Arlington, Texas –March 8, 2020 – The American Rodeo finals made dreams come true yet again this evening at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 2020 champions are walking away with pride and impressive payouts after another fierce competition.
“We have had seven years and seven amazing rodeos,” said Randy Bernard, CEO of RFD-TV’s The American Rodeo. “I truly believe The American Rodeo has been a game-changer for professional rodeo and cowboys. We have changed many lives since 2014 and the event just keeps getting better.“
2016 The American Rodeo’s Bareback champion Kaycee Field knew he made a good ride when he dismounted after the short go. He claimed $100,000 and his second win at AT&T Stadium on Virgil with a 93 point score.
Wilburton, Okla.’s Kaycee Hollingback roped countless calves to earn her $100,000 payout. For the second year, the Breakaway Roping was one of the event highlights as the ladies continue to excel in the sport.
Twelve-time WNFR qualifier Luke Brown backed in the box with AQHA world champion Joseph
Harrison for the team’s first time together in AT&T Stadium. The two walked away with $100,000 after roping in a short 4.3 seconds.
PRCA veteran steer wrestler and 2018 The American Rodeo champion Matt Reeves took the victory lap in the Polaris Ranger after three outstanding runs in the last two days.
Texas’ own Wyatt Casper, 2016 college champion and current PRCA world-standing leader, was the first to earn a share of the million dollar payout, riding his 36th straight horse of the 2020 season in the Saddle Bronc.
There was a man on a mission in the Tie Down Roping, who continued to dominate and went on to win his share of the $1 million. 2018 national high school finals champion and New Mexico’s own Shad Mayfield walked away with $600,000 after tying his final calf in 7.75 seconds.
Multiple-time NFR qualifier Stevi Hillman made it to The American Rodeo short go for the first time in Barrel Racing. She rode her go-to horse Truck with a time of 15.405.
The American Rodeo crowned co-champions for the first time ever in Bull Riding. 2019’s winner Joao Ricardo Vieira and multiple-time world champion Sage Kimzey tied to take home $62,500 each.
“I have produced over 3,500 sporting events in my career, from the PBR to the Indy 500,” said Bernard. “I have been to the Super Bowl and to the Final Four, and yet I have never seen an event that consistently gets more exciting every year like The American.”
About RFD-TV’s The American Rodeo: Taking place at Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium on March 7-8, 2020, RFD-TV’s The American, hosts the richest weekend in Western sports. With $2.4 million on the line, the best athletes in the world will gather in Arlington, Texas to battle for the biggest single paycheck of their lives. The American invites the top athletes from the 2019 PRCA, WPRA and PBR world standings and puts them against everyday cowboys and cowgirls who advance from the American Semi-Finals. If a nationally ranked athlete wins, the prize is $100,000, but if a qualifier from the Semi-Finals – or an athlete who earned an exemption – wins The American, that contestant shares in a $1 million bonus pool. For more information, please visit:www.americanrodeo.com and www.RFDTV.com. Follow us on Twitter: @RFDTVAmerican and find us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/RFDTVTheAmerican.
Arlington, Texas,
March 7-8
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Tim O’Connell, 89.50 points on Pickett Rodeo’s Night Flight, $3,000; 2. Orin Larsen, 88.50, $2,250; 3. Kaycee Feild, 87.00, $1,000; 4. (tie) Clint Laye and Kody Lamb, 86.25; 6. (tie) Anthony Barrington and Clayton Biglow, 85; 8. Logan Patterson, 84.50. Eight man Final: 1. Kaycee Feild, 87.50 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Black Leg; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.50; 3. Clayton Biglow, 86.25; 4. Anthony Barrington, 85.75; 5. Orin Larsen, 81.25; 6. (tie) Kody Lamb and Clint Laye, 78.00; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Tim O’Connell, 176.00 points on two head; 2. Kaycee Feild, 174.50; 3. Clayton Biglow, 171.25; 4. Anthony Barrington, 171.00. Shootout: 1. Kaycee Feild, 93 points on C5 Rodeo’s Virgil, $100,000; 2. Clayton Biglow, 91.75, $25,000; 3. Tim O’Connell, 90.50, $10,000; 4. Anthony Barrington, 67.00, $5,000.
Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Mia Manzanares, 1.94 seconds, $3,000. 2. Jade Kenney, 1.99, $2,250. 3. Katie White, 2.01, $1,000. 4. Kelsie Chace, 2.19. 5. Jackie Crawford, 3.06. 6. Taylor Munsell, 3.13. 7. Kaycee Hollingback, 3.21. 8. Ashley Moreau, 3.81. Eight person final round: 1. Kelsie Chace, 2.14. 2. Kaycee Hollingback, 2.36. 3. Katie White, 2.48. 4. Jackie Crawford, 2.55. Average: 1. Kelsie Chace, 4.33. 2. Katie White, 4.49. 3. Jade Kenney, 5.05. 4. Kaycee Hollingback, 5.57. Shootout: 1. Kaycee Hollingback, 2.17, $100,000. 2. Katie White, 2.84, $25,000. 3. Jade Kenney, 3.05, $$10,000. 4. Kelsie Chace, 11.91, $5,000.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 3.74 seconds, $3,000; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 4.22, $2,250; 3. Hunter Cure, 4.26, $1,000; 4. Matt Reeves, 4.31; 5. Tyler Waguespack, 4.50, 6. Tyler Pearson, 4.61; 7. Richard Coats, 5.05; 8. Justin Shaffer, 5.19. Eight man Final: 1. Tyler Pearson, 3.88 seconds; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 3.92; 3. Matt Reeves, 4.15; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 4.26; 5. Justin Shaffer, 5.14; 6. Rowdy Parrott, 7.05; 7. Richard Coats, 14.12; no other qualified runs. Average: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 8.42 seconds on two head; 2. Matt Reeves, 8.46; 3. Dakota Eldridge, 8.48; 4. Tyler Pearson, 8.49. Shootout: 1. Matt Reeves, 4.05 seconds, $100,000; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 4.80, $25,000; 3. Tyler Pearson, 4.93, $10,000; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 6.30, $5,000.
Team roping: First round: 1. Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 4.03 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Tate Kirchenschlager/Kyle Lockett, 4.18, $2,250; 3. Manny Egusquiza/York Gill, 4.38, $1,000; 4. Clint Summers/Ross Ashford, 4.38; 5. (tie) Colby Lovell/Jared Fillmore and Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.51; 7. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.70; 8. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 4.71. Eight man Final: 1. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 3.83 seconds; 2. Colby Lovell/Jared Fillmore, 3.86; 3. Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 4.30; 4. Tate Kirchenschlager/Kyle Lockett, 4.40; 5. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.47; 6. Manny Egusquiza/York Gill, 4.61; no other qualified runs. Average: 1. Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 8.33 seconds on two head; 2. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 8.34; 3. Colby Lovell/Jared Fillmore, 8.37; 4. Tate Kirchenschlager/Kyle Lockett, 8.99. Shootout: 1. Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 4.30 seconds, $100,000; 2. Colby Lovell/Jared Fillmore, 4.61, $25,000; 3. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 5.98, $10,000; 4. Tate Kirchenschlager/Kyle Lockett, NT, $5,000.
Team Roping champions Luke Brown and Joseph Harrison. – Jake Link Photography
Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Wyatt Casper, 91.25 seconds on Korkow Rodeo’s Onion Ring, $3,000; 2. Spencer Wright, 87.75, $2,250; 3. Brody Cress, 87.50, $1,000; 4. Ryder Wright, 87.25; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 85.50; 6. Cole Elshere, 85.25; 7. Riggin Smith, 84.50; 8. Jake Watson, 84.25. Eight man Final: 1. Ryder Wright, 87.75 points on Zoria Hills; 2. Wyatt Casper, 87.00; 3. Spencer Wright, 84.25; 4. Cole Elshere, 79.25; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 76.50; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Wyatt Casper, 178.25 points on two head; 2. Ryder Wright, 175.00; 3. Spencer Wright, 172.00; 4. Cole Elshere, 164.50. Shootout: 1. Casper Wyatt, 91.25 points on Northcott Mazca Rodeo’s Get Smart, $100.000; 2. Ryder Wright, 90.25, $25,000; 3. Cole Elshere, 86.00; $10,000; 4. Spencer Wright, NT, $5,000.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.91 seconds, $3,000; 2. Quade Hiatt, 7.93, $2,250; 3. Blake Ash, 8.20, $1,000; 4. Caddo Lewallen, 8.29; 5. Tyson Durfey, 8.61; 6. Haven Meged, 8.64; 7. John Douch, 8.77; 8. Cimmaron Boardman, 8.81. Eight man Final: 1. Caddo Lewallen, 8.25 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 8.32; 3. Shad Mayfield, 8.46; 4. Haven Meged, 9.90; 5. Cimmaron Boardman, 19.57. Average: 1. Shad Mayfield, 16.37 seconds on two head; 2. Caddo Lewallen, 16.54; 3. Tyson Durfey, 16.93; 4. Haven Meged, 18.54. Shootout: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.75 seconds, $100,00; 2. Caddo Lewallen, 8.25, $25,000; 3. Haven Meged 8.46, $10,000; 4. Tyson Durfey, 10.09, $5,000.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 15.370 seconds, $3,000; 2. Stevi Hillman, 15.504, $2,250; 3. Dona Kay Rule, 15.556, $1,000; 4. Emily Miller, 15.643; 5. Brittany Tonozzi, 15.643; 6. Kassie Mowry, 15.760; 7. Sabra O’Quinn, 15.866; 8. Haley Wolf, 15.892. Eight man Final: 1. Stevi Hillman, 15.457 seconds; 2. Kassie Mowry, 15.548; 3. Emily Miller, 15.708; 4. Dona Kay Rule, 15.711; 5. Haley Wolf, 15.734. Average: 1. Stevi Hillman, 30.961 seconds on two head; 2. Wenda Johnson, 31.114; 3. Dona Kay Rule, 31.267; 4. Kassie Mowry, 31.308. Shootout: 1. Stevi Miller, 15.405 seconds, $100,00; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 15.472, $25,000; 3. Wenda Johnson, 15.763, $10,000; 4. Kassie Mowry, 16.344, $5,000.
Bull riding: First round: 1. (tie) Joao Ricardo Vieira, on points on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s 3 Days and Sage Kimzey, on Frontier Rodeo’s Easy Sid, 84 points, $2,625 each; 3. Boudreaux Campbell, 81.25, $1,000; 4. Tyler Bingham, 79; 5. Stetson Wright, 69.50; 6. Trey Benton III, Jordan Hansen and Claudio Montanha Jr. Eight man Final: 1. Trey Benton III, 80.75 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Foghorn Leghorn; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. (tie) Sage Kimzey and Joao Ricardo Vieira, 84.00 points on one head; 3. Boudreaux Campbell, 81.25; 4. Trey Benton, 80.75. Shootout: 1. No qualified rides.