story by Lily Weinacht
Jill Donnelly is the 2017 SDHSRA Barrel Racing Champion. The 17 year old from Elk Point, South Dakota, has come close to the state title the last several years and finally got it done last season astride her mare Hottie. “I’ve always done pretty well on her, but this year we really stepped it up,” says Jill, who went into the SDHSRA finals leading the barrel racing. “This time I didn’t let the pressure get to me and I knew what I had to do.” At Nationals, Jill placed third in the first round and made it to the short-go, finishing 10th in the average.
She made her debut at the national level in seventh and eighth grade at the NJHFR, and Jill has also won a state all-around title in 4-H rodeo, where she started rodeoing in multiple events as an 8 year old. “My dad rodeoed when he was in high school and college, and I have three older sisters who all rodeoed throughout high school. Rodeos are something to look forward to during the school year and the summer each weekend, and I’m always excited to go.” Along with barrels, Jill competes in pole bending, breakaway roping, team roping as a heeler with her cousin Riley Donnelly, and Jill’s favorite event, goat tying. “It seems like it’s more of the competitor than it is the horse — you can definitely tell who practices the most and who doesn’t in that event.” This is Jill’s first year roping with someone other than her sisters in high school rodeo, but she and Riley live just a few miles apart and often get together with their siblings to practice in their barn. “We always practice at the barn together and help each other, and my dad helps me out a lot when I practice and takes me every weekend.”
Jill and her parents, Chuck and Lori Donnelly, make their home several miles outside of Elk Point. Her sister Jenna is a pharmacist, and Kylee attends SDSU in Brookings, while their sister Taylor lives in Colorado. They still come over to practice with Jill on occasion. “The barn is right behind my house, so that’s really nice. My goat horse, Barbie, I just started, so this past summer I really started taking her a lot and getting her used to everything. For breakaway I borrow my cousin’s horse Coco, and I don’t have a set horse in poles, but I’m always trying to find one that can be consistent.” Jill also rides her gelding, Benji, in the team roping.
Jill finished her senior year at Elk Point-Jefferson’s High School in December, where she enjoyed her human anatomy class and took dual credit classes in speech, composition, and government. She also played basketball the last three years in high school, and enjoys baking if she has spare time. “I make chocolate chip cookies, and homemade tortillas that I roll out with a rolling pin. Other than that, I just like hanging out with my friends and family, or I’ll go ride a horse or two.
“First, I’d like to figure out where I’m going to college and what my major is — I’m planning on going somewhere I can college rodeo. This coming summer, I definitely want to make it back to Nationals in more than one event — winning the all-around would be cool.”
