Jess Lockwood (born September 28, 1997) is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding.
He completed his senior year of high school on-line in order to pursue bull riding full time.
[12] Lockwood would continue placing at several events throughout the year and qualified for his first PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November.
[15] On September 9, 2017, while attempting to ride reigning PBR World Champion bull Sweet Pro's Bruiser at the 15/15 Bucking Battle of the BFTS event in Springfield, Missouri, Lockwood was knocked unconscious.
[18] His bid to win back-to-back World Champion titles was cut short when a groin injury left him unable to compete in the final six regular-season UTB events.
[19] On October 4, 2019, at the UTB event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lockwood set a new PBR record for the most 15/15 Bucking Battle wins in a single season.
[23] On October 13, 2019, Lockwood selected Heartbreak Kid for the Championship Round of the UTB event in Greensboro, North Carolina.
[24] The following weekend, Lockwood rode Heartbreak Kid again at the UTB event in Nampa, Idaho, for a new career-high 94 points.
[25] On November 8, 2019, during a ceremony at the PBR World Finals, Lockwood received the inaugural Mason Lowe Award for his 94-point ride on Heartbreak Kid.
Lockwood's left hamstring was torn from his hip bone, requiring surgery and a six-month recovery.
[29] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Nevada state restrictions on large events, the season-ending PBR World Finals was moved from its usual home at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
In mid-January, during the first round of the opening UTB event of the season in Ocala, Florida, he was yanked over the front end by Detroit Lean and one of the bull's horns caught Lockwood in the jaw underneath his helmet's facemask.
[31] He returned to competition three weeks later at the UTB event in Del Rio, Texas, where he rode Skull Crusher for 87 points in Round 1.
[33] Later, at the UTB event in Glendale, Arizona, a determined Lockwood rode Rising Sun for 88.25 points in Round 1.
Since returning to competition in September 2020 after missing six months while recovering from hamstring surgery, Lockwood's pelvic area had been painful.
He stated that when he nodded his head for the chute gate to open, he then squeezed his legs against the bull's sides to get a hold as usual, but then heard a pop from his groin area and immediately knew something was not right.
After evaluation from the PBR's medical director, Dr. Tandy Freeman, who suggested there might be scar tissue buildup on Lockwood's groin, Lockwood decided to finish his 2021 season right then and there; ending a disastrous year in his career; one where he failed to qualify for the PBR World Finals for the first time since turning professional as a result of a year riddled with injuries and a poor riding percentage.
This was done to make room for the American PBR circuit's Team Series, which was set to begin its inaugural season in 2022 and take place every summer and autumn going forward.
Lockwood was bucked off by Lil 2 Train during the first round of the first stop of the UTB season on New Year's Day in Indianapolis, Indiana, which was a one-day event.
[47] Between Sacramento and Milwaukee, this also marked the first time in two years that Lockwood successfully made the eight-second whistle on three consecutive bulls.
Two days before the start of the Austin Team Series event, he got on a practice bull at home in Volborg, Montana, rode him successfully, dismounted and landed on his feet.
On Friday, August 26, he arrived in Austin and just hours before the start of Gambler Days, he met up with PBR medical director Dr. Tandy Freeman, who informed Lockwood that he may have torn his PCL, as well as received other damage to his left knee.
He was told that if his knee needed to be repaired surgically, he would be out of competition for six to eight months, and if his injuries did not warrant surgery, he would be out as much as 12 weeks.
He rode Spotted Rust for 88.25 points and tied with Smithville, Missouri's Koltin Hevalow for the Round 1 win.
[54] At the thirteenth stop of the UTB schedule in Los Angeles, California, Lockwood was bucked off by Border Crisis in 2.54 seconds.
Still not fully recovered from his injuries, he decided to skip the rest of the 2023 UTB season, thus failing to qualify for the PBR World Finals for the third year in a row.
Lockwood was bucked off by Mama's Boy in 2.19 seconds and the Stampede ended up losing to the Arizona Ridge Riders on the first day of the event.
[61] Lockwood's annual rankings in his career to date are as follows: Note: For several years, points won at all PBR-sanctioned events counted towards the world standings.
Source:[20] After dating for more than a year, Lockwood announced his engagement to Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) barrel racing world champion Hailey Kinsel in March 2019.
[65] Lockwood's younger brother, Jake, is also a professional bull rider who started his career in the PBR before transitioning full-time to the PRCA.