LOVINGTON, N.M. – Nobody could blame J.R. Stratford for having payback on his mind when he arrived in southeastern New Mexico.

He’d been matched with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown earlier this year, and things didn’t go well. His August Redemption Tour paid off with a 90-point ride to win Tuesday’s Lea County Xtreme Bulls title and big stack of money.

“That bull threw me off in the short go in San Angelo (Texas), and it was really fast,” said Stratford, 22, a 2022 National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Byers, Kansas. “I was embarrassed and wanted a rematch. I don’t think I’ve slept much since the draw came in (and showed) that I had him.”

The adrenaline rush exploded. Stratford was the second-to-last competitor, and Australian rookie Qynn Andersen had already posted an 88. Stratford counted every move the 5-year-old black bull threw at him. When the dust settled, Stratford earned $13,113. It was a nice payday for the Kansas cowboy’s first time in the storied Jake McClure Arena.

“I’d either been hurt or just didn’t enter, so this year it was cool to make it out here,” he said. “These stand-alone bull ridings are huge, and the Xtreme Bulls finale is huge. I wasn’t sitting very good in the standings, so this win will bump me right back up there. Hopefully I can finish the year strong.”

The dollars made a significant difference. He moved from 17th to ninth in the Xtreme Bulls standings; he also jumped four spots to seventh on the bull riding money list. He sat out with injury in 2023 and finished last year’s campaign 19th, so any momentum this time of year is good.

“It’s a big one-header Xtreme Bulls event,” Stratford said. “You don’t see that very often. To win a check like this most of the time, you’ve got to get on four or five bulls.”

With less than two months remaining on ProRodeo’s regular season, he made a necessary step toward making a return to Las Vegas.

“After you know you’ve got a good bull drawn, you’ve just got to get out of your own way,” he said. “Let your body do what you’ve trained it to, then trust in yourself and the Lord.”

Lea County Xtreme Bulls
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 5, 2025
1. J.R. Stratford, 90 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown, $13,113; 2. Qynn Andersen, 88, $10,053; 3. Boudreaux Campbell, 86.5, $7,431; 4. Robbie Taylor, 85.5, $4,808; 5. Tyce Willis, 85, $3,060; 6. Grayson Cole, 84.5, $2,186; 7. Ramon De Souza, 83, $1,748; 8. Bryce Jensen, 73, $1,311.