A Way of Life Leads to Great Victory

Dedication and hard work is rewarded with great accomplishments, and few know this better than Watford City's 18-year-old rodeo competitor, Samantha Jorgenson. Among her many achievements, Jorgenson has claimed the title of NDRA Lady's All Around Champion the last two years, as well as the 2013 North Dakota High School Lady's All Around Champion.

For the Jorgenson family, rodeo is a way of life. "It's definitely a family thing," Jorgenson says about her training. Both her parents and her little sister all compete and train together. Jorgenson started with youth rodeos when she was only 8 years old, and has been riding horses, along with her family, her entire life. "We usually train at night," Jorgenson says. After her family finishes a long day of work on their ranch in Watford City, "the whole family does it together, and it is fun."

Jorgenson's favorite thing about rodeo is, "all the stuff you learn and the goals you accomplish." After having competed on a national level and at rodeos in different places, she has also enjoyed the opportunity to meet many great competitors from all over the country, including states like Arkansas.

While Jorgenson has competed and earned many achievements in various rodeo events, her favorite event is breakaway roping. In fact, Jorgenson placed at the national High School Finals rodeo last year in this event.

When asked about what rodeo has taught her, Jorgenson stated, "Rodeo has given me a good work ethic and kept me really busy." She also noted, "it's not like other sports where you just train yourself, you are responsible for the training and caring of your horses as well." This has undoubtedly taught Jorgenson a great deal about hard work and responsibility.

This fall, Jorgenson began attending Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. on a rodeo scholarship. The transition for Jorgenson of moving to college was made easier by being able to bring her horses along with her. She brought: Frosty, her barrel horse; her breakaway partner, Arnold; and her team roping horse, Squeaky. "They're my friends and I got to take my friends to school," she said smiling. When Jorgenson is not training and taking care of her "friends" she is studying Exercise Science with the goal of becoming a chiropractor.

Of all Jorgenson's accomplishments thus far, she is most proud of winning the NDRA All Around. The NDRA features the best competitors in the state of N.D.This is unlike the high school finals where she competes with her peers. Jorgenson said, "I compete with people that go to pro-rodeos." This made these particular wins spark a feeling of accomplishment for Jorgenson.

It is evident that there are many more victories in store for this young, dedicated competitor. Jorgenson now has her sights set on winning the breakaway for her college region, qualifying for the College Nationals Finals Rodeo, and starting Circuit finals, all while concentrating on her studies at Black Hills State University.