story by Lindsay King
Roping of any kind is a family event for Jimmie Bryant of Jay, Oklahoma. This life-long rodeo competitor can swing a handy loop at both a steer and a calf, but prefers the latter as of lately. It wasn’t until she hit high school rodeo that Jimmie started taking breakaway roping a little more seriously as one of her events. “When I was little they didn’t really have breakaway, just team roping. And they didn’t have jackpots for it either.” All of that has changed, as has the availability of calf horses in the Bryant string. “Breakaway is now my favorite event. It is getting really big and more rodeo committees are starting to realize how important it is. The event has really grown in the last three years.”
It was also three years ago when Jimmie first started rodeoing “hard” as an amateur in the ACRA and CRRA. Her focus was and is on breakaway mainly. “I ended up rookie of the year in the CRRA and that was one of my most significant wins because of my mare Ruby.” That horse also took Jimmie to the ACRA finals last year where she placed second in the average and fifth in the year end. Jimmie credits Ruby with making her more aggressive in the box but also shifting her focus entirely to breakaway.
The 2019 Connor’s State College graduate received an associate’s degree in agricultural education while competing on the rodeo team. Jimmie ropes both ends in the team roping at college rodeos, but prefers heading as it’s how she got into rodeo in the first place. This fall, Jimmie will load up and head to Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia on a rodeo scholarship to finish her degree. “Someday I want to become a rodeo coach, maybe teach some equine classes.” That would be after she gives the pro circuit a try.
“After I graduate I want to get my IPRA card and try to win rookie of the year. That is my main goal for my first year out of school and make the finals of course. By then I’d like to think I would have a good job that pays enough that I can keep going to rodeos.” Jimmie is sitting in the top five in the CRRA and the top fifteen in the ACRA in the breakaway. She is hoping the long summer run will help her make both finals and finish in the top five in both associations. “I really appreciate that more rodeos are stepping up their game for the breakaway ropers. The stock contractors have good calves and the committees are adding more money for the event. They didn’t used to do that.”
One arena Jimmie spent quite a bit of time in growing up was at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. “My dad Jimmy rodeoed when he was younger and so did my mom Kim. I was around rodeo and roping all the time that I just got to the point where I wanted to be part of it all.” While Jimmie’s dad was showing rope horses at AQHA shows, she got to ride the studs in the warm up pens. It wasn’t long before Jimmie was showing her own horses in the AQHA. “My parents have always been supportive any way they can. If I have issues with horses they are willing to help me figure it out. I wouldn’t be able to get up and down the road if it wasn’t for them. I also have to thank my sponsor – Lone Star Ropes – for keeping me stocked without outstanding ropes.”
