J.D. Struxness Proves Consistency Pays En Route to 2024 World Championship

The 2024 National Finals Rodeo crowned a new class of champions and steer wrestler, J.D. Struxness, earned his first gold buckle

J.D. Struxness / PRCA

There were so many races that came down to Round 10 at the 2024 National Finals Rodeo. One of those World Championships was determined in the steer wrestling when J.D. Struxness of Milan, Minn., earned a second-place check for $26,624.

Struxness and I caught up shortly before the NFR, where he told me that he was preparing for the big show alongside his fellow steer wrestlers. Struxness competed throughout the year and at the finals aboard 2024 Horse of the Year, Finding Meno "Crush," owned by Ty Erickson. Former NFR qualifier, Matt Reeves, hazed for Struxness for the NFR, one of the most important roles in the event.

The whole group got together before they headed to Las Vegas and Struxness advised that they were covering the basics, focusing on fundamentals, and knowing the start in the tiny setup of the Thomas and Mack Center. They also focused on working with Reeves, to ensure everyone was very familiar and in tune.

Those efforts clearly paid off, with Struxness quietly sneaking his way up the standings by staying very solid through the week. The cowboy came into the NFR sitting No. 5 in the World Standings. Throughout the ten days, he placed in seven rounds and won Round 4. Despite a no time in Round 1, Struxness was able to battle back to a check for $8,150 for eighth place in the average.

Placing and tying for second in the final three rounds gave him a huge boost towards that top spot. His round earnings totaled $143,805. Combined with average earnings and the $10,000 each NFR contestant receives, Struxness earned $161,955 over the ten days.

During the awards ceremony on the Cowboy Channel following Round 10, Struxness summed it up very simply and accurately:

"We had to stick to the course this week. We fought back into a chance and executed at the end. At the end of the day, all you can say is thank you to God for good family, good friends, and good horses to ride that let us do our job."

With over $1.5 million in career earnings, this was Struxness' first World Championship and sixth NFR qualification. The Minnesota steer wrestler has finished a little higher each year, climbing up the World Standings to a year-end finish of fifth place last year, with a career high in earnings at $239,704. In 2024, he set a new personal best, finishing the season at $309,220 to earn the gold buckle.