Top mark for world champ bull rider Kimzey

Sage Kimzey had been waiting to draw the bull Excessive Force for a long, long time.

On Friday night at the Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo at the Flathead County Fairgrounds, he finally got his chance.

“I’ve been wanting to get on him for a long time,” Kimzey said.

“I think three years ago up here my traveling partner had him drawn and he was 90 on him to win the rodeo. He’s always been the bull that I’ve always wanted and just never had by my name.”

Kimzey, of Strong City, Oklahoma, is ranked the No. 1 bull rider in the world. He scored a 90 for his ride on Excessive Force and is still the only cowboy to post a qualifying score in the event at the rodeo.

When it came to preparing for his ride, Kimzey didn’t need to ask for advice from other cowboys.

“I’ve seen him a lot,” he said. “I didn’t ask about him.”

Kimzey’s younger brother, Trey, is now riding the professional circuit. The two are travel partners. Many cowboys will speak of how difficult it can be to find a reliable one.

“You can definitely depend on blood, for sure,” Kimzey said.

“When you’re traveling with somebody, you’re pretty well married to them for three months. When you’re around a bunch of alpha males it’s hard to find someone you get along with well enough to do that.”

Trey didn’t record a qualifying score for his ride on Fidget Spinner. His older brother tended to his bloody nose behind the chutes afterwards.

“It’s really cool,” Kimzey said.

“We grew up rodeoing together but never in the same age bracket. Now to both be adults and to both be competing on the professional circuit is pretty special.”

At 25 and in his sixth season on the professional rodeo circuit, Kimzey has won the world bull riding championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo five times. He’s the current reigning world champion.

Kimzey’s sights are set on something bigger, though — breaking Donnie Gay’s record of eight world championships.

“I want to win nine,” he said.

The third, and final, performance of the fair rodeo is tonight at 7:30.

Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo

Flathead County Fairgrounds

Second Performance

Friday’s Results

Bareback riding — 1. Steven Dent, Mullen Neb., 86 on Flashy Secret; 2. Jessy Davis, Power, 86 on Wicked Ways; 3. Caleb Bennett, Corvallis, 84 on Critical Smile; 4. Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 83 on After All; 5. Trenten Montero, Winnemucca, Nevada, 81 on Double Dippin; 6. Buck Lunak, Cut Bank, 77 on Up Ur Alley.

Steer wrestling — 1. Jace Melvin, Fort Piere, S.D., 4.1; 2. (tie) Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., and Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 4.3 each; 4. Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, 5.1; 5. Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 5.4; 6. Ty Erickson, Helena, 5.5; 7. Scott Guenther, Provost, Alberta, 6.0; 8. Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, N.D., 14.5.

Team roping — 1. Kal Fuller, Bozeman/Kasper Roy, Mossleigh, Alberta, 4.9; 2. Jason Carlson, Two Dot/Jacob Goddard, Lake Placid, Fla., 6.1; 3. Chris Westphal, Kalispell/Chad Johnson, Cut Bank, 8.6; 4. Cyle Denison, Iowa, La./Lane Mitchell, Bolivar, Tenn., 10.4.

Tie-down roping — 1. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., 8.6; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 9.0; 3. Haven Meged, Miles City, 10.4; 4. Adam Gray, Texas, 11.2; 5. Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 11.6; 6. Treg Schaack, Stinnett, Texas, 11.8; 7. Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas, 12.5.

Ladies barrel racing — 1. Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho, 17.81; 2. Madison Wilkerson, Bozeman, 17.93; 3. Carly Taylor, Andersonville, Tenn., 22.75; 4. Mary Walker, Ennis, 23.13.

Saddle bronc riding — 1. Wyatt Casper, Pampa, Texas, 88 on Gone Country; 2. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, 811 on Next 2 U.

Bull riding — 1. Sage Steele Kimzey, Stong City, Okla., 90 on Excessive Force.

Overall Standings

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Blade Elliott, 90.5 points on Kesler Rodeo’s Illegal Smile; 2. Steven Dent, 86.5; 3. Jessy Davis, 86; 4. Tristan Hansen, 85; 5. Caleb Bennett, 84; 6. Tanner Aus, 83.

Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Jace Melvin, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Stetson Jorgensen and Blake Knowles, 4.3 each; 4. Caden Camp, 4.4; 5. Bridger Chambers, 5.1; 6. Tanner Milan, 5.4.

Team roping leaders: 1. Kal Fuller/Kasper Roy, 4.9 seconds; 2. Jason Carlson/Jacob Goddard, 6.1; 3. Travis Tryan/Justin Viles, 6.6; 4. Jack Graham/Sam Levine, 7.2; 5. Nolan Conway/Shawn Bird, 7.9; 6. Chris Westphal/Chad Johnson, 8.6.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Rusty Wright, 90 points on Kesler Rodeo’s Country Trail; 2. Mitch Pollock, 89; 3. (tie) Wyatt Casper and Spencer Wright, 88 each; 5. Sterling Crawley, 80; no other qualified rides.

Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Tyler Milligan, 8.6 seconds; 2. Cade Swor, 9.0; 3. Haven Meged, 10.4; 4. Adam Gray, 11.2; 5. Ty Harris, 11.6; 6. Treg Schaack, 11.8.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Shelby Gill, 17.61 seconds; 2. Emily Keefer, 17.67; 3. Lisa Anderson, 17.68; 4. Lindsay Kruse, 17.75; 5. Jennifer Sharp, 17.77; 6. Jessie Telford, 17.81.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Sage Kimzey, 90 points on Kesler Rodeo’s Excessive Force; no other qualified rides.