PRORODEO Sports News - Nov. 7, 2025

Jestyn Woodward overcomes shoulder injury, claims Badlands Circuit Finals in bull riding By Shawn Harrison, Special to PRORODEO Sports News

bum shoulder pre vented Jestyn Wood ward from being able to compete during the full 2025 season in bull riding. After a month’s rest, the 21-year-old cowboy from Custer, S.D., is off to a strong start for the 2026 campaign. Woodward covered three bulls in three rounds at the Boot Barn Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot, N.D., Oct. 10-12 to wrap up a title in the event for the circuit. “I had a very blessed week end,” Woodward said. “I tore my shoulder out in August for the second time this year. I got on four bulls before the circuit

Chance Schott and their bull guy Zane, I am going to draw him (Schott In The Dark) in the second round. Sure enough, Dallas called me when the draw came out. All of us were super, super excited. I knew when I drew that bull, everything was go ing to line up and that I was going to win back-to-back rounds.” A solid bull awaited him in the third and final round Oct. 12. He rode Big Bucks Rodeo’s House Cat for an 83-point ride to tie Riley Shippy for third and draw another paycheck. Woodward had

Now healthy after a shoulder injury, Jestyn Woodward is ready to prove himself in the new season. (PRCA photo by Jackie Jensen)

finals, and it didn’t feel one hundred percent. The plan was to take some more time off after circuit finals, but I’m going to start entering and hit the road.” Dealing with injuries has been a way of life for the young cowboy. He finished 16th in the PRCA I Bill Fick Ford World Standings at the conclusion of the 2023 season despite missing six months with an injury. Woodward feels he can get back to that form and make a run to qualifying for a trip to Las Vegas in the near future. “As long as I can stay healthy, I have no doubt in my mind and full faith that I will make the Finals,” Woodward said. “I ride just as good as everyone else does that makes it. I guess I have a fragile body.” Woodward is no stranger at the Badlands Circuit Finals. This was his fourth year qualifying and third competing — an injury forced him to miss one year. He was excited about his trip to North Dakota after learning about his first-round draw. Woodward rode Big Bucks Rodeo’s Misery N Gin to an 85-point mark, claiming first place. “He is a big bull that I’ve watched for three or four years now,” Woodward said. “I’ve never been on him before, but he always looked like a lot of fun to get on. I knew if all the cards fell right, I could win the first round.” While he was happy about the draw Oct. 10, the next day he was ecstatic. Woodward explained that a thought he had was coming true. He won the second round as well with an 88.5-point trip on Sutton Rodeo’s Schott In The Dark. “That is probably one of my favorite bulls going up and down the road,” Woodward said. “I got on him in Grand Is land, Neb., and was 91 points and won Grand Island on him. “For the past three weeks I kept telling Dallas Schott,

been on House Cat twice before in 2022, winning a rodeo with an 87-point ride and getting bucked off just before the whistle. “I approach every bull the same, whether it’s a big ro deo or a little rodeo, short round, long round, I just take every bull the same way,” Woodward said. “I didn’t know if I had enough bull to win the third round. My goal after winning the first round was to clean sweep and win all three rounds, but knew some other guys had good bulls. I was very happy with my bull.” He was the lone bull rider to make the eight seconds on all three bulls, winning the average with 256.5 points. He left Minot with a check for $10,273 and a good start to the new season. “It felt really good,” said Woodward, who finished No. 48 in the world standings.. “I’m very thankful for Chance Schott. I’ve known him my whole life. He is the bull riding director for our circuit and works his butt off all year long. He deserves some credit for all he does.” This was the second time Woodward was the year-end winner in the Badlands and his first circuit finals average championship. Other winners from the Boot Barn Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo included bareback rider Shane O’Connell (84.5 points on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s Collect Call); steer wrestler Rope Smith (15.6 seconds on three head); team ropers Logan Olson/Jade Nelson (15.6 seconds on three head); saddle bronc rider Eastan West (256.5 points on three head); tie-down roper Jerry Adamson (27.9 sec onds on three head); and barrel racer Molly Otto (41.02 seconds on three runs).

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Nov. 7, 2025