PSN_Dec3 2028

JESS TIERNEY 2025 NFSR Average Champion

By Tracy Renck

Jess Tierney is all smiles with his family after being crowned the 2025 National Finals

Steer Roping average champion. PRCA photo by Robby Freeman

V eteran steer roper Jess Tier ney has had a stellar career that includes 13 qualifications for the National Finals Steer Roping. Now, he can check another box off on his resume - 2025 NFSR average champion. Tierney clocked a 148.3-second time on 10 head at the Kansas Star Arena Nov. 14-15. Chet Herren was second with a 129.9-second time on nine head. “I have watched a lot of greats win the average and everybody who goes to the National Finals Rodeo or the National Finals Steer Roping you want to win the average,” said Tier ney, 43. “It is just one of those things you just want. I have come close a few times, but I was never able to finish it up and this year I was to get by the 10th one and it worked out. It felt outstanding. “I have been fortunate and blessed to have some cool wins in my career, winning San Antonio and the Timed Event Championship (2017) and this average championship is right up there at the top. My goals have always been to be able to win the av erage, win the Timed Event and win the world. I got two of the top three.”

For winning the average, Tierney collected a $33,684 check and he left Mulvane after earning $51,849. Thanks to his effort, Tierney moved up from No. 15 in the PRCA | Bill Fick World Standings to eighth with $99,354. “In steer roping, it is hard to have a set of steers that are just the same across the board,” Tierney said. “You can get drawn out in a sense. Chet Herren roped so sharp (in Mulvane). He kept me on my toes, and I had to keep grinding back at him the whole time and he never dropped the ball. He roped well and had some things just go the other way for him in (Round 10). It was fun and it was very intense roping. “I appreciate the team of people who went with me, my wife, and kids and Coleman Proctor. He’s a huge champion and a blessing in my life and I’m thankful for him to be there. I am also thankful for all the people who have helped me out over the years that let me do this. I have had a great support system. I would also like to thank Don Ed Eddleman (PRCA’s Steer Roping Director). He has worked his butt off for us steer ropers and Tom Glause (PRCA CEO)

has also been in our corner as well.” Tierney’s best run came in Round 9 when he placed second with a 10.1-second run. He also was sixth in Round 2 (12.7 seconds), Round 3 (11.9 seconds) and Round 4 (12.0 seconds). Tierney’s performance in Mulvane was even more beneficial because he proved to the cowboys he coaches at Western Oklahoma State University in Altus, that he can still get it done on one of the biggest stages. One of Tierney’s team members is 2025 Resistol All-Around and Steer Roping Rookie of the Year, Riley O’Rourke. O’Rourke, 21, finished second in the world standings. “I had a lot of calls from the kids (Nov. 16), they are happy for me and I’m glad to be able to build those relationships,” Tierney said. “Riley came to my team extremely talented already and it has been fun having him there because he has actually kept driving me a little bit. He’s an extremely talented kid and does some amazing things that I can’t help but scratch my head sometimes and wonder how I could do them.”

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