CHEYENNE – Hawaii isn’t a hot bed for rodeo, and that’s why bull riders Aukai Kaai and Mana Kaia came to the mainland to fulfill their dreams of competing in professional rodeo.
The two bull riders found the going tough Sunday at the 120th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo as they were thrown off their bulls. They also were thrown off Saturday.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t like what they’re doing for a living.
“I’ve pretty much been riding bulls all my life,” said Kaai, 20, who competed at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, Nebraska, on a rodeo scholarship. Kaai now lives in Johnstown, Colorado.
“Rodeo is not as big in Hawaii as it is here, and it’s not very competitive in terms of bull riding and roughstock events. Team roping is pretty big.”
Kaai said his uncle, Buddy Gibson, raises bucking bulls in Hawaii that he sends to Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos and Professional Bull Riding events.
Kaai said he’s been in pro rodeo for two years, and added he’s “won some money here and there.” This also was his first time competing at CFD.
“The bulls are 10 times better here,” he said.
Kaia is older than Kaai, and came over from Hawaii and started his pro career in 2011.
Kaia worked at a feed store in Hawaii, got to know Kaai’s mom and once the two met they realized they had the same goals of competing in pro rodeo. Kaia now calls Eaton, Colorado, home. This was his third time competing at CFD, and he has yet to record a score.
“I started riding bulls in high school and really enjoyed it, and wanted to come up (to the mainland) and try it. I first came here in 2009 and have been here ever since.
“It’s been going all right, and I praise God I get to do this stuff.”
Kaai and Kaia are travel partners, and have no plans to go back to Hawaii any time soon.
“I love my lifestyle and what I’m doing here,” Kaia said. “Hawaii will always be home, but now it’s more of a vacation for me now than going back home.”
Stunt double
Cody Kiser of Carson City, Nevada, is a bareback rider, but also has been in movies.
Kiser served as a stunt double for Bradley Cooper in the 2014 movie “American Sniper,” directed by Clint Eastwood.
“I’m just the luckiest guy on the planet,” said Kiser of how the role came about.
Kiser said – in a nutshell – he knew a guy, who knew a guy to make it happen. They shot a scene for the movie in an arena with horses near Los Angeles, and that footage was used in the beginning of the movie.
Cooper’s character in the movie, Chris Kyle, wanted to be a pro rodeo cowboy.
“It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, and a once in a lifetime experience. I got to meet Bradley Cooper and Clint Eastwood.”
Making a run
Bareback rider Jessy Davis of Power, Montana, wasn’t among the top 50 in the world standings for most of the year.
The 35-year-old had some good reasons.
Davis injured his right shoulder at last year’s Cinch Shootout in December of 2015 in Las Vegas and underwent surgery in January. The recovery time was five months.
A month after surgery, his wife, Cassidy, gave birth to twin daughters.
Davis has competed for only two months this year, but he’s earned more than $33,000 and sits in 17th place in the world standings. The top 15 earn a spot in the season-ending National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas.
“I’ve had way worse years than I’ve had these last two months,” said Davis, a six-time NFR qualifier, who has surpassed $1 million in career earnings.
“My mindset this year hasn’t been any different than any other year. It’s to make the NFR. I’m 35 years old and I’d like to get a couple of more years in.”
Davis had his first go-round Sunday at CFD, and rode a horse named Southwest to 74 points. His second go is today.
Injury report
Saddle bronc rider Shorty Garrett of Dupree, South Dakota, was thrown from his horse and fell hard to the arena ground.
He was taken out of the arena and transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for observation with a concussion.
A spokesperson for CFD said he is expected to make a full recovery.
Rookie of the year candidates
Blaze Cress of Hillsdale, Wyoming, and a Cheyenne East graduate was thrown off his saddle bronc horse Sunday. He also was thrown off Saturday. Cress is fourth in the rookie of the year standings in the event with $5,767.
Cole Robinson of Moorcroft, Wyoming, is sixth in the rookie of the year standings in tie-down roping with $14,252.
Unfortunately, Robinson won’t add to that total at CFD. He didn’t record a time in his second go Sunday. His time of 16.1 seconds Saturday won’t earn him any first go money.
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