear. I can see my first jump and I see the last jump where sometimes here in Vegas the emotions kind of take over and you kind skip that first jump and maybe the second jump. Tonight, was pretty clear and the ball is rolling and I’m feeling dang good.”
Feild leads the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $230,127 and he’s first in the average with 439.5 points on five head. Feild is tied with ProRodeo Hall of Famers Joe Alexander and Bruce Ford for the most bareback riding world titles in PRCA history.
UPDATE: PRCA World Standings, 2021 NFR Round Results
Reigning bull riding world champion Stetson Wright electrified the Thomas & Mack crowd with a 94.5-point ride on Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled to lead in Round 5.
The Round 5 of bull riding was not completed because Shane Proctor is being evaluated Tuesday morning to see if he can attempt to make a re-ride during the Round 6 performance.
On the Justin Sportsmedicine injury report, Proctor is listed with a right lower leg contusion and right shoulder strain.
Chiseled, owned by H.D. Page, is the 2020 and 2021 Pendleton Whisky's Let 'er Buck Bucking Stock of the Year Bull of the Year.
Wright’s ride is a Round 5 record at the NFR. The record was a 92-point ride by Daylon Swearingen on Big Stone Rodeo Inc.’s War Cry in 2019.
The overall record at the NFR in bull riding is a 96-point trip by Cody Hancock on Diamond G Rodeo’s Mister USA in 2001.
“Shoot, I saw the draw last night and I was excited to see him (Chiseled) next to my name,” Wright said. “Riding bulls away from my hand was a struggle for a long time. I just feel like I’m starting to become a good bull rider as a whole, not just in one area. There was a lot of excitement, and I was trying to hide it because I didn’t want it to get to my head.”
Wright hasn’t had the best NFR in saddle bronc riding, but he’s keeping his head up. Wright has won the last two all-around world titles.
“I mean, shoot, there’s 14 other guys in broncs and bulls that make me keep it that way,” Wright said. “I’m just going to try and keep it simple. It was a long first-four rounds for me but it only takes one ride like that to change everything. I feel like I just needed that one ride and I’m so proud of the job I did today.”
The last two times Ryder Wright and Championship Pro Rodeo’s Feather Fluffer have met up it has ended very well.
Wright won Round 2 on the horse with a 90-point ride at the 2020 Wrangler NFR at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
On Monday, he had a 91-point ride to collect the Round 5 title at the Thomas & Mack Center.
“I just tried to clear my head a little bit. Keep it simple, that’s all it is,” Ryder said. “She was a little bit buckier today it seemed like to me than last time. She stayed a little bit closer to the bucking chutes and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
“I’m just going to take it one horse at a time and just try not to think too much about it. Just do my job.”
Steer wrestler Tyler Pearson set the pace in Round 5 with a 3.6-second run.
“I knew he was a bit slower, but I knew he was good on the ground, so I just needed to go and do my job,” Pearson said.
Pearson, the 2017 steer wrestling world champion, is sixth in the world standings and he’s earned $48,318 at the NFR.
“The last couple of rounds (3 and 4) have not worked too well for me, so I really hope that this is the one to get me going again,” Pearson said.
Pearson was quick to credit his hazer for Kyle Irwin for playing a key role in his win.
“Absolutely. I flew Kyle out here and could not do it without him,” Pearson said. “He is great on the hazing side of things and when things aren’t going well, I can talk to him, and we can come up with a plan to get back to the winning. I just need him with me when I’m running.”
Going fast is part of tie-down roper Marty Yates’ DNA.
He showed out his skills again on Monday when he took home the Round 5 crown with a 7.3-second run.
“I really liked that calf when we tied them earlier,” Yates said. “Hunter Herrin had her in an earlier round and she wanted to kick a little, so I just put the squeeze on her and got the good run. My horse was right on time, so I just had time to flank her and go through the motions and tie her up.”
Yates also smiles about earning a $26,997 first-place check.
“It has been a bit strange not getting a check yet, I have had some good runs, just some small things have happened to keep me out of the money,” he said. “I haven’t won anything till tonight, but I’m still in the average, so I’m still around. I kind of like it this way just gun each night and see what happens and that’s going to be my plan the rest of the finals.”
After two no times in Round 1 and Round 4, Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin bounced back nicely in Round 5.
The duo took the win with a 3.8-second run.
“Any time you can get a go-round win at the National Finals against the best 15 in the world, you’re really grateful,” Proctor said. “We had a good game plan going in. The other four (rounds) we have had some bumps and bruises along the way, but optimism is high, and we are looking forward to the next five.”
Medlin was thrilled about the performance by he and Proctor.
“The steer just stayed out in the middle and Coleman did a good job of getting a good start and he’s been doing that all week,” Medlin said. “He got on him right there and he really makes my job easy. I kind of stubbed my two the last couple of nights but he’s been staying with it and keeps giving me chances and I was glad I was able to capitalize.”
Emily Miller-Beisel placed fourth in Round 1 and Round 4 and on Monday she won Round 5 with a 13.43 -second run.
“After the second round he was pretty anxious and I just felt like he needed the day off,” Miller-Beisel said. “That horse and I have been through a lot together and I have learned to just listen to him. So, I took Sunday off. Canceled all of my signings and spent the whole day with him. We really worked through some stuff. I knew last night he was going to be good and tonight he really fired. When my horse warms up quite it is going to be a good night so I knew it would be special tonight. This horse has changed my life.”
