Steer Wrestler Jesse Brown Nears First World Title

Facing what might be the best odds of his career to earn his first pro rodeo world championship title, Jesse Brown has secured the No. 2 spot in the standings heading into his fourth consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. 

The Baker City, Ore., cowboy has earned $160,613 throughout the 2023 regular season; if he can keep up the momentum, his earnings are likely to cross the $200,000 mark during this year's NFR. 

On Sept. 30, the last day of the PRCA regular season, Brown won the Cinch Playoff Series Championship in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a 3.4-second run.

This win was the athlete's highest earning and third fastest time of the year, adding $25,000 to his season earnings. This win shook up standings, landing Brown in the No. 2 world standings spot, after a knee injury at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up which almost forced an early-ending season.  

The San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo in February was the cowboy's second-highest earning performance of the year, adding money in nearly every round to total $22,500. Brown clocked his fastest time of the season in San Antonio as well, with a 3.1-second run to win the finals and add another $15,000 in earnings.

Brown notched his second-fastest time and another first-place spot during Round 2 at Hermiston, Ore.'s Farm City Pro-Rodeo in August, with a 3.3-second run to tie with Dalton Massey and add $2,779. 

With PRCA career earnings of $607,492 and having only been a member since 2016, Brown shows clear consistency through positive movement in the world standings year after year. 

His first qualification was in 2020, where he earned his first spot in the world standings at No. 13; then again in 2021 ending up at No. 6, and last year coming in at No. 5. 

Before his streak of NFR qualifications, Brown also earned the 2017 Resistol Steer Wrestling Rookie of The Year title.