The athlete

Samantha “Sami” Jones

Fifteen years old, dual-enrolled in high school and college, and already building a rodeo career the hard way — one run at a time.

Sami competes in barrel racing and pole bending on her horse PB Skippy “Skippy,” and in goat tying on Tecova. She just closed her first CJRA season 13th in goat tying — her first year in the event — finishing at the final event before Finals in Norco.

This October, she starts high school rodeo — a whole new level of competition and a new chapter for the ranch.

13thCJRA goat tying — final season standing
Year 1her first season tying goats
Oct 2026high school rodeo begins
Back Sami's season Meet her horses
Sami competing in barrel racing at Buckles & Barrels for Bailey

Her events

Three events. One standard.

Sami making a sharp barrel turn

Barrel racing

The speed event. Tight turns, clean lines, and a horse who loves the pattern — Skippy's home turf.

Sami weaving through the poles on her bay horse at a CJRA pole bending run

Pole bending

Weaving at speed through six poles — precision at full gallop, built on hours of slow, patient pattern work.

Sami flanking a goat during a goat tying run

Goat tying

Her breakout event. She finished her first CJRA season 13th in the goat tying standings — her first year in the event.

2026 season

The numbers so far.

Personal bests set, standings climbing — and two big milestones still ahead.

16.212barrel personal best — Riverside Rancheros, 8/25/26, on Skippy
13thCJRA goat tying final standing, on Tecova
Year 1first season in the event
Oct 2026high school rodeo begins
Sami turning a barrel at full speed
Turning a barrel.
Sami driving hard out of a barrel turn
Out of the turn.
Sami running barrels on Skippy
Barrels with Skippy.
Sami riding in the arena at golden hour
Golden-hour work.
Follow her season

Junior rodeo

CJRA — her first season.

California Junior Rodeo Association, senior division. Sami's first CJRA season just wrapped in Norco at the final event before Finals, alongside her first high school rodeo season (CHSRA District 8), which kicked off at Banning.

13thgoat tying — final standing
28thpole bending — in-season standing
30thbarrel racing — in-season standing
Banning Junior Rodeo — goat tying on Tecova, her second-fastest competition run so far.
Banning Junior Rodeo — pole bending on Skippy.
Banning Junior Rodeo — barrel racing on Skippy.
Samantha warming up at the Banning Junior Rodeo
Warm-up at Banning — Saturday, before the junior rodeo runs.
Samantha working her reins in the warm-up arena
Warm-up at Banning — getting the feel of the arena.
Samantha loping her horse in the warm-up arena
Warm-up at Banning — loping through the dust with the mountains behind.
Wide shot of the warm-up arena at Banning
Warm-up at Banning — the Saturday warm-up arena in full swing.
Norco Junior Rodeo, Day 1 — pole bending on Skippy. A solid run: a small bobble on the last pole, corrected, and she finished strong.
Samantha warming up at the Norco Junior Rodeo
Warm-up at Norco — Saturday morning, before Day 1 of the junior rodeo.
Samantha riding out of the warm-up pen at Norco
Warm-up at Norco — heading out with the valley behind her.
Samantha riding toward the camera in the Norco warm-up pen
Warm-up at Norco — red hat, red tack, and Skippy ready to work.
Samantha and Skippy in the Norco warm-up pen
Warm-up at Norco — one more pass before the runs.
Sami in a white hat and pink-and-white shirt warming up on Skippy in the arena at the CJRA Junior Rodeo in Norco, hills behind her
Warm-up at Norco — Sunday morning, before Day 2 of the CJRA Junior Rodeo, the final event of the season before Finals. She went on to make a clean pole run she was happy with.
CJRA Junior Rodeo at Norco, Day 2 — Sami's clean pole run on Skippy, Sunday morning.

Goat Tying · on Tecova

DateRodeoTimePlacingPoints
Feb 28CRC21.88815th0
Mar 28Norco20.6696th14
Apr 25RiversideN/T—0
May 23CRC20.62814th0
May 24CRC15.35010th4
Aug 8Lakeside20.60410th4
Sep 26Banning16.42TBD—

Pole Bending · on Skippy

DateRodeoTimePlacingPoints
Feb 28CRC26.36926th0
Mar 28Norco26.52811th0
Apr 25Riverside25.71316th0
May 23CRC24.71922nd0
May 24CRC29.523*33rd0
Aug 8Lakeside23.913T-13th0
Sep 26Banning24.1TBD—

*May 24 poles: 24.523 run + 5.0 penalty.

Barrel Racing · on Skippy

DateRodeoTimePlacingPoints
Mar 28Norco20.06529th0
Apr 25Riverside18.93637th0
May 23CRC17.12531st0
May 24CRC17.92941st0
Aug 8Lakeside18.97236th0
Sep 26Banning20.6TBD—

Results via the official CJRA entry system (entry.kcirodeo.net). Banning results publish after the rodeo — the page updates when they post.

The work

Built In The Saddle.

Between schoolwork and the barn, Sami trains like it's her job — because it is. Pattern work, tying practice, conditioning, and competing against riders who want the same buckle. The wins are personal bests. The losses are lessons. She keeps showing up.

Sami's sponsors

Thank you to Sami's sponsors.

These businesses back Sami's season through Legacy Ridge Ranch LLC.

Sponsorships are commercial partnerships with Legacy Ridge Ranch LLC, not donations, and are not tax-deductible.

Sponsor Sami's season

The work behind the runs

Training — and a thank-you to her trainer

The runs are built in the arena, session after session — and behind Sami stands her trainer, Stephanie Langdon, whose patience, work, and belief show in every run Sami makes. We gave Stephanie a page of her own: training photos, the story, and the thank-you she deserves.

Meet our support team