Texas steer wrestler Justin Shaffer has cinched his first ever National Finals Rodeo qualification in a big way. He might be a veteran of the sport, but he is a rookie at the Thomas and Mack. While he rode the bubble through the final weeks of the season, he managed to stay inside and is headed to Las Vegas as the No. 14 steer wrestler in the World.
Texas Circuit Finals, $8,250
An early start to Shaffer’s 2024 season came at the Texas Circuit Finals. A 3.5-second run won him Round 1 before he placed fourth in Round 2. A 3.7 put him third in Round 3 but it was his overall time of 15.7 seconds on four that made him the No. 1 cowboy in the Average by seven tenths of a second.
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, $8,820
Shaffer just snuck into the Go-Round money in both rounds of his bracket in Denver to squeeze into the Semifinals as the No. 3 man. He would clock a 3.9 in the Semifinals to win it before a 3.8 in the Finals earned him a second-place finish at the rodeo.
Home of Champions Rodeo, $2,846
Over Cowboy Christmas, Shaffer found his way to two pay windows and the second was in Montana. His time of 3.8 seconds was one of two to split the No. 2 spot on the leaderboard with Jacob Talley.
Before that, he had one Go-Round of luck at the Greeley Stampede when he clocked another 3.8 to place fourth in Round 1.
Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo, $5,844
In the Black Hills, Shaffer would win Round 1 inside the historic Deadwood, South Dakota arena after a 4.3-second run was just one tenth faster than the next. His time of 9.3 seconds would tie him for second-place money in the Average.
Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo, $9,510
Shaffer played the Average game so well in Kennewick that the win went home with him. He started with 4.3 in Rond 1 before getting faster in each round. A 3.8 in Round 2 would add to the momentum before he was a 3.5 in the Finals to win the Round. He was No. 1 in the Average by two tenths of a second.
Ellensburg Rodeo, $8,381
Shaffer was the only sub-4-second run over Labor Day weekend in Washington. The 3.9-second run earned him the Round 1 win before he would be 4.7 in the Finals to split second and wind up fourth in the Average for a hefty pay day.
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, $9,111
The final weekend of the season went Shaffer’s way enough to help him nail down that No. 14 spot in the World. His fastest run of the weekend came in at 3.9 seconds to place third in Round 1. Shaffer went on to the Eight Man Round where he fell just short of the Finals but he did just what he needed to do before.
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