Jr Stratford’s Injury Comeback Tour Derailed As His NFR Is Officially Over

The bull riding has been a brutal scene for this year's NFR, as the bulls are overpowering some of the riders and causing injuries. In the sport of rodeo, especially in the rough stock events, it's not if you get hurt, but when. Unfortunately, two cowboys nodded their heads for the last time before all 10 rounds concluded, JR Stratford and Rawley Johnson.

Stratford has been on the sidelines since a shot to the head by Pete Carr Rodeo's ETO in the sixth round. He lay in the dirt for a while as he sustained both a concussion and a laceration to his left eye, which was swollen mostly shut.

After missing both rounds seven and eight, he was reevaluated prior to round nine, but didn't get the go-ahead to compete. It is important to note that if a cowboy misses one round due to injury, he is forced to sit out another, meaning his NFR comes to a close even if he had been given the green light today.

At the time, Stratford was leading the average race.

Stratford's Strong Start To This Year’s Finals

Stratford rides a large black bull — Nathan Meyer Photography

This is the second time now in Stratford's career that his NFR has been derailed, as his debut to the Thomas & Mack back in 2022 held the same fate as he broke his tibia, fibula, and tore his labrum in his shoulder.

This was the 23-year-old's first trip back to the finals after missing the final six rounds of 2022, as he was forced to take the entire following year off after needing extensive surgeries to recover from those injuries that ultimately could have ended his career.

For Stratford to come back from not one, not two, but THREE major injuries is nothing short of impressive, and he was on track to pick up a great average check if nothing else.

Round 1: No Score
Round 2: 85.25, 7th
Round 3: 87.75, 3rd
Round 4: 87.25, 2nd
Round 5: 90.5, 1st (second highest scored ride of the finals)
Total Winnings: $87,530
Current World Position: No.7

Nothing diminishes the success that Stratford had this year, even though he won't come out of those yellow bucking chutes again in 2025. The blood, sweat, and tears that are put into returning to an event as tough as this one and then competing with the best in the business are nothing that should be overlooked.