Erickson Rounds the Bases to Hondo Steer Wrestling Title Just Before 10th NFR Appearance

Helena, Montana’s Ty Erickson stole the show at the 2025 Hondo Rodeo Fest, finishing three rounds of steer wrestling to secure the average title before heading to his 10th National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this December.

Known as the “big man’s event,” steer wrestling is demanding, requiring strength, timing, and a deep connection with your horse and hazer. Erickson put on a clinic. After placing second in Round 1 behind JD Stuxness, Erickson came back in Round 2 with a 3.77-second run to take the round win and build a healthy lead for the average. His total on two head came to 7.73 seconds, leaving Tucker Allen behind him at 9.04 on three. In the final round, Erickson made a smart run to claim the Hondo average title with a three-head total of 12.38 seconds.

Stuxness, the 2024 reigning world champion, fired back in the short round with a 3.39-second run, the fastest of the weekend, securing the round win but finishing just behind Erickson in the average at 12.77 seconds on three head. Justin Shaffer and Rowdy Parrot rounded out the top four in the average.

Erickson has had much luck in Chase Field. Last year he was the co-champion of steer wrestling at the inaugural Hondo Rodeo. Reflecting on this year's win in a social media post, he said, “What an unbelievable weekend at the Hondo Rodeo. Cord McCoy and the entire crew put on one of the best rodeos I’ve been to. Everything from the setup to the atmosphere was top-notch.”

He added, “Crush worked outstanding all three rounds, he felt strong, focused, and gave me a chance every time I nodded my head.” Crush, one of the most standout equine athletes of his day, has proved to be a huge factor in Erickson’s recent success, showing that speed and consistency make great steer wrestling horses so valuable to winning. 

Erickson also credited his support, saying, “A big thank you to Kyle Irwin for hazing and to Tyler Pearson for letting us use his great haze horse, Metallica. It takes a team to get down the arena, and I’m grateful for the help from both of those guys.”

Heading into the NFR this year, Erickson sits number 14 in the world standings. The 2019 PRCA World Champion continues to show that when he’s in the arena, the bases are loaded, and he can make the big plays happen at any time. Rodeos like Hondo, he said, “remind me why I love this sport, the competition, the teamwork, and the people who make it all possible.”

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Average