John W. Jones Jr.

Steer Wrestling • Inducted 1996

Despite a strong family rodeo tradition, John Jones, Jr., did not become interested in the sport until age 15, preferring to play football, baseball and basketball. When Jones decided to rodeo, he quickly developed winning skills. He was the California High School Rodeo Association tie-down roping and steer wrestling champion in 1977-78 and the NIRA West Coast steer wrestling champion in 1979. He competed at the NIRA finals three times. Jones bought his PRCA permit in 1980 and was named the Rookie of the Year in 1981. Jones, born Aug. 13, 1960, in Santa Maria, Calif., earned three world bulldogging titles in the 1980s, qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 10 times and won the NFR aggregate in 1988. He also qualified for the NFR twice in tie-down roping.

World Championships: 3

Steer Wrestling: 1984, 1988, 1989

National Finals Rodeo Average Champion

Steer Wrestling: 1988

Rookie of the Year

Overall: 1981

RAM Circuit Year-End Champion

California Circuit:

All-Around: 1988, 1989, 1991

Steer Wrestling: 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998

Tie-Down Roping: 1988

Born: August 13, 1960 in Santa Maria, California

Joined the PRCA: 1980

NFR Qualifications: 10

California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1984, 1996, 1999

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
Steer Wrestling: 1988, 1989

Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1987, 1988, 1990

Cody Stampede / Cody, WY
All-Around: 1985

Dodge City Roundup / Dodge City, KS
Steer Wrestling: 1981

Ellensburg Rodeo / Ellensburg, WA
All-Around: 1983
Steer Wrestling: 1984, 1987 (tie)

Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
All-Around: 1987
Steer Wrestling: 1995

Greeley Stampede / Greeley, CO
Steer Wrestling: 1985

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
All-Around: 1982
Steer Wrestling: 1991

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
Steer Wrestling: 1986, 1990

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
All-Around: 1984, 1990
Steer Wrestling: 1989, 1990

Redding Rodeo / Redding, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1997

Rowell Ranch Rodeo / Hayward, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1988, 1998 (tie)

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo / San Antonio, TX
All-Around: 1990

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
All-Around: 1990

Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo / Spanish Fork, UT
All-Around: 1984

World’s Oldest Rodeo Prescott Frontier Days / Prescott, AZ
Steer Wrestling: 1989