Story by Lindsay Humphrey
“Rodeo is something that I love, and I don’t think that I’ll ever stop doing it,” said Jentry Jenkins from McCook, Nebraska, who’s a fourth generation rodeo competitor. “I’d like to college rodeo and then get into the PRCA and go as far as I can with that. Eventually I want to have little kids and get them into it. Rodeo is something I wouldn’t trade for anything, and I want to pass that on.” Aunts, uncles and cousins are all involved in rodeo today, but it’s Jentry’s parents, Shawn and Diana, who introduced rodeo to the 17-year-old and her brother Cade, 20. “I’ve probably been in rodeo since I was 4, doing dummy ropings and mutton busting. A big part of rodeo is the connection with the animals. I really enjoy that part of it.” Jentry tried her hand at school sports in junior high but swinging a leg over a horse has always been her favorite place to be.
Jentry’s older brother has been a built-in best friend of sorts. He tried his hand at rodeo but decided in high school it wasn’t for him. “Cade moved out this year and that’s been tough. He’s really smart and has a heart of gold, but he has a slight disability that’s taught me to how to get along with different kinds of people when I don’t know their life story.” As a self-proclaimed introvert, Jentry isn’t naturally outgoing when meeting new people. “It’s much easier to interact with rodeo people for some reason. They seem to be more like family just because we all have a similar background.”
In her rookie season with the KHSRA, Jentry is meeting more new people every weekend. “We’re planning to move to southeast Colorado before Christmas, and we didn’t want to worry about driving through the mountains to rodeo.” After three years in the NHSRA, Jentry notes how things are different in the Sunflower State. “Everyone is so welcoming and laid back. It doesn’t matter what event I’m doing, someone I don’t know always tells me I had a good run.” Jentry is a four-event athlete in the KHSRA: barrels, poles, breakaway roping and heading for her partner, Rylan Wildeman. Her favorite is the calf roping, thanks to her dad.
“Almost everything I know about breakaway roping I’ve learned from my dad because he was a tie-down roper. It’s always been his goal to make me the best he can. It’s my best event, so it’s easier to work harder at it than the others.” Jentry’s uncle, Leon Vick, has also been instrumental in her breakaway career. “He’s really helped me grow through faith and helped build my confidence in my talent. Both him and my dad tell me, ‘There’s always another rodeo.’” Another reason Jentry enjoys the event is because of her 7-year-old palomino gelding Dewey. “He really takes care of me and anyone else who rides him. He’s the best horse I’ve ever been on.”
At the beginning of the season Jentry set a goal to catch every single calf. Even though she has missed that goal, she’s regrouping and setting her focus on one rodeo at a time. “One of my goals is to finish higher than I ever have before at state finals. I would really like to be the state champion in breakaway.” Despite missing a calf, this rodeo season has already been a confidence boost for Jentry. “I’ve placed at almost every rodeo in breakaway roping and even though I’m still figuring out my barrel horse, we’ve had some good rodeos together.” Luckily, Jentry’s mom ran barrels growing up, so she’s always in the practice pen. “Mom helps me with barrels and poles, but she also helps line out my calf. She plays a big part in rodeo for me.”
