story by Lily Weinacht
Lanna Jordan from Riverton, Wyoming, won her first state title in the WJHSRA this spring, followed by her first national title at the NJHFR. The 14-year-old won the goat tying and breakaway roping at state, then took home the national title in the breakaway roping. “This year, I got to practice a little bit more, and I hadn’t had very good luck the past few years, but I knew this year was going to be mine,” says Lanna, who is now a freshman in high school. “I stayed focused and roped the dummy every night and practiced every night, and I’d go to bed thinking about it. I made it to Nationals every year since sixth grade, and I didn’t have good luck the past two years, but this year was good. I got a new horse, and he is amazing. He leaves the barrier really well, and I knew if I could just get out of the box, I could be consistent and fast.”
Lanna has competed in several WHSRA rodeos already, entering the barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and team roping with heeler Maddie Enos. “Breakaway is my favorite,” says Lanna. “My grandpa roped for a long time, and my dad did too. I grew up on a ranch and they were out there moving cows and they always had their ropes, and I wanted to be like them. One day, I picked up a rope, and that’s how it all began. I like being with my family and friends, and I get to meet a lot of good people along the way. I compete against my friends, and it’s enjoyable to be around everyone. It’s kind of like candy; once you get hooked on it, you have to keep going with it.”
Among the many people who have helped Lanna are her parents, Christine and Lance Jordan; her brother, Coleter; and her grandparents, Debbie and Gene Jordan. “My grandpa always helps me practice, and my dad. My grandma is there supporting me the whole way, and she comes to practice when they can’t. During Nationals, my brother called every night and gave me a game plan, and that eased my mind so I wasn’t so nervous. He did high school rodeo, and now he’s a freshman at Casper College.”
Lanna’s horses are equally a part of her success, and she trained all of them but her 22-year-old breakaway horse, Sid. “He’s the best horse I’ve had in the breakaway by far. For goat tying, I ride a Paint horse named Boomer. He’s the best horse I’ve had for goats, and he runs straight and I don’t have to worry about him ducking. I ride Paint in the team roping, and I have a six-year-old horse named Snoop Dog for barrels and poles. They’ve done nothing but make me happy in the practice pen, and they go to rodeos and do exceptionally well.” Lanna also takes her English Bulldog, Wizzer, with her to rodeos occasionally.
The Jordan family makes their home on their farm 35 miles outside of Riverton. They raise alfalfa and corn, and also run cattle on their ranch outside of Lander, Wyoming. “I rake or bale, or do whatever my dad needs, and once in a while we’ll go to the mountain and move cows, or help the neighbors out,” says Lanna, who is a freshman at Shoshoni High School. She enjoys all of her Ag. classes, and is a member of FFA. She also played volleyball this fall, practicing every day after school before going home to ride horses and rope. A highlight of her summer other than competing in the NJHFR was competing in the Wind River Productions jackpots, where she finished in the top five of team roping, and second in the breakaway roping.
“This year, my goal is to make it to Nationals again in the breakaway,” Lanna finishes, “and another goal is to get straight A’s in school.”
