Jordan Grant and her Palomino Roys Lethal Way at the Alexandra Pro Rodeo on March 6.
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At just 17, Deniliquin teenager Jordan Grant is one of the best barrel racers around.
She will be competing this Saturday at the Deniliquin Rodeo, in the Junior Division and the Open Women’s category of barrel racing.
She has a personal best of 15.8 seconds, achieved at a Uralla competition.
Her standing as of last season was 8th Junior in Australia, and 15th in the Women’s category across Australia.
She says barrel racing is an unpredictable game, due to non standard tracks across rodeos, but she’s feeling assured in the lead up to the rodeo.
‘‘It always varies depending on the size of the course, and different races.
‘‘I am feeling a little bit confident, because I’ve been going all right on my horse, but it is always hard to discern how you will go in barrel racing,’’ Jordan said.
Jordan will also be taking a new horse through the competition, a stallion called ‘Roys Lethal Way’, as her previous mare ‘Ezmay’ eases into retirement.
She says ‘Roy’ is quick and physically ready, and she hopes he is able to give her an edge on Saturday.
‘‘He does like deeper grounds, and Deniliquin is a bit of a deeper ground, so hopefully that will be all right.
‘‘Roy’s a very quirky horse. Not many people would be able to handle him because he’s very particular about who he likes, and who he doesn’t like, but luckily he likes me.
‘‘I do connect with him well.
‘‘He’s very fast and jittery, but it makes him run faster.
‘‘He’s pretty fit at the moment,’’ Jordan said.
It hasn’t been an easy 12 months for the youngster.
She has been barrel racing for the past three years, and has followed the Australia Professional Rodeo Circuit for just over two.
In January last year, she was planning to take on rodeos in the United States, and the national competition.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a flurry of cancellations rob her of her interstate and international dreams.
Jordan hasn’t let it get her down, however, taking the knocks to the chin in true larrikin style.
It’s only in the last month that she has begun officially competing again, and she’s already come away with titles from multiple competitions.
‘‘We’ve only just done a couple in the last month or so because most of them were cancelled pretty much after this time last year.
‘‘We did Alexandra (Pro Rodeo) a few weeks ago, and the next day we did Chiltern (Pro Rodeo).
‘‘I came third in the Juniors at Alexandra, and I won the Juniors at Chiltern Rodeo,’’ Jordan said.
Later this year, Jordan will compete in the rodeos of the APRA circuit that are starting to open up around the country, and may go up north as the months get colder.
She will compete in Balranald in a few weeks, and continue to compete at rodeos that open up.
She turns 18 later this year, making the next few months the last chance she has to compete in Junior divisions around the nation.
This only ups the stakes for her performance at her home turf in Deniliquin.
‘‘Because Deni’s home, there are more people I know watching me.
‘‘There is a little bit more pressure, but hopefully it will be all right, because I do like running on these grounds.
‘‘I feel a little confident, but we will see how it goes.’’
Jordan will take on the Finley Rodeo on Sunday, the next day, competing in the same categories.
She’s not too worried about the toll this will take on her and ‘Roys’.
‘‘I guess we are kind of used to doing that; you will often get two or three rodeos in a weekend, so it shouldn’t be too bad,’’ Jordan said.
The Rodeo Under The Stars starts at 4pm at the Deniliquin rodeo grounds, with a live band from 3pm.
Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.au and search Deniliquin Rodeo. A courtesy bus will also operate.