Justin Shaffer will step into the field at the 2026 Cinch Timed Event Championship, replacing John Douch, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
For Shaffer, the opportunity checks off one of two longtime rodeo goals—just not in the order he originally imagined. As a kid, Shaffer said his ambitions were simple: make the National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding, and compete at—and win—the Cinch Timed Event Championship. One of those worked out a little differently.
“We did make the NFR,” Shaffer said with a laugh. “Just not in the saddle bronc riding.”
Shaffer qualified for his second NFR in the steer wrestling in 2025 and now earns his first opportunity to compete at the Timed Event Championship, an event he has attended previously as a helper and spectator.
Originally from Hallsville, Texas, and now based in Hico, Shaffer comes from deep cowboy roots. His father, Mike Shaffer, team roped and rode bucking horses, and his grandfather ranched across the country. Shaffer said he grew up cowboying long before he ever thought of himself as a rodeo competitor.
“If I had to say my first passion, it was catching wild cows and enjoying a good horse,” Shaffer said.
While steer wrestling became his primary event, Shaffer roped calves throughout high school and has continued to stay involved across multiple timed events. He said calf roping feels the most comfortable outside of bulldogging, while the heading, heeling, and steer tripping will be areas of focus leading into the championship.
Shaffer has already begun lining up horsepower with longtime friends, and fellow CTEC competitors across events like Wesley Thorp and Blane Cox noting that none hesitated when he reached out.
“I’ve made the phone calls, and nobody turned me away,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer’s “MGH,” was already on the mount list for CTEC, so Shaffer’s going to step aboard the gritty grey gelding that won RodeoHouston in 2025 beneath Tucker Allen. On the haze side, Shaffer will use his own horsepower, and plan on Allen coming to assist.
Shaffer, a father of four with his wife, Katie, has a busy January rodeo schedule but is planning on going all-in on CTEC prep during the month of February.
“It’s not just a goal to go,” Shaffer said. “Anything you show up to as a competitor, you want to win. You go run by run, complete the task, and see where it ends up.”
