The champions were crowned at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The American Rodeo finals made dreams come true and the 2020 champions are walking away with massive payouts.
“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.“
The finals got off to an electric start in bareback riding. For the second time in three years, Kaycee Feild rode C5 Rodeo’s Virgil to victory at The American.
“That horse is good, and I knew I had to keep my head and my chin down and keep gassing it,” Feild said. “Tim (O’Connell), Clayton (Biglow) and Tony (Barrington), those guys are great competitors and beating them feels pretty good.”
Feild posted a 93.00 point ride on Virgil and was one of three rides over the 90-point mark. With the win, Feild walked away with a $100,000 check.
At most rodeos, Clayton Biglow’s ride on Gunfire would take the top spot, but the 91.75 point ride came up just short, putting Biglow in second place and earning him a check of $25,000.
In breakaway roping, it was Oklahoma cowgirl Kaycee Hollingback who earned a $100,000 payday after stopping the clock at 2..17 seconds.
After her run, the 19-year old college sophomore reflected on what winning The American meant for her.
“It helps a lot,” says Hollingback. “I’ve been pinched for pennies the last couple months.”
In team roping, it was 12-time NFR qualifier Luke Brown and Joseph Harrison who took away the $100,000 payday. Brown and Harrison worked together for the first time at AT&T Stadium and took the top spot after posting a 4.30 run.
Semi-final qualifiers Colby Lovell and Jared Fillmore finished in second place with a run of 4.61 seconds. The second-place finish earned them a $25,000 check each.
2018 The American Rodeo champion Matt Reeves added another rodeo championship to his pedigree after stopping the clock at 4.05 seconds.
The win means $100,000 added to his wallet, with $50,000 going to his world standings. Reeves now sits in the top spot of the steer wrestling world standings after the win.
Nevada Cowboy, Dakota Eldridge finished in second place with a time of 4.80 seconds.
Wyatt Casper has been a model of consistency throughout the 2020 season, and that continued at The American. Casper rode his 36th straight horse, but this one meant a little more.
Casper, who is currently number one in the PRCA world-standings rode Get Smart for the full eight seconds and posted a 91.25-point ride.
Not only was that a full point clear of Ryder Wright in second place, but the victory earned him a total of $600,000. Casper earned $100,000 for being crowned the saddle bronc champion ($50,000 goes to his world standing), and another $500,000 because he came in as a qualifier and not an invitee. Any qualifier who wins their event gets a share of the $1,000,000 pot.
After the event, Casper told the media how important the winnings would be.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had more than $20,000 in my account at one time, $600,000 is going to be life-changing,” he said. “I don’t have the slightest clue what to do with it.”
With the win, Casper sets himself up nicely for his first trip to the NFR. Casper has earned over $100,000 on the season after the victory on Sunday. Last year it took just over $90,000 to qualify for the finals in Vegas.
The man who goes by “Money” Mayfield lives up to the nickname once more. 19-year old phenom Shad Mayfield dominated the field and earned a $600,000 payday after coming through the qualifying rounds.
Mayfield tied his final calf in 7.75 seconds which bested Caddo Lewallen’s 8.25 time.
Coming from the qualifying round means Mayfield earned a share of the $1,000,000 pot, which he split with Wyatt Casper.
The winnings add to Mayfield’s season total which now sits at $127,701, more than any other competitor in any event.
Mayfield says struggling at his first NFR is what is propelling him to dominance.
“When I got home (from the Finals), the next day I went right back to the practice pen,” Mayfield said. “I was pretty mad over it. It’s not a good feeling making the Finals having all the people look up to you and getting there and not doing very well.”
Stevi Hillman is your 2020 The American barrel racing champion after a run of 15.405 seconds on her go-to horse, Truck.
Hillman just edged out 2019 NFR qualifier Donna Kay Rule who stopped the clock at 15.472.
Six-time world champion Sage Kimzey and Joao Ricardo Vieira each took home $62,500 after being crowned co-champions. It is the first time in The American history that co-champions have been named in bull riding.
None of the four riders were able to ride for the full 8 seconds, leading to the co-champions being crowned after both posted 84 point rides earlier in The American.