Daily Archives: January 9, 2010

Jordon Peterson’s friends tease her about having an easy job. After all, being a professional barrel racer has allowed the 21-year-old Lott woman to ride horses every day, travel the country and win more than $17,000 in 13 seconds.

She loves it, of course. Never wanted to do anything else. Hopes to have a long career in the sport.

But, she said, that doesn’t keep her from sometimes daydreaming about sitting in an air-conditioned office all day, like her friends do.

“You’ve got to wake up every morning and feed your horses and feed them again every night,” Peterson said. “You’ve got to be on the road all the time. But, I guess as an outsider looking in, though, my job does sound pretty amazing.”

Last season, Peterson won $126,051 in 48 rodeos, easily earning her a spot among the top 15 money-makers in barrel racing in the Texas circuit and qualifying her for this weekend’s Dodge Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo at the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum. Competition continues at 7 p.m. today.

Peterson’s time Friday was 26.87 second after she knocked over two barrels. She will get a third try tonight for a trip to the March national circuit finals in Pocatello, Idaho.

Peterson’s 2009 earnings landed her in sixth place in the world standings last year, her second year competing in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. In 2008, she competed in 15 rodeos, but did not earn enough money to qualify for any of the sport’s big rodeos. (read more)