Jorden Hollenbeck

story by Terry Rhodes

photo by JJJ Photography

Being born into a serious rodeo family, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Jorden Hollenbeck would compete in rodeo in some fashion. And so it is with the 20-year-old daughter of Todd and Pam Hollenbeck. She has been in the Mid-States Rodeo Association for the last four years and enjoys being part of the organization. “The people are great and the judges are easy to get along with.” Most often she goes to rodeos with her father, also a Mid-States member, and will get to 20 or more rodeos a year. “If we go real hard, I may hit 20 or 30. At Mid-States I only compete in the barrel racing.”
Jorden started learning her roping skills about the same time she learned to walk. “My parents have rodeoed since they were little and I have been on a horse since I was 2 years old. Being born into it, that’s what I love doing. I started competing in junior high rodeo in the 7th grade. In high school I was in the goat tying, barrel racing, team roping, and breakaway. I had a full ride rodeo scholarship to Laramie Community College in Cheyenne.”
She is moving her studies to Mid Plains Community College in North Platte, Neb. where she will complete her work to become a surgical technician. “Both of my horses are injured right now so I don’t plan on doing any college rodeo at Mid Plains. I’m just going to sit out this year and focus on my studies and my grades. When they get all healed up I may college rodeo next year.”
Jorden believes in doing plenty of practice and has developed a serious work ethic that is an absolute must-have in today’s competitive rodeo world. “You have to practice at home like you’re going to win. And if you have problems there, you have to stay there and work things out. You have to practice for a purpose.” When she hits the rodeo grounds, she has single purpose in mind and she will not be distracted from her goal. “When I get there, I have my head on straight and I’m going for the win, that’s what I’m set on.”
Jorden, 20, lives with her family on their ranch 25 miles south of Long Pine, Neb. Besides her parents, she has two brothers, Britt, 13, and Jhett, 8. “They have both started to rope so they’ll be getting into rodeo. Both of my parents families rope, so all this runs in the family.”
She says that her parents have been her biggest influence and the best possible support team. “They have supported me the whole way and have taught me everything I know. They have hauled me to every rodeo you could think of and I’ve rodeoed a lot. They have always been there to help me if I have a problem.”
During this summer Jorden has been working at a feed store until school starts and helps out on the family ranch as the need comes up. Leisure time is spent with friends at the lake tubing, or going to movies, but mostly riding horses. Her plans for the future are to complete the surgical technician studies and then to get some experience in a major metro setting. “Then I want to move back to some place small, like North Platte, have some money and live in a big house like every girl does. Livin’ the dream and rodeoin’.”