Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ELK RIDGE — There are few bigger names in rodeo around the world than Lewis Feild, and none bigger on the bareback circuit than that of the five-time world champion.
Feild died Monday after a lengthy battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 59.
Feild, who was born in Salt Lake City and lived in Elk Ridge near Payson, Utah, won his first all-around world title in 1985, becoming the first roughstock cowboy to do so since Larry Mahan in 1973. He went on to win three straight world all-around titles, while also claiming a pair of bareback championships, to become arguably the biggest name in the sport.
In 1990, Feild was the first roughstock cowboy to eclipse the $1 million mark in career earnings. He was the 1980 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rookie of the Year and won the distinguished Linderman Award, presented annually to the top cowboy with at least $1,000 in yearly earnings in at least three events, in 1981, 1988 and 1991.
Born Oct. 28, 1956, Feild, the son of Keith and True Feild, began his rodeo career as a teenager. He qualified for the National High School Rodeo Association finals three times and earned a full-ride rodeo scholarship to Utah Valley State College where he qualified for the National Intercollegiate Finals for three years in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding and team roping.
After retiring in 1991, Feild was named to the PRCA Hall of Fame in 1992 and coached at his alma mater for several years.
Among Feild's most memorable sayings was a long-ago look at how he most wanted to be remembered.
"Someday, when rodeo people look back at what I've done, I'd like them to say these things: that I rode tough; that I could ride with pain and courage; that I was a fierce competitor in the arena, but a quiet, respectable man outside the gate," he said. "I just want to be remembered as a cowboy. That probably says it all."
Even in his final days, Feild was an avid cowboy. His son Kaycee Feild, a four-time world champ, posted a photo of his father riding to his Instagram page the day before he died, claiming the legendary rider "did not want to get off."
[What an amazing day! Got my dad horse back and he did not want to get off! #longlivecowboys @macleea @1shadrachfeild @stephbabyfeild @veronicafeild #buckcancer](https://www.instagram.com/p/BBvtGNbHmM9/) A photo posted by Kaycee Feild (@kayceefeild) on
Kaycee Feild and the rest of the family released the following statement through his Facebook page Monday night.
"Please know that the entire Feild family is blessed by all the kind words and prayers being passed along," he wrote. "Stay strong everyone, and God bless you all."
Professional bull rider and Feild family friend Lucas Guilbeau also released a statement on his Facebook page.
Lewis Feild is survived by his wife, Veronica, three children and seven grandchildren. The family has set up a foundation, Buck Cancer, to aid ailing cowboys and other victims of pancreatic cancer.
Contributing: Rod Zundel, Jeremiah Jensen
