Rodeo Houston winners ride to victory

WINNERS RIDE TO VICTORY, CLAIMING RodeoHouston® TITLES AND $50,000— MARCH 19, 2016 — HOUSTON — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — RodeoHouston Super Series athletes put on their best performances at NRG Stadium, Saturday, March 19. However, only eight beat the competition to earn more than $50,000 each and a Champion title.

TIE-DOWN ROPING                 

Tyson Durfey came out on top in the tie-down roping event with a 9-second run. While the $50,000 is a great prize, Durfey said the overall memory is what means the most to him.

“This has been one of my goals throughout my rodeo career and to have a RodeoHouston championship under my belt is amazing,” he said.

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):

Tyson Durfey— Weatherford, Texas — $55,750
Ryle Smith— Oakdale, Oklahoma — $28,250

Randall Carlisle— Athens, Louisiana — $15,500

Marcos Costa— Childress, Texas — $12,250

 

BAREBACK RIDING

Kaycee Feild scored a 90-point Championship ride, earning him back-to-back wins and his fourth win at RodeoHouston in the past five years. Feild’s father, Lewis Feild, a ProRodeo Hall of Fame legend, recently passed from pancreatic cancer. Lewis Feild won the RodeoHouston Bareback Champion title in 1982, making his son’s victory a little more sentimental this year.

 

“This win is amazing to honor my father, he was a great man,” Feild said. “I’m blessed to be his son.”

 

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):

Kaycee Feild— Spanish Fork, Utah — $56,750
Tanner Aus— Granite Falls, Montana — $24,375

Tim O’Connell— Zwingle, Iowa — $14,750

Will Lowe— Canyon, Texas — $9,250

 

TEAM ROPING
Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill were named RodeoHouston Team Roping Champions and will be taking home more than $100,000 as a team. Tryan, the champion header, has been coming to RodeoHouston since 1998; however, this is his first RodeoHouston Championship title.

“This is the biggest rodeo we go to all year,” Tryan said. “And, when you want to be considered one of the best teams in the world, you have to win events like this.”

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):
Clay Tryan— Lipan, Texas, and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nevada — $110,000
Jojo Lemond— Andrews, Texas, and Jim Ross Cooper, Stephenville, Texas — $51,500

Clay Smith— Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and Paul Eaves, Millsap, Texas — $29,000

Billy Bob Brown— Stephenville, Texas, and Garrett Jess, Coulee City, Washington — $25,500

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Clay Elliott, a second time RodeoHouston contestant rode to victory with his 85-point ride. The college senior said this win is a dream come true.

 

“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” Elliott said. “I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with $50,000 dollars.”

 

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):
Clay Elliott— Nanton, Alberta, Canada — $55,500
Rusty Wright— Milford, Utah — $29,000

Cody Demoss— Heflin, Louisiana — $19,000

Layton Green— Meeting Creek, Alberta, Canada — $13,188

 

STEER WRESTLING

Dakota Eldridge won the Super Series Steer Wrestling Championship title and is leaving with a $56,750 paycheck. His fifth year to compete at RodeoHouston, Eldridge said this win is one that has been on his bucket list for a long time.

“I had more drive and more ambition this time,” Eldridge said. “I really wanted to win Houston this year.”

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):
Dakota Eldridge— Elko, Nevada — $56,750
Nick Guy— Denver, Colorado — $25,875

Jace Melvin— Fort Pierre, South Dakota — $16,000

Baylor Roche— Tremonton, Utah — $12,500

 

BARREL RACING

Mary Burger earned her second RodeoHouston Barrel Racing Championship title with a 14.15-second run on her horse, Bo. Burger said her main goal this year was just to make it to RodeoHouston.

“RodeoHouston has always been one of my favorite rodeos,” Burger said. “It’s the prestige and the money, and I just feel like I’m on cloud nine.”

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):
Mary Burger— Pauls Valley, Oklahoma — $54,750
Brenda Mays— Terrebonne, Oregon — $25,000

Carley Richardson— Pampa, Texas — $16,750

Rachel Dice— Byron, California — $9,500

BULL RIDING

Sage Steele Kimzey dominated the Championship Bull Riding with a 90-point ride, earning back-to-back RodeoHouston wins. Kimzey won the bull riding title in 2015 and was able to claim the $50,000 prize once again.

 

“To win it twice is really fulfilling,” Kimzey said. “It puts my name up there with an elite group of guys.”

Top Four (total 2016 RodeoHouston winnings):

Sage Steele Kimzey— Strong City, Oklahoma — $56,000
Joe Frost— Randlett, Utah — $18,208

Reid Barker— Comfort, Texas — $17,333

Tyler Smith— Fruita, Colorado — $17,083

 

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a Section 501(c)(3) charity that benefits youth, supports education, and facilitates better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since its beginning in 1932, the Show has committed more than $400 million to the youth of Texas. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and connect with #RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for all of the latest news. The 2016 Show runs through March 20.