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Sage Kimzey accepts exemption to The American

Nashville, Tenn. – Organizers of RFD-TV’s $2 million rodeo, The American presented by Polaris Ranger, have extended an exemption invitation to the defending world champion bull rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

Sage Kimzey, 20, of Strong City, Okla., accepted the offer to compete against 10 of the world’s best riders from the Professional Bull Riders’ Built Ford Tough series during The American, March 1 inside AT&T Stadium.

“When I first heard about The American last year, I was really pumped about it,” Kimzey said. “It’s such a great thing for the sport of rodeo. I’m super excited to be part of it.”



Kimzey is fresh off a rookie rodeo season in which he dominated the PRCA’s championship event, making the whistle on eight of 10 bulls and claiming the 2014 world championship while setting a new PRCA overall single-event earnings record. Kimzey became just the second rookie to win a PRCA world bull riding title since 1963.

“We’re very excited to have a rising star like Sage Kimzey ride at THE AMERICAN (presented by Polaris Ranger) as one of our exemption athletes,” said Randy Bernard, CEO of RFD-TV Events. “We can’t wait to see if he continues his streak of championships with a win in AT&T Stadium.”



Longtime Oklahoma stock contractor Bennie Beutler thinks Kimzey could be one of the best cowboys to ever ride a bull. In fact, Kimzey reminds Beutler of legendary bull rider Jim Sharp, who’s enshrined in both the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and PBR Ring Of Honor. If Kimzey can outlast the best bull riders in the PBR on March 1, he could earn up to $1.1 million.

“Whenever you start talking about that much money, especially to a rodeo guy, it’s just life changing,” Kimzey said. “Winning six figures or more would help me put together my own ranch and help me keep living the Western way of life that I love so much.”

Kimzey is the seventh pro rodeo athlete to accept an exemption into The American, joining legendary Hall-of-Famers Speed Williams, Rich Skelton, Charmayne James and Fred Whitfield, plus Fan Choice exemption Amberley Snyder. The American takes over the home of the Dallas Cowboys for the second time on March 1, one year after a bareback rider at the inaugural American earned the largest lump-sum prize ever awarded in the sport of rodeo.

Tickets for RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Polaris Ranger, and the Iron Cowboy VI are on sale at the AT&T Stadium Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations and at americanrodeo.com. Prices for each event range from $20 to $150, not including taxes.

Tickets for the American Semi-Finals at the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, Feb. 18-22, are available for $40 per single day or a three-performance package of $100, not including taxes. They can be purchased at the Cowtown Coliseum box office, at stockyardsrodeo.com, or americanrodeo.com

–American Rodeo