BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
The bulldoggers ranked No. 12-14 have just a bit of breathing room, but in the race for the 15th and final NFR spot, three cowboys are within $1,200 of Eli Lord.
Lord has won six rodeos this season in the steer wrestling, including Deadwood and Spanish Fork. Lord cracked the Top 20 for the first time in his career last season and is now closing on his first NFR. His 18 runs of 4.2 seconds or better are the best career and so is his qualified time percentage of 84 percent. Lord has $50,453 total in 2021.
Screenshot via ProRodeo.com
Three-time NFR qualifier J.D. Struxness currently trails Lord by less than $600. The Minnesota native charged up the leaderboard in August, getting from No. 25 to as high as No. 14 in a matter of weeks. In August, Struxness earned five checks of more than $1,000 and also finished fourth in the Average in Caldwell, earning him $4,655 at that rodeo. More recently, Struxness tied for first in the First Round in Ellensburg.
Struxness had a good showing in Ellensburg, but unfortunately, the man right behind him was even better. Cody Devers was 13.1 seconds on three head to be named the co-champion and earn $5,453 total at the rodeo. Devers finished 18th last year and has never made the NFR. His average score of 7.39 seconds this year is the best of his career.
In 18th, but still one good weekend away from jumping up to No. 15, is Tristan Martin. Last weekend, Martin was terrific in Washington. He was earned $3,882 in Walla Walla and $2,309 in Ellensburg.
Still lurking, too, is Curtis Cassidy, a Canadian who has made the NFR in seven times total and in three different decades.
The cowboys in 12th-14th are not safe yet, either. Ty Erickson is No. 12 with $55,967, Rowdy Parrott is 13th with $53,714 and Nick Guy has $52,652, putting them all within reach of several cowboys outside of the Top 15.
RELATED: