J.D. Struxness has had an outstanding regular season gunning to be back inside the Thomas and Mack this December. Going into Ellensburg Rodeo he was ranked No. 4 in world and leaving, he now sits No. 2 after getting the win making him the Timed Event Athlete of the Week.
Struxness added over $10,000 to his earnings in Ellensburg. His time on three head was 12.7 seconds while his fastest run of the weekend came in Round 2 with a time of 3.8 seconds.
The last time that Struxness qualified for the National Finals Rodeo was in 2019 and he is making his return in a huge way. He says that his horsepower has made the difference this year. Struxness has been riding Tyson, the legendary bull dogging horse of Curtis Cassidy’s.
Struxness trails the No. 1 steer wrestler in the World, Tyler Waguespack, by about $4,000 with big money left to be won during these last few weeks of the season.
The Minnesota native has been to the NFR three times and finished in the Top 7 in the final PRCA World Standings each time he makes it to Vegas. In 2022, he is putting together possibly the best season of his career. His average time of 5.68 seconds is a personal best and his 22 times of 4.2 seconds or faster tie for second best of his career, with a whole month and the NFR to beat his career high of 27.