Rodeo: In the Blood
Written by playerpress.com, Monday April 13 2009
Two winners of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo event staged April 8-12 in Pocatello, Idaho had strong family influences on their mind when they competed. For saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell it was his grandfather who died last week. Sundell would have been excused if he had not won his event since he took time away from the Pocatello grounds to attend Cloyd Sundell’s funeral on April 10.
However, at the funeral Wade promised his grieving family that if he made the final round of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event he would present a tribute to his grandfather. Wade did better than simply make the finals. When his ride aboard Flying Five’s Rodeo’s Spring Blues ended and he doffed his hat in honor of Cloyd he was on his way to capturing the event and besting reigning world Champion Cody Wright and National Rodeo Finals qualifier Rusty Allen. They had both been tossed while Wade remained tall in the saddle despite the loss of his grandfather. Or, maybe that was the added incentive the 24 year old PRCA rider needed to take the event away from stiff competition.
After knowing he bested Wright and Allen Sundell had to wait 30 minutes while Jesse Kruse completed the two re-rides he had been awarded. Kruse removed the suspense when he too was thrown from the saddle and Sundell got to accept his win in the name of Cloyd Sundell. Wade received a cash prize of $15,088.00, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a certificate for a pair of Justin exotics boots and the loan of a Dodge Ram for a year. The cash payout is the largest purse Sundell has pocketed to date.
Another competitor who paid tribute to a family member was bareback rider Kaycee Feilds. Feilds tribute was of a happier nature than Sundell’s since he won an event that had been the domain of his father Lewis Feilds. Lewis is a Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee rider and he was in the pen assisting Kaycee as he competed in Pocatello. To keep it all in the family, Kaycee’s brother Shad is also one of his team members and assists him in preparing for his rides.
Feilds win came on the 20th anniversary of his father lone DNCFR title. Although he ended the weekend tied with Cody DeMers at 89 points he accumulated more points throughout the qualifying rounds to take the event. Feilds, who rode Mosbrucker Rodeo’s Magic Wars was a crowd favorite since he is an Idaho boy. The sellout crowd in the Holt Arena on the Idaho State University campus made their regional preference known when Feilds was on his mount.
Along with being able to take an event won by his father with Dad in attendance, Feilds was happy to lay claim to the Dodge Ram awarded to the champion bareback rider.
Most of the PRCA contestants will be off to the Golden State for a rodeo taking place in Red Bluff, CA April 17-19.
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