TWICE AS NICE
Tierney relishing unique opportunity to serve another year as Miss Rodeo America
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t didn’t take Jordan Tierney long to give an answer last May when the Miss Rodeo America organization asked her to serve another year as the sport’s top ambassador. The 26-year-old from Oral, S.D., relished the chance to continue to represent the sport she loves, the way of life she’s known since she was first old enough to put on a pair of boots. The picturesque redhead looked at the opportunity--brought on by the curve ball that is COVID-19--to keep the most coveted crown in rodeo for another year as a blessing. “I made the decision pretty quickly,” said Tierney, who won the title of Miss Rodeo America 2020 at the 2019 pageant. “I have a pretty open-ended view for my future, so it’s not like by saying yes to another year I was having to put off medical school or law school. So, that made it easy for me. “I didn’t know exactly what I was saying yes to, but I’m very happy I did.” Tierney--the youngest daughter of 2008 Pro Rodeo
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Hall of Fame inductee Paul Tierney and 1985 Miss Rodeo South Dakota Robin (Bail) Tierney--was deprived of the standard year of reigning as MRA due to the pandemic. But she still was able to enjoy a good bit of travel and the chance to represent the sport. “Last year I got to go to a lot of rodeos in South Dakota because it was one of the few states that was still having rodeos,” Tierney said. “That was really neat to be able to go back to my home state and represent the title of Miss Rodeo America there.” This year has been more of a standard schedule. “Even though it’s been two years, it’s been two very different years,” Tierney said. “This year has been more of a ‘normal’ year, and especially this summer it’s been full steam.” Tierney, who earned a business administration and marketing degree from Chadron State College in 2017, was able to see firsthand the toughness displayed by those in the industry during the pandemic. “Regardless, 2020 wasn’t an awful year,” said Tier-
PHOTOS: MISS RODEO AMERICA.
BY NEAL REID
