Kaycee Feild - Season 1 Episode 5

Six-time World Champion. Record-breaker. Bareback riding royalty.

Kaycee Feild is one of the most dominant athletes the sport of rodeo has ever seen. Hailing from Payson, Utah, and raised in a legendary rodeo family, he didn’t just follow in his father’s footsteps—he redefined the path. Lewis Feild’s son turned into the winningest bareback rider in PRCA history, capturing six gold buckles and making 13 trips to the National Finals Rodeo. 

From winning multiple world titles in dominant fashion to setting records on rodeo’s biggest stage, Feild built a career on grit, consistency, and an unmatched mental edge. 

Now a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee, his legacy is already cemented—but his story is still evolving, with a passion for the sport that keeps pulling him back to the arena.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Legendary workshops, rodeo access and power classes. No flops, no filters, just real conversations about the grip to setbacks and the breakthroughs that build these icons. Active Roy takes you behind the scenes under the lights to hear what it really took to get there. If you live the Western lifestyle or just respect the grind, this one's for you. Kick that, crack a gold one, and enjoy the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

Hey everyone, welcome to Under the Lights with Ashton Roy. We are so excited to have a really incredible guest with us. Casey, welcome to Under the Lights.

SPEAKER_04 0:50

Oh, thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me on today.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

When Roy and I started to talk about, you know, hey, we're gonna do a podcast because we love great stories. He said, We're gonna do Casey Field first. We're gonna do Casey Field first.

SPEAKER_04 1:07

Well, good, good. I'm glad. There's not too many viewers yet. So you'll keep it most of your fans.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Yeah, yeah, we'll we'll we'll see where we can reach. But no, Roy has been such such an amazing um, he's just a firm believer in everything you've accomplished and such a big fan. For our fans that don't, uh that are not immersed in Rodeoland, because I think if you even have a touch of rodeo in your soul, the name KC Field does not need a biography or a background or anything. But for those who don't, I'm gonna give you a quick one. When it comes to dominance in rodeo, I think your name is kind of number one on one on the big title, but a six-time PRC world bareback rider. You're you followed in your dad's legendary footsteps, but you have you've created your own path in this. You hail from Utah, raised in rodeo royalty, and you have electrified arenas all over the place. Um, we are so thrilled to have you now that you are stepping outside of the rodeo arena. We want to hear kind of everything from the top to the bottom, if that's okay.

SPEAKER_04 2:24

You betcha. You betcha. It's a long list, it's hard to follow.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Okay, let's talk about take us back to your childhood, where you grew up, and how you grew up.

SPEAKER_04 2:34

Yeah, I was very fortunate uh to have the childhood I did. Um growing up um with the father that I had was was amazing. He was always a dad before a rodeo cowboy, before a world champion. Um you know, us kids came first to him, and it was evident um in the way that he treated us and he took us everywhere with him. Um it was a fun childhood. We we grew up in a special place in Elkridge. Um the the mountain was our backyard, and my brother and sister and I, we took full advantage of it. And um that we have several stories of being bucked off on the mountain and walking home and horses being tied or standing there at the tax shed, like they're tied there, just like where you've been, kind of thing. But you know, it was a it was always fun. And growing up, probably the one thing that sticks out the most with with my my dad and my mom um is anything that we did, we we did it with with effort, we did it with um purpose um to do it the best we possibly could, the best of our ability. That didn't mean you you went out and won every time, but you gave it your effort, um and you never said can't. And if if you can dream it, you can do it. And so growing up from a very young age, um, you know, growing up with the dad that I did, I I started saying I was gonna be a world champion as soon as I could talk. And so um you start saying it, and the tongue's a powerful thing, you'd be surprised almost 40 years later, but uh it came true. But um, you know, it my childhood was uh very special, and my brother and my sister are we're still very close, and my mom and my dad, my dad has passed, but um my mom, we're we're very close and and a part of each other's lives every day.

SPEAKER_02 4:35

Can y'all hear me now? Yep, gotcha loud and clear, Roy.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

He's back.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

So uh speaking of your dad, I know he's a five-time world champion. Was it was it your goal to respectfully one up him or was it just not one up him? I mean, I don't know how else to say, but but to show that hey, this is what I'm gonna do.

SPEAKER_04 5:01

Um you know if he was here, I would be like, yeah, gotcha. I one up you, you old man, you know.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Yeah, I didn't I meant that respectfully.

SPEAKER_04 5:13

Oh, for sure, for sure. I know I know your intentions, I know your soul. So, but he's you know, uh it never was, and when I set out to be the the the best, um it was never to beat my dad. Um it was always um a dream that I've had, um but he created it, you know. That's one thing that that I uh credit a lot of my dad's uh characteristics is is you know, when when you when you hear champion, you think of guys champions, but but you you think of a true champion, and and it's like, okay, well, what makes him a true champion more than another champion? Yeah, and my dad was a true champion, and he created more champions. Um, not only me, but everybody he ran into, he had a way to influence people and and make people not only uh feel important, but also they walked away from that conversation knowing whatever that they were up against that they had a better chance. And so when when we talk champions and and we talk true champions, yeah, I'm a six-time world champion. Um, and I try to to be a true champion, but my dad is the ultimate true champion, and and you know, you there's certain things you you reach for and try to achieve in life and to to reach to be like Christ and and uh try to better yourself every single day. My dad was that man, and he did it by example, and he was a man of very few words. Um but you know, people, it doesn't matter where I go, I run into somebody that has a story that you know, Louie made him a better person. And so, you know, I had a great example as a father of a true competitor, um a humble um winner with sportsmanship. Um, but at the same time, my dad was much more than just a guy in the arena. So I I was pretty fortunate to have him as a dad.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

You have done uh an incredible job emulating your dad's legacy because it it a lot of the people that you know you hear about in their conversation, your mentorship and your kindness, and you you shake shake your competitors' hands, that is a big part of who you are. And and so, like that was part that was one of the real reasons. Well, I mean, besides this six time PRCA, that was one of the greatest, you know, most most exciting things to interview you. I want to talk about your mentorship and what you're doing now, but before I get there, can you talk us through a little bit of childhood rodeo? Was Bearback always on the forefront of your mind? Did your high school rodeo tell us about that?

SPEAKER_04 8:16

Yeah, so uh growing up, um, we rode Colts a lot, um, did a lot of team rope and we would rope a lot in the morning and then we'd go out to the ranch in the evenings and rope more. And my dad always had project horses around. The barrel racers would come around. This horse is bucking us off, and he's got good bloodlines. My dad, well, I'll give you 500 bucks, my kid will get on him, you know. So a lot of that, but my dad never uh when it came to bareback riding and competing, um, and and then it makes perfect sense now looking back, but he created the the perfect environment for me to learn. And so riding Colts and messing around, and when my parents were out of town, we'd put the ponies in the buck and chutes and try to get them to buck. And you know, we were kids on a ranch, but uh when it came to the craft of bare back riding, it's something that it wasn't you didn't play when you when we did it. It was we had a purpose. And so um my dad held me off for a long time, and and I didn't get to the desire until I was 11 or 12 years old to to want to do it. I I tried a lot of other different things and enjoyed being a child, and and that's something else too that I credit a lot of my success to is my parents let us be kids and let us go do stupid things when the consequences the consequences aren't so severe when you get older. And so, you know, when it came time to get serious about careers and goals, all the silly stuff was out of the way. And and so I I started getting the itch, and and my dad was the college rodeo coach for Utah Valley University uh from probably like 02 to 2008. And so we practiced twice a week Roughstock, which was more so than any other program that was out there. And I'd get on the same horse, Obey Rum. I got him from uh Cub Forbes up in Casey, Wyoming, and gave him to me and Mo Forbes. Um that's what a lot of a lot of guys learned on this horse. And uh so I got on Obey Rum twice on Tuesday, twice on Thursday, until I was about 16. And I was begging my dad to let me get on some different horses. He's like, You're not ready. And there was this was back in the day of when the Utah Jazz was hot and heavy and winning their their titles and the the sports broadcaster, Rod Zundell, was coming out to do a story on my dad's rodeo team. And he says, Uh, I'm like, Dad, I'm I'm gonna get on. I want to get on Humpty Dumpty. And he's like, No, you're not ready. I'm like, come on. He's like, the cameras are here, and Rod Zundell, no, this is stupid. He's like, All right, if you want to. And he was tricky. He would he would kind of sit down in the shoot and smash it, kind of just an old ignorant sucker, but was really good for a practice horse. And yeah, uh I nodded and he he one jumped me, and my dad rode up, told you weren't ready and and rode off. And man, that was a it was a funny learning moment in my life. Um but that was that was it though. Like for me, it was uh man, I I gotta listen to my dad. He's he actually kind of knows the stuff. So um after that moment is when I I really started getting after it. I was a junior in high school, uh, went to the high school rodeos a little bit, uh, my senior year a little bit, a lot of amateur rodeos, and then after that, uh college started. Uh and that's kind of when I really started getting focused on. I wrote down goals before that, but you know, it was more of a dream than an actual goal until I matured and really uh became a man. And then when I when that all started coming into place and the timing of everything and where I was at in life, uh bareback riding was the only thing that mattered, and I didn't have any other distractions, and it was one way on the highway and no other way.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Yeah. So did that that mentorship that your dad uh showed you, did you carry that over to Daxton, your nephew? Because I mean you were instrumental in you know him riding now for Taunton, and or he's on the circuit now on the pro circuit. But did you say to Daxton, hey, you're not ready for it for that yet?

SPEAKER_04 12:52

Yeah, but Daxton um has been around, you know, his whole life, and we're close. Uh, me and his dad, Shad, my brother, um, and my dad. And when I was practicing and when I talked to my dad, my brother about my goals, because they're very involved in in what I do, and it's a team, and and it it took uh that that support to achieve what I did. I'm very grateful for it. But so that being said, Daxon really hasn't asked a lot of the unknown questions. He knew the path that he needed to go on, and yeah, he knew that he these horses are the ones that he needed to be on because of his caliber of riding and where he's at. And so he would he would ask, is this horse good for me? Not necessarily, hey, this is the way you need to do it, this is the protocol, these are the guidelines. It's more of okay, hey, you're getting a little far-fetched, buddy, bring it back in. Um, you know, but now it's to a point where we're talking about dreaming, we're talking about um things that happen in the flow state of bareback riding that's uh very in-depth, very in tune. Where, you know, he's probably been on 250, 300 bucking horses now and the bucking machine and spurboard thousands, tens of thousands of times. And now he's just getting to where we can critique his style and make it look cool, um, make it look like it's under control. Um there's things now that um he just couldn't comprehend. You know, it's a lot like you know, I'm a very spiritual guy, so like your testimony as as you live and you have trials and tribulation in your life. Um, you know, if you if you have God and Heavenly Father on your side in prayer, your testimony strengthens and with experience, and it's the exact same thing with bareback ride. As soon as you lose faith, you you suck. You can't do it. You're you're you're not you're not on an upward path. And so Daxton, you know, he's been on an upward path from the very beginning, and it I think that's the advantage I had growing up, and now he's even reaping the benefits of a granddad and an uncle. And so he's in a very ripe position, I guess you could say. And and I and but um that being said, he's a very humble kid and he and he works harder than any kid that I've I've ever had the chance to coach. And I see about 120 to 150 kids a year. I'm lucky to have 10 kids that are tough. I'm lucky to have five kids that have what they can't be taught. Yeah, and Daxton has he exceeds all those. And so um, am I excited for him? Very much so, but I can't do any of it for him, and it's all on him. I can help him, but and there's no one that can get on that bucking horse for him.

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Yeah, it's always amazing. See the field name back in action, you know.

SPEAKER_04 15:58

The legacy's still just a boy, you can tell by his little girl mustache.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

That's awesome. That's awesome. Uh let's go back to the the beginning of PRCA life for you, your rookie year. How how did that go? Was it a smooth process? Was it you know, what was easy going from collegiate rodeo to the PRCA? Was it tough? Tell us about it.

SPEAKER_04 16:29

It is so wild. We're having this this podcast, this conversation right now because of Daxton. Yesterday I I've been in his shoes. Um right now where he's at it's so coincidental, it's not even funny. But he's debating on turning out of some college rodeos to go some pro rodeos. And I remember the conversation with my dad, like, dad, I can go to Logan Dale, Laughlin, Oakdale, and I could win about 12 grand. Um, and then in the rookie standing, this does this.

SPEAKER_01 17:01

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 17:01

And he's like, Well, you got a team rope and partner, and it's pretty selfish of you to turn out of the rodeo and just leave him hanging, you know. It's like, oh dang it. And Dexton he says, Before I ask you this, I know the right the right answer, but I just gotta ask you. So, like I said, he he's very fortunate. He's smart and in a good spot. But uh the transition for me from college to pro rodeo, it all happened at the same time. It's like um the spring of uh oh six, oh seven, it would have been. Uh oh eight. I was off a few years ago. Oh oh eight. Um it I got to that instead of like seeing four seconds on in your ride, and it's perfectly clear, and you can see the horse's ears flip, and you can see the picketman, you can see the judge, you can see the fans are full, you can hear the music. That's called the flow state, and it's really hard to get there. Um, bearback riding is very chaotic. Um, and then you add adrenaline onto it, and um, it's very hard to um get in a repetitious rhythm with bareback riding because it's it takes ten people to buck one horse, and so to go practice that it's not like Tiger Woods, and he can go and swing his clubs 280 times for a warm-up before he steps up to the green at a PGA tour. And so it takes a lot of mental power and and going through it in his mind, and he's now in a position where um each ride he's gaining so much confidence and so much talent and experience because he's seen it and he's visualized it on the horse, and now he's seen it from the beginning, from when he's nodded all the way until he's got off on the pickup man. And so now that he's seen it a few times, we can talk about that flow state and how he can get there and what happens in that flow state and what we can critique. And man, the things that he's he's able to see, and how he talks about it at such a young age, and the horsemanship that he has is unbelievable. And that's exactly where I was at. And it's like, man, I'm shifting an override. I need some money to enter some pro rodeos, I need a new rodeo van, the purple link and town cars not cutting it. School, the books are I'm gonna use those to start the fire. Like I mean, I've never seen another poor day. I'm good, and but it was funny because my rookie year, I was good and and I knew it and I believed in it. And then I started getting you know, banged up. I never got hurt, but you know, I got banged up, I was sore, and I didn't know the difference between an injury and soreness at that time. And I'd call my dad, man, dad, I can't squeeze my my hand, my arm hurts, and he'd chuckle, well, you got forearm splints, don't turn out, you know, and it's like, all right, so I'm not hurt, I'm fine, you know, and those growing pains, not only physically but mentally, my rookie year, uh, you know, were they they stick out very vividly looking back in my 15-year career, a lot of them go back to the the very first first year.

SPEAKER_02 20:29

Oh yeah, and you talk about that flow state. So when uh I grew up riding steers and that and then when I transitioned to like the real buckers, right? Uh everything was so fast the adrenaline going, all I seen was a uh a blur. And then as I started getting better and started riding more bulls, everything slowed down. Some of them looked like slow motion, I could hear people on the chutes. Uh but when I started, I it was all like a blur.

SPEAKER_04 21:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:02

Yep, same thing.

SPEAKER_03 21:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:04

Yeah, like for several years it was so fun bare back riding. I'm just gonna plug my phone in, but bare back riding. Um sometimes it I could get on and have the flow state every time, but there was other times that it took a little while to get into that flow state, and it was a challenge, and then sometimes that's what was so confusing, and the mental toughness had to come into play is the flow state. I couldn't get to the flow state to critique my riding. So, how can I critique my riding if I can't even see what's going on? Right, and so it's just it's interesting. I I say, uh, you know, everything that goes on outside of the arena affects eight seconds in the arena, and you know, when I was first started rodeoing, my dad would tell me that, and it's like whatever, you know. Makes no sense to me. And but now going through it and living the life that I have, it makes perfect sense.

SPEAKER_01 22:09

I think it's so similar too. And so you know, one of the the the big thing, goal, hope for it for this podcast is we want to mesh the lifestyles of harness racing and standardbred racing and rodeo because we feel like the legendary guys and gals, their grit is so similar. You know, I hear this a lot with my husband who drives harness horses because everybody thinks it's easy till it's time to do it. And you have to be so cognizant. You know, we've got 10, 8, 10 horses on a gate. He said, I I know what every horse in that race wears, I know what every step they're gonna take. I know more about what that horse can't do. I don't really care what the horse can do. I want to know what somebody else's horse can't do. And my job is to play chess and not checkers. And and it feels very similar to that in the flow state where you have the experience to shut the noise off, stay cognizant in with what you're doing. I just feel like it's so similar. So it's kind of exciting, you know, because I know that feeling that and it's rare, and not a lot of people ever get there, right?

SPEAKER_04 23:29

As as some there's champions, there's world champions that's never been there. Yeah, you know, there really is. And for somebody that can um do it uh regularly, that's a blessing, but somebody that can do it consistently and on demand, that's not only a true blessing, but that's uh that's a once-in-a lifetime human, in my opinion. That's uh a Connor McGregor, that's uh uh Mike Tyson, that's uh Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, uh Michael Jordan. Yes, yeah, and it and that's what's so unique is you talk to people, you talk to greats, you talk to people that yeah, they they love winning, but they love the process to to to be to achieve the greatness. And so you you talk to these other winners and you talk to the other greats, and and you have it all it all boils back down to the same thing. It's all you have the same discipline, and it doesn't matter um necessarily, it doesn't matter the sport you're in or or the discipline that you're up against. Um you you've you've created the basics to achieve anything. You to to achieve um what I did, and I'm I'm conservatively saying, humbly saying, but to achieve what I I achieved. Um the life experiences that I've had, the the childhood I had, the the practices that I had, the people that have been involved in my life, they all had to be there and they all had to serve a purpose, but at the same time, I had to be alert of what they were doing and what they were saying. And and so you you start talking to these other guys, kind of similar to me, and it's like, man, we're all very similar because not only do you think you can achieve anything, but you've proved it once, and you're probably gonna prove it again. Yeah, and you have the basics, you almost have the keys to life, I guess you could say. Yeah, you know, you not a lot, you don't have to go through the the forearm splints, you don't have to go through the blowing shoulder, you don't have to go through the groin shaking and hurting um the second time around. You've you've learned the tricks, the experience to be successful, and it's it's it's the winning way.

SPEAKER_02 25:56

Yeah, for sure. So, Casey, I want to know what it's gonna take to get you to come east. I'm in Texas, but but Ashley and Timmy are in Jersey and they have big races there. What's it gonna take for you to go there and sit behind get you to sit behind a harness horse?

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Well, first of all, would you want to sit behind a standard, Brad?

SPEAKER_02 26:15

Oh, I would love that.

SPEAKER_04 26:16

Oh, yeah, oh yeah, I would love that. I'm good at wiping out, so don't worry about hurting me.

SPEAKER_01 26:22

We'll take care of you. We'll we promise that we'll make sure you're in good hands.

SPEAKER_04 26:27

We we need that crossover. I'm just about in a position where I'm gonna take you guys up on that. Probably next spring, a year from now, I'd bring my family out and come and uh see some stuff back east that we've I've never seen, and my family hasn't either. That would be awesome, it'd be fun. I'd love new cultures.

SPEAKER_02 26:45

That's we would all that crossover from rodeo and harness racing, and and vice versa, right? And and I make these TikToks and uh Ari, it's in rodeo and equestrian, but not in racing. But they got their name from a race horse, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, need to change it, Roy. You're hey, you're the golden boy. Uh you're the golden boy, Casey. So when you sit behind a harness horse, maybe maybe Ariel take note.

SPEAKER_04 27:17

Hey, put that in the comment box. I'll I'll say something to Trevor.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

Yeah, yeah, let's get you and Trevor out there.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

I love it. I love it. So I always love to talk about like high and lows in a career. Um, I like normally starting with the highs, but when we were talking about, you know, the mental state and all that, was there a time that you felt like you were just not connecting mentally? Is that you know, is that something that happened often?

SPEAKER_04 27:48

No, it didn't happen often, but it happened for a long time. It happened from uh the fall of 2016 uh to the spring of 2018. And I lost my father and and I was mad at the world. And that's I mean, I can go into it, but that's the basics of it. That what was going on outside of the arena um wasn't good. Um it wasn't to my standards, and it showed in the arena, and that's as as simple as it gets, but I forgot to pray. Um I didn't forget I chose not to. Um there was times that I had to be there. I didn't, you know, I didn't get to be there. You know, that's one thing that I say with bareback riding is as I get to go and be a bareback rider. I don't have to do it, you know. I I do all my hard work in the gym and at the house before I ever leave, and the the rodeo and the bareback riding is my vacation. And and there was there was times in in that little span right there, two and a half years, that it was all self-inflicted. I was poor me, you know, judges are screwing me, um, can't work hard enough, no one's working hard enough, harder than me, just petty me. It was it was the worst attitude ever. And but that that's was my fault. I didn't allow my friends in my life. Um, I didn't answer my phone, I didn't reach out to people. Um, my dad wasn't here poking me in the chest and knock it off. Um, I wouldn't answer my phone to my brother, and so the all of that, it's it's when you lay your head down at the end of the night, it's just like when you get off on the pick up and you know the score before you ever hit the ground. And you know, you in the Brabot cry, when you get off and you didn't give it your all, you're gonna regret some things, and you don't care what the score is because it's gonna be bad. But if you put give it your all, it's the same way. You lay your head down at the end of the night and your head in the pillow and you have no regrets. You gave it your all. You you can tip your hat and you're gonna be 90 points. Don't do everything in your day possible to be a 90-point ride at the end of the day, so you don't regret anything, so you can wake up the next day winning. And I didn't have that attitude, and it was poor me, and then the lights came on, and it was like, holy crap, I can ride. Well, there's the flow state. Hey kids, hey wife, I'm happy. Here I am. Life's great, you know. And just took a little knock on the head and brain injury and a few other things, just thick scrolled guy. It took a lot of ass whoopings to get some common sense back. Yeah, but it was good, man. And I and I and I came back and learned to write my goals, learned to dream, and learned to to try to be a better person every day.

SPEAKER_02 30:41

Yeah, and I was gonna ask you about that. Uh, the you said up to 2018, 2019 you had the brain injury and you went through that, you recovered, came back, and you won two titles after that.

SPEAKER_04 30:53

Yeah, yeah. Um, and it's weird because um, you know, my my dad always preached to me, injuries happen for a reason. Take them, take advantage of them. This is an opportunity for you to stay home with your family, um, get mentally stronger. And when you come back for when the the doctor releases you, you come back stronger than you ever have. And I'm I was really good at getting hurt and coming back stronger than I ever have before. And so I go through all this all of this mental stuff, um, but I didn't treat that stuff like an injury. Um I I only knew injury is is physical.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 31:37

And so I get cracked in the head and um uh crack my skull, eye socket, nose, nasal cavity, upper lower jaw, and brain bleed. Um ICU for four days, five days, something like that. And you know, all right, here we go. This is my chance. I'm I'm coming back stronger. This is my opportunity to get out of this slump. And then uh I did a right at that time, I did a uh like a campaign with the Huntsman Umstitute, and it was called Love Your Mind. And I started digging in with my brain injury, and I had been around some guys that have had some concussions and been to some uh brain doctors around the world and in Vegas. There's some guys that are pretty renowned here in Utah, cognitive FX. It's just the environment we're in. You gotta you gotta be aware of it. And um so this whole time I'm I come back and from that injury and I win my first rodeo, drew the perfect horse. The second horse was a big, strong horse that will hit you in the back of the head and cross your eyes. And you know, that's in my head. That the doctor told me that if I get hit in the head again, you're you're gonna be done, you're gonna be a vegetable. And so it's like, man, I drew the perfect easy horse for the first one. I won the rodeo. The second one, this is a test. I'm like, this is it. This is what I've been waiting for. Um, went great, went perfect. And I I won a lot of money over. I came back, so that was March, and then I came back in July, which was kind of they were very happy for the doctors. Um, come back, almost won the world title that year, and was motivated. But through that injury, I learned a lot about uh mental health and how how serious it is. And uh my brother at this time uh crashed his plane in right at the beginning of 2020. Um six people in there. Um he's the he got the worst of it. He's paralyzed from the waist down, and so there's a lot of stuff that right there um from 16 to 2020 that were life-changing events that were distractions from my childhood dreams and goals. And so I dig into mental health, and it's like, man, I was actually injured when I lost my dad, like mentally. Like what an idiot. And I didn't do anything like I do if I'm physically hurt to come back stronger. Like, uh and so like everything happens for a reason, everything has a purpose, and now going back and and learning, okay, well, you know, I was I was mentally injured. Now the things that happen with my kids, and you know, I I lost a niece uh a couple months ago, and tragedies are gonna happen, and things are tough, and and life is unfair at times. But at the same time, um, if you're diligent about your goals and you're diligent about where where you want to be in life, all those tragedies and those things, if you understand that there's there's mental injuries and physical injuries, and everybody you know has their own trials that they're going through, it it's it softens life. It softens the the pain. And and you gotta you gotta face it like you're getting on a bucking horse, like a bareback. You're wedging your hand in there, and there's no way out. There's no one coming to save you.

SPEAKER_03 35:29

Right.

SPEAKER_04 35:30

That it's all on you. And so you know, I'm very grateful for the valleys that I fell into, the the injuries that I had, because now where I'm at in life, bareback riding and stuff, yeah, that was important. But now, all those life lessons, the real important thing is is life and my kids and and my family, and all those lessons that I learned about coming back stronger as a bareback rider. Shoot, I wish I could go back. That was easy. This life stuff, you know, there's challenges to it, but but with discipline and a diligent attitude and and goals and direction and good friends and good people in your life, it's it's just like winning. You you you get people in your corner and and you can do some winning.

SPEAKER_02 36:18

Yeah, and people don't realize that God on the mountain is still God in the valley, right?

SPEAKER_01 36:23

Right.

SPEAKER_02 36:24

You know, when things are great, oh thank God. But when they're down and they're hurt and mentally not there, you know, it's uh God's still there. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

Well, I would love uh I'm gonna kind of kick this a little bit to producer Brett. We've got your video that you partnered with Ariet. Yeah, and we would love if you we're gonna kick it up on the screen in in a minute or two, or a second or two. I would love if you could talk us through how this was made because a lot of people don't know how incredible this story truly is.

SPEAKER_04 37:04

Yeah, this was a dream. Um, so we were coming back from Reno, it's the middle of the night, and there's a big billboard out there on the salt flats, and and it's all these Utah records, and I'm proud to be from Utah, probably more arrogant than a Texan. But uh I uh I I I'm proud of Utah, and and there's nothing rodeo on that billboard in the salt flats. And then I had a dream of riding Virgil out on the salt flats, and during COVID, that wasn't gonna happen. But John Franzen, owner of Tube Buck Chuck, this horse, I called him and is like, hey man, I had this dream. I want to take a buck and shoot out on the salt flats. He's like, say no more, I'm in. And that's the type of guy John is, and and um honestly, how it played out, it couldn't have been any better. Um, it's funny, John he posted this this video. I hadn't posted it, kind of a little bit hesitant, but he freaked out in the shoot right right before this and actually broke my wrist.

SPEAKER_00 38:03

Oh man.

SPEAKER_04 38:04

And so I did a mess with a broke arm. Now that horse is bipolar, he's crazy. But uh this was uh this was a big win for me. Um, you know, like Houston, Goldbuckles, Calgary, those are those are big wins, but this one I I picked the horse, I I took the buck and chute out there. It was my idea, um, it was my dream. I organized it all. Um to get it to get done and then see the picture. The first thing that comes to mind is deception.

SPEAKER_01 38:39

And a hundred percent, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:42

So deception, you know, the the word what it means, it's is what that picture represents, and it's um a lot like how I think you should live live your life. And and so that picture in that day and that that that video, um that was the most probably the top five most peaceful places I've ever been in my life on the back of that horse that day. Um it was pretty cool, pretty special, silent. But um that was uh that was one of those wins that was very motivating for me, and I credit uh coming back and winning another world title because of that video right there.

SPEAKER_01 39:27

It's amazing. Uh there are a lot of posts, like all I've seen this posted once in a while, like back again when you know it come it circulates quite often, and there are people that are so convinced that this is AI, that this is not a real moment, and so please, please tell them loud and proud, no, this was not AI driven.

SPEAKER_04 39:57

Definitely not, uh, but I mean it's it's still a dream to me. I wish I could go back so bad, but uh you know it was not AI and it was as real as it could have been. And we unloaded that horse in the buck and chute and bucked him and was back in the truck and headed home in 30 minutes. There's a pretty cool windstorm coming, and uh that was as real as it gets. When that when they unloaded that horse and it was just an idea, and we loaded the buck and chute, headed out to Salt Flats. Shit got real.

SPEAKER_02 40:27

It got serious. He didn't run off, did he? When when you hit the pickup man, did he did two buck chuck run off or did he collar it up?

SPEAKER_04 40:37

No, so he took off actually pretty far, and then John went and tried to rope him and missed, and got off his horse. And the horse that John was on was actually Tubuck Chuck's barn buddy. And as soon as John got off, that stud coming mothered right up. And so John led the bucking horse, led that horse through the buck and chute into the trailer, and two buck chuck. We stopped him in the buck and chute, took the rigging off, and jumped him in the trailer. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 41:04

So here's something you might not have known. Uh, have you ever heard of Bailey Zimmerman? The country singer. Oh, yeah, yeah. My daughter listens to him. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So when this premiered, remember you had that red carpet event in the stockyards? Yeah. Tratter house was there, and uh, we were working with Bailey Zimmerman. He had a new song coming out, and uh this is before Bailey Zimmerman was Bailey Zimmerman. Uh, he had this song coming out, and we just like propelled it on TikTok, and it dropped went number one, and he's been on a roll ever since. But uh Britt, do you have that?

SPEAKER_01 41:42

Uh producer Britt in the world.

SPEAKER_02 41:45

Oh, you gotta go back. Hey, look at that.

SPEAKER_04 41:49

That was a fun day.

SPEAKER_02 41:51

There's Bailey Jimmer right there behind me. He was there.

SPEAKER_04 41:55

Is that him, that little dude right there with the long hair?

SPEAKER_02 41:57

Yep, that's him. Right there. So Bailey was uh at that premiere, that red car.

SPEAKER_01 42:09

Okay, so now you can tell your daughter that you're a little more famous than Bailey Zimmerman.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

I'll I'll let her know. Nobody knew Bailey Zimmerman at that time.

SPEAKER_01 42:19

I'll talk about just uh one of your most iconic accomplishments, just a moment that you look back at and you just love to retell the story.

SPEAKER_04 42:30

Man, I know good marriage, my what Mary and my wife and what it started.

SPEAKER_01 42:37

Yeah, yeah. What year did you get married?

SPEAKER_04 42:40

12.

SPEAKER_01 42:41

2012. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 42:42

Yeah, yeah. Um, probably for life that's been my biggest achievement, but for bareback riding that career, um, probably winning my fifth world title, COVID year, the injuries that I had and what I had to come back from. And uh it came down to a re ride in the 10th round and the horse that I drew. Um just how it all played out. It was God sent and it was it was a magical day.

SPEAKER_01 43:11

Yeah. Was there was there a a a moment in you know as a wife of an athlete it is pure chaos. And and I don't even know how and that I wish I had a nicer way to explain it. And chaos isn't bad, but it it's chaotic. How do you balance? How did you balance being on the road and having a family?

SPEAKER_04 43:43

Oh, a lot of prayer. I will say that. Um my dad always was home Monday Tuesday and he said wherever you're out in the country, you get back Monday Tuesday to be with your family. And uh that Was if I wasn't with them, they were going with me. And uh communicate. Um you know, that was you know, it's chaotic and and things change very fast on the road, especially rodeo and withdraw and short rounds and travel partners, catch and rides. Um that was something that I struggled with in the earlier few years of my marriage. Not ever that it was ugly or bad or anything, but there that was something that I struggled with was when something changed to notify some people instead of you know, and and that that being said, being great or or wanting to achieve greatness, it takes some selfishness. And I found myself being very selfish at a very when I was young and and first getting on a roll, I I was a very selfish person, and part of that was um not notifying people, not communicating people, and and people that were important in my life. And that's something that I've you know I've really had to work on and continue. I have to remind myself.

SPEAKER_02 45:09

Yeah. So your wife, she's uh I met her a few times, very, very nice lady. Uh when when y'all go on dates, like date night away from the kids, do y'all head into the city or or like what's your your date night?

SPEAKER_04 45:25

Boy, it changes. Um my my date night is uh pretty simple. I would just cook a steak and watch a movie or go on a horse ride. Um, but my wife, she's uh um, I guess you could say she's a little bit high maintenance, which I love. Um yeah, she's uh she knows what she wants and she wants a nice a nice dinner and dress up. And we like to go to Park City. There's a steakhouse up there on Old Main Street, and then within walking distance, there's a nice hotel, and uh it's a fun little getaway for us that go and have a one or two night getaway. And that's something that uh you know, I I uh again selfish with my time and what I do, and uh I struggle with date night and and you know, treating my wife to a date. She doesn't deserve enough uh gratitude and thanks, and taking her on a date every other week is is little as I could do.

SPEAKER_01 46:28

I promise if you get us off the farm once in a while, we're way up here. Just once in a while, you gotta get us off the farm.

SPEAKER_04 46:38

Uh yeah, she she's that's what she says, and she uh reminded me uh or came to me and told me that we got tickets booked to Hawaii in two weeks. So yeah, she she knows how to get her escaped, don't let her BS you.

SPEAKER_03 46:56

I have faith. I have faith.

SPEAKER_04 46:59

But I think it might be a humanitarian trip, it looks like all the flooding going on over there. So I seen it, yeah. Might teach these kids how to work a little harder, so might not be just beach and sunburns this time.

SPEAKER_02 47:14

Yeah, so let's uh so let's have a little fun. I'm gonna bring up a video. We were at your house. Uh do you have that, uh, Britt? Oh man, this is Juba.

SPEAKER_04 47:33

Uh worth of legend. Dave's still uh, you know, he has a lot of kids. He wanted more after this, but it ended up. Hey, that was a fun day. You guys need to get back out here. That sure was.

SPEAKER_02 48:53

Yeah, that was a fun day. So uh man, Nick looked like he hurt himself on that thing. Yeah, hurt me watching. Oh, yeah, and you know, I was surprised Diesel Dave as big as he is. I mean, it wasn't not up to your standard, but I mean I think he can do about anything. Yeah, that was that was funny.

SPEAKER_01 49:20

Oh my god. Anyway, okay, I love I love that nonsense. I'm telling you, you would have got my husband up there. I know I know it. Fake hips and all.

SPEAKER_02 49:36

Does he like them?

SPEAKER_01 49:39

Uh he does. He's he got both of his hips replaced. One the first one in 2008, and then the second one in 2013. He was so crippled before those surgeries.

SPEAKER_04 49:50

I mean he some other time we might have to talk. I gotta go get one, and I've been putting it off for a few years.

SPEAKER_01 49:56

You you will wake up and feel so much uh he woke up, he he couldn't sleep, he couldn't walk, he couldn't. I mean, he just he was crippled. He was born with a disease called prothesis disease. So like it just is dead bone up into the joint. And so he knew from a young age that he would the wear and tear of a normal person, you know, probably in his 50s and 60s. But I think he was like 30 when he got the first one, and maybe 34 when he got the second, but he immediately woke up a different human. That's another thing, living in pain. A lot of people don't realize it. Like when you're living with someone that's in chronic pain, it's very difficult for them to be in a happy state of mind. You know, we talked a lot, we we got pretty heavy this this episode, but it's nice because you're not alone in in that type of situation. You feel like you're alone when you're going through it. And then you talk to guys like yourself, and you you know, you've been there, you know what that pain's like.

SPEAKER_04 51:08

Yep, yeah, yeah. And and too, that's something that's so important is friendships. And there's so many in in the rodeo world, and and when you keep your friends around and you're and you're truthful with your friends and the people that you surround yourself with, they can hear it in the tone of your voice when you're having a bad day. And so, you know, but that that being said, when it is tough, when it is bad, and you are in pain physically, mentally, like talk to people. I mean, it it sucks, and it's the last thing you want to do is call and tell a loved one that you're in pain, physically or or mentally, but at the same time, maybe it's not you know, like you call them and they reach out to you. Maybe it's not necessarily what you're going through, you need to talk about. Maybe it's a a memory, um, an adventure that you had in the past that you need to talk about, or maybe something in the future that you can be motivated about. Maybe that friend is is the one that's gonna ignite that in you. And so, you know, don't be afraid to pick up the phone because you're struggling. You don't need necessarily need to talk about what you're struggling about, yeah. You know, and God wants good for you, your friends want good for you. Start believing it, yeah, and start paying it.

SPEAKER_02 52:25

Yeah, and talking about pain, let's let's let's give your your company a plug, Casey. He's got some stuff. I mean, it works.

SPEAKER_04 52:35

Yeah, so uh it's actually my stand right now for my phone. We're actually going through some changes at PowerPro, but I'm very excited. So PowerPro warming lotion. Um, this is a very, very popular product. Um, this is kind of like icy hot, but for people in the western culture that are tough. It gets really hot, no eyes or privates. Um, and then we got powered up as a pre-workout. Um, one thing about PowerPro is uh we we own a 2 million square foot uh contract manufacturing facility, and so we're building products for majority of anybody that's building pre-workouts, we have a pretty good idea of what they're putting in them, and so we really um pride on ourselves on good quality, clean ingredients. Not only is it a pre-workout, but the ingredients that we put in it are uh very thought out, they work together. A lot of people just throw ingredients together because it tastes good and they don't even work together. Um, PowerPro, um, it's a fun business, it's a growing business. We have a horse product as well as well, gut health and inflammation, and it's taken off, it's doing really well. Um, so it's it's really fun. And then Shat and I and Luke Branquino, we just launched a new uh business called RV Connect, and it's a reservation platform for RV parks, resorts, and anybody that's renting stalls. So you're you're um equestrying vent complexes. So we we we have a very uh robust system, and you know, going up and down the road traveling like like I have and Luke and my brother, and the pain points that you you go through of pulling into a place to put your horses up for the night and you can't get in, the stalls are locked. This will will take place of all the pain points of traveling, and then also we'll we'll have a trip planner. So if you're leaving, say, Ellensburg, Washington, and you're going to St. George, Utah, you type that in, and we're gonna highlight all the equestrian places along the way and if they have availability and how many stalls they have or how many RV spots. And so that's a that's a fun business as well that's uh relevant in the western industry, and so it's it's been a lot of fun to to kick that business off and and stay relevant in the western industry.

SPEAKER_01 55:13

Is that website launched?

SPEAKER_04 55:16

Uh-huh. It is. Uh what rvconnect.app okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 55:21

That is and we've got a lot of shippers on the road all the time that you know we got one colic in or something's down, they need somewhere to go. So this is huge, huge. That was a great idea.

SPEAKER_04 55:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 55:36

Why don't you think about that?

SPEAKER_04 55:39

It's a good idea now. What we still gotta make some money before it's a great idea. We're still in the hole. The idea is great. Yes, it is a good idea. So we are acting on the idea. Um, but it's it's a fun, like I said, the the future looks good for it. I'll say that. Good. We we will have an ambassador program set up probably by the end of March, too. Um, so that will be awesome as well. So if anybody wants to go hit the road and make a little side money, lag of the account. So that's sweet. Might be something to look into.

SPEAKER_02 56:19

Yeah, anything I can do to help JC and any less. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 56:25

I sure appreciate it. You guys too. Let me know if I can help with anything.

SPEAKER_02 56:29

Yeah, well, you always do.

SPEAKER_01 56:32

Going into 2026. What are uh you know, this is a great thing to look forward to, clearly what you're doing now. Anything else that you're really looking forward to moving on into the rest of the year?

SPEAKER_04 56:46

Oh man, being home during hunting season has been so much fun. I really look forward to hunting season. Um, this new app that we're doing, this new platform.

SPEAKER_01 56:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 56:58

Um, and then family vacation. I just I don't know what it is, but it I've been very fortunate to experience some cool things in life and and very blessed. And now to take my family back to some cool places and show them some good restaurants and some fun hotels and sightseeing. It's it's uh being a tour guide for your kids. There's nothing better.

SPEAKER_02 57:26

Yeah. Is elk your favorite?

SPEAKER_04 57:29

Um, if I'm by myself, I like elking for sure. It's uh I I had a really fun experience with Keith Mundy from American Hat this year. Um it was day four, it was hot. Uh the elk weren't rutting too hard, and we got one. He was about 200 yards away in the thicket, you couldn't really see him. And we me and him, we had so much fun. We laughed the whole time. We had great memories. I I had a hard time being quiet, so the elk would get close enough he could shoot. And you know, second to last night, we got one to come in, called him in to about 80 yards, and he thumped him. And uh it was just so much fun when they're bugling and they come in. It was it was sure a once-in-a-life opportunity for Keith, and the friendship that we developed on the mountain was fun. It was it really was, but um just getting out. I don't even care if I shoot or harvest a trophy anymore. I just like getting out and being in the outdoors and unplugging for just two two days is does me wonders.

SPEAKER_02 58:32

Yeah, well, Utah's pretty country. Hey, that's that's one thing you guys have on us, Texans.

SPEAKER_04 58:40

One thing one thing Texas is beautiful and and they do the the topography is beautiful, but it's hard to access. It's it's a lot of it's private, and Utah is is 68 percent of public land, and so uh I'm pretty fortunate to to have the playground that I have in the backyard.

SPEAKER_02 59:01

Yeah, but your mountains up there is just it's peaceful. It's I don't know, something about it is just peaceful.

SPEAKER_04 59:08

You're right, it is.

SPEAKER_01 59:11

Well, Casey, we want to thank you so much for your time. We love, love, love catching up with you. Before we let you go, though, we want to do a quick rapid fire question. I just have 10 or so questions. Don't think about them. You just answer whatever's easiest for you. Are you ready?

SPEAKER_04 59:30

You betcha. Fire away.

SPEAKER_01 59:32

Favorite movie. What plays in the truck while you're driving down the road?

SPEAKER_04 59:38

Silence.

SPEAKER_01 59:41

Favorite cocktail.

SPEAKER_04 59:44

An old-fashioned bourbon. Or whatever they're called. The smoked one, though. It's gotta be smoked.

SPEAKER_01 59:50

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh yes. Uh Early Bird or a night owl?

SPEAKER_04 59:57

Early bird.

SPEAKER_01 59:58

Who's your biggest cheerleader?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:03

My daughter's right here. My oldest daughter. I got I got the most best cheerleaders. Uh my daughters, my wife, and my mom. They're amazing.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:15

Wonderful. Who's your toughest critic?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:18

My brother, Shadrach, shitrack.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:23

Uh what's your pet peeve?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:26

I don't have any.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:28

No.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:29

Tilden Hooper driving when we first started rodeoing. Like, it took him 15 years to learn how to drive down a canyon. But other than that, I don't really have any.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:38

What was your last impulse purchase?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:47

Uh an adventure bike?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:50

And it like like the electric ones?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:53

No, it's uh it's a it's a big purchase. Like you should talk to your loved one before you before you buy it. It's a it's a big like enduro cross-country motorcycle for on-road, off-road.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:08

Oh, that kind of bike.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:12

Oh yeah, one that will go 115.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:17

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:20

All right, that was a good one. You you you you got the you got to speak. You gotta speak. Well, listen, before we let you go, I want you one more time to tell our listeners about your product and where they can find them.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:33

Yeah, well, thank you very much for the opportunity. So, PowerPro, right here. Very popular warming lotion, pre-workout, horse product, um, and then RV Connect to um also I did talk about it. Payment Cowboys is uh fintech financial technology, credit card processing is a company I uh I own. Um, and with that, we donate five percent back to cowboy charities, and then RV Connect is um RV Connect uses payment cowboys for the processor as well. And so we are donating back to the Western culture and trying to give back as much as we can. So rvconnect.app and power pro and payment cowboys.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:20

Awesome, awesome. Well, listen, Casey, we cannot wait to get you in behind a raced horse. We are so excited to send you doll and tell the kids we've got double-seated jog cards they can come jog with us and hang out in the barn. We we can't wait to have you.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:37

Well, I sure appreciate it. We look we look forward to the opportunity and uh maybe uh show you guys how to whip a little bit and go around the quarters.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:45

Whoa, we're ready for it. All right, all right, guys. Thank you so much again for joining us. We loved having you and you have a great time weekend, Roy. Thanks again for all your help.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:00

Absolutely. Thanks, guys. Always taking the time. Thank you. You betcha. You guys make it a great day. We'll see you later.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:08

That was another episode of Under the Lights with Ashton Roy. Thank you to the sponsors and coffee for this episode. Whether you're headed out from the arena or just getting your day started, or glad to spend some time with us. Around here, it's all about the stories behind the ground. We want you to be part of the story too. So comment and follow it right here on this platform. And tell us, you're five, stay too.