Jenna Hume, 18, of Orfordville, Wisconsin, managed to fly under the radar most of the week in Gillette, Wyoming, but she showed up when it mattered—in the short round, to win the 2022 National High School Finals Rodeo Breakaway Roping World Title.
Hume tied for seventh in the first round of competition at the National High School Finals Rodeo, which took place on July 17-24.
In the second round, her solid 2.77-second run set her in the seventeenth position. Coming back into the short round in the No. 3 position, the quiet cowgirl watched as No. 7 callback Quincy Sullivan wowed the crowd with her 2.41, and she channeled her anxiety into positive energy.
“I’m always nervous,” Hume said. “Personally, I like being a little more nervous—I feel like I’m sharper that way, as long as I stay in control. I tried to remember to just rope like I normally do.”
Hume was dialed in but knew that her drawn calf required a plan.
“I think only one person caught him out of three or four runs,” Hume said. “I thought he zig-zagged a little bit, so I had to really get my horse behind the cow and line him out.”
The strategy paid off. A big swing and hard delivery left Hume with a sharp neck catch in 2.85 seconds. The crowd held their breath, then erupted as the announcer shared Hume’s move into the No. 1 position by one one-hundredth of a second.
From there, it was a whirlwind.
“I was so in the zone, and then looked up, saw the time and heard the crowd—I don’t know, it was crazy,” Hume said.
After her position held through the next two athletes, Hume took her victory lap in a daze.
“I almost didn’t believe it,” Hume recalled. “I felt like someone was playing a joke on me. But it was awesome.”
The volume was dialed up from the grandstands, but there was one set of ears that was deaf to it—Hume’s 24-year-old gelding, Mr Numero Uno, known as “Junior.”
“He’s always ready to go,” Hume explained. “We have to put ear plugs in him to make sure he settles down a little bit. He does not like the music.”
Junior helped Hume win her first buckle at a young age and has been her trusty partner ever since.
“Junior, I’ve been roping on him since eighth grade,” Hume said. “He was my dad and uncle’s tie-down horse. He’s been an awesome horse. He runs out there every time and gives me the best shot he can. I couldn’t ask for better.”
Not only does his age make his performance impressive, Junior has another handicap.
“He’s actually blind in his right eye,” Hume said. “It’s his right eye, and it’s crazy because it doesn’t bother him at all. He’s not spooky or anything. I’m pretty sure he was born blind.”
Her father and uncle may have competed on Junior, but it was her grandfather who found the gelding. It was also her “Papa,” who started the calf roping bug in the family many years ago. Hume started out in rodeo with barrel racing interest, but later realized that her passion was roping calves.
Hume and her Papa shared a special connection, and she still carries a piece of him with her in the arena. Spectators were baffled during the dark short round, because they couldn’t see if Hume’s rope went on the calf. This is because she uses a unique, black calf rope.
“Everyone hates that rope because nobody can see me rope with it,” Hume said. “My Papa passed away a year ago, and after he died I stole that black rope out of his rope can. I’ve used it ever since, I love it. Now I won the world with it, so that’s pretty cool.”
Hume recently purchased her WPRA permit in the Great Lakes Circuit, and has enjoyed learning the ProRodeo ropes. She will begin her collegiate rodeo career in the fall at Iowa Central Community College. Junior will be attending college as well to aid her in the breakaway, and she will bring along another horse to enter team roping and goat tying.
Hume is excited to start the next chapter of her rodeo career, but she smiled as she reflected on her past few years with the NHSRA.
“It’s really shaped who I am,” Hume said of her high school career. “Without rodeo, I don’t know what I’d be doing. It’s really helped me grow as a person.”
Now, one question remains: Will she be retiring the black rope after her big win?
“That’s the question everybody is asking me,” Hume said. “I will keep roping with it until it doesn’t feel good to rope with anymore.”
NHSFR Aggregate Results
1. (WI) Jenna Hume, Orfordville, Wis., 8.23 on three
2. (NM) Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, N.M., 8.24 on three
3. (IL) Maggie Stewart, Sheridan, Ill., 9.06 on three
4. (KY) Addey Lawson, Lancaster, Ky., 9.3 on three
5. (WY) Kaeley Hutchison, Rozet, Wyo., 10.05 on three
6. (VA) Hannah Revere, Dunnsville, Va., 11.67 on three
7. (KS) Baylee Barker, Atlanta, Kan., 17.78 on three
8. (ID) Jetta Bott, Rupert, Idaho, 18.12 on three
9. (AZ) Kenzie Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 4.76 on two
10. (AR) Marlee Raby, Mt. Vernon, Ark., 5.06 on two
11. (FL) Kaydence Tindall, Felda, Fla., 5.76 on two
12. (OR) Bayli Ladner, Klamath Falls, Ore., 6.52 on two
13. (TX) Abby McCreary, Canyon, Texas, 6.64 on two
14. (PA) Morgan Poust, Hughesville, Pa., 6.71 on two
15. (ND) Jezimay Watson, Cavalier, N.D., 6.97 on two
16. (AR) Rae Thurman, Summers, Ark., 7.07 on two
17. (MS) Summer Joy Williams, Perkinston, Miss., 7.24 on two
18. (GA) Sarah Toole, Rydal, Ga., 7.58 on two
19. (BC) Rylie Bondaroff, Arras, British Columbia, Can., 7.81 on two
20. (CO) Cassidy Evans, Fort Supply, Okla., 7.84 on two
Short Round
1. (NM) Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, N.M., 2.41
2. (KY) Addey Lawson, Lancaster, Ky., 2.73
3. (WI) Jenna Hume, Orfordville, Wis., 2.85
4. (IL) Maggie Stewart, Sheridan, Ill., 3.18
5. (WY) Kaeley Hutchison, Rozet, Wyo., 4.04
6. (VA) Hannah Revere, Dunnsville, Va., 4.95
7. (KS) Baylee Barker, Atlanta, Kan., 11.99
8. (ID) Jetta Bott, Rupert, Idaho, 12.34
Second Go-Round
1. (TX) Abby McCreary, Canyon, Texas, 1.98
2. (WA) Brynn Morgan, Royal City, Wash., 2.42
2. (NM) Kadin Jodie, Church Rock, N.M., 2.42
4. (AR) Marlee Raby, Mt. Vernon, Ark., 2.53
5. (GA) Kirby Rice, Nashville, Ga., 2.69
5. (HI) Lilia Keakealani, Kamuela, Hawaii, 2.69
7. (AL) Darby Poole, Robertsdale, Ala., 2.71
8. (IA) Emma Ricke, Lawton, Iowa, 2.72
9. (CA) Sutton Mang, Lompoc, Calif., 2.79
10. (SK) Olivia Parsonage, Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Can., 2.87
10. (WI) Clare Burcalow, Waunakee, Wis., 2.87
12. (ND) Jezimay Watson, Cavalier, N.D., 2.92
13. (CA) Sadie Grant, Santa Maria, Calif., 2.95
14. (NM) Evann Segura, Stanley, N.M., 3.04
15. (NE) Reagan McIntyre, Grand Island, Neb., 3.13
16. (WY) Kaeley Hutchison, Rozet, Wyo., 3.25
17. (NJ) Cassie Brantmayer, Elmer, N.J., 3.26
18. (OH) Tana Drew, Malvern, Ohio, 3.3
19. (KY) Addey Lawson, Lancaster, Ky., 3.32
20. (MO) Colbi Freeman, Carthage, Mo., 3.35
First Go-Round
1. (FL) Kaydence Tindall, Felda, Fla., 2.05
2. (OK) Sage Griswold, Geary, Okla., 2.07
3. (AZ) Kenzie Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 2.1
4. (FL) Chancey Wright, Punta Gorda, Fla., 2.3
5. (AR) Marlee Raby, Mt. Vernon, Ark., 2.53
6. (NE) Makayla Wray, Ord, Neb., 2.6
7. (KS) Maddie Scott, Quenemo, Kan., 2.61
7. (WI) Jenna Hume, Orfordville, Wis., 2.61
9. (NM) Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, N.M., 2.62
10. (ID) Jetta Bott, Rupert, Idaho, 2.72
11. (WV) Makayla Osborne, Fayetteville, W.V., 2.73
12. (WY) Kaeley Hutchison, Rozet, Wyo., 2.76
13. (AL) Sydney Poole, Robertsdale, Ala., 2.86
14. (KS) Baylee Barker, Atlanta, Kan., 2.88
15. (AR) Addi Williams, Harrisburg, Ark., 2.94
16. (TX) Kaleigh Elliott, Ballinger, Texas, 2.95
16. (OH) Emma Wyant, Lisbon, Ohio, 2.95
18. (NC) Grace Toberer, Mount Ulla, N.C., 3.04
19. (MT) Mylee Welch, Joliet, Mont., 3.06
20. (OR) Bayli Ladner, Klamath Falls, Ore., 3.09
