Nathan Jestes is a household name in the rodeo industry. He has come up through the ranks fighting bulls freestyle and as a cowboy protector. The 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) marks his sixth return to the acclaimed yellow bucking chutes. Jestes is living his rodeo dreams, which he has earned through his hard work and perseverance, year after year.
Jestes’ bullfighting career started off in an unconventional way. Growing up, he played sports and found his niche in lacrosse. While he had friends who rodeoed and was a fan himself, he never competed. In high school, he was scouted for lacrosse and received a scholarship to a Division One college in Connecticut.
Jestes was all set for college with only two months to go when he had a change of heart. He didn’t want to live in Connecticut, study a subject he was not passionate about, or pursue lacrosse with its limited career prospects. He declined the scholarship and enrolled in Montana State University’s two-year aviation program. Jestes had an uncle who was a pilot, which sparked Jestes’ interest in aviation.
In college, Jestes missed being an athlete; it had been a part of his identity for so long. While working at the airport, he met a professional bullfighter, Al Sandvold, who would go on to mentor and teach Jestes all about fighting bulls, even encouraging him to pursue it professionally.
Jestes fought bulls with Sandvold for Montana State University’s rodeo team, which led to a few amateur rodeo contracts. As Jestes’ career gained momentum, he started booking professional rodeos. Things moved quickly for Jestes. He began fighting bulls in 2009, and pulled his permit for the PRCA in 2010. This momentum made Jestes face a difficult decision: choosing between aviation and rodeo.
“At the time, if you think about it, it was the dumbest decision I’ve ever made, because I gave up an entire aviation career for $5,000 worth of amateur rodeos,” Jestes says. But Jestes followed his heart as he did when he decided against lacrosse. This pivotal choice would change his life.
Sandvold told him, “Nate, if you want to be successful in rodeo, you’ve got to be willing to give up everything. You’ve got to be willing to give up funerals, weddings, and birthday parties; sometimes, you have to be willing to give up an entire career.”
Jestes never looked back. He moved home to Douglas, Wyoming, where he could work for his father’s construction company and have the freedom to rodeo. There were sleepless nights spent worrying if he had made the right choice, financial challenges, and his wife (girlfriend at the time), Bridget, often helping him out.
“I didn’t have an option; I had to succeed,” Jestes says. And succeed, he did. It took seven years after getting his permit before Jestes made his first NFR appearance.
Bridget has been by his side every step of the way; now, with their two daughters, Harper, 3, and Channing, 2. Jestes loves raising his kids in the rodeo industry despite its challenges.
Jestes values the friends he’s made, like Cody Webster and Dusty Tuckness. He met Webster in 2012 at the World Championship Freestyle Bullfights in Oklahoma, where he later connected with Tuckness. Through the years, each of their careers began to take off together. As their professions grew, they developed a close bond.
The trio has a handful of rodeos they work together throughout the year. “When it comes to a three-man team, I don’t think it gets much better than us three,” Jestes says, describing how they can anticipate each other’s moves. Jestes calls it “poetry in motion.”
“When everybody’s on the same page, it’s honestly an art. Everything just falls together, and it’s the best protection you can have for the bull riders,” he says.
Each NFR holds a special place in Jestes’ heart, but last year’s event was particularly meaningful, as it was the first year he had all his girls with him. Jestes is a family man through and through. One of his favorite moments last year was having his daughters walk with him across the stage at the Back Number Ceremony.
Jestes recalls unforgettable NFR moments, like watching Brendan Eldred’s 94.5-point ride on Bruiser in 2016 and witnessing Ky Hamilton’s terrifying wreck in 2023. He says it was the most violent he’s ever seen.
Despite the exhaustion of 10 months on the road, Jestes says the phone call announcing his NFR return makes it all worth it. His passion for bullfighting and the rodeo lifestyle grows stronger with each season. For him, returning to the NFR isn’t just about the recognition; it’s a testament to his dedication and the sacrifices he’s made along the way. The countless hours in the gym, the friendships forged, and the family memories created make every challenging mile worth it. As he looks to the future, Jestes has no plans on slowing down. He will continue to push his limits for himself, the bull riders he protects, and his two young daughters, who will always have a front-row seat to his journey.
