Maginnis in top five CJRA finals and Steer Stopping standings

Ramona 14-year-old Jade Maginnis placed third in the Ribbon Running average (aggregate) at the California Junior Rodeo Association (CJRA) finals Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at the Riverside Rancheros arena.

Maginnis, who is currently in ninth grade at Ramona High School, partnered with roper Ryan Gorham of Menifee for a three-head average of 63.53 seconds.

Maginnis and Gorham had a time of 12.70 seconds in the first go-round to place second in the Nov. 29 performance.

“Ryan helped a lot. He jumped the calf right out of the box,” Maginnis said.

Despite a time of 26.27 seconds in the second go-round Nov. 30 Maginnis and Gorham still placed sixth. They were first in the average, but placed seventh on their third run Dec. 1 with a time of 24.56 seconds to drop to third.

“It was pretty wild. He jumped all over us,” Maginnis said of the third calf.

The position points from the three go-rounds and the average were added to the position points for the season’s other rodeos. Maginnis and Gorham each had 232 points, which tied them for 13th place in the final standings in that event although points are given both to the roper and the runner, so Maginnis and Gorham were the seventh-place team.

Maginnis competed in the CJRA finals despite spending three of the previous six weeks on crutches due to a torn medial collateral ligament. She came into the finals second in the Steer Stopping standings but fell to fourth after placing eighth in the average with a two-head time of 12.87 seconds. Maginnis had a time of 7.25 seconds in the first go-round to place fifth but did not catch her second steer. A time of 5.62 seconds gave Maginnis fifth place in the third go-round. She accumulated 246 Steer Stopping points during 2019.

Three eighth-place Goat Tying go-rounds which took her 13.01, 13.59, and 12.38 seconds gave Maginnis a seventh-place average of 38.98 seconds. She finished the season with 128 points to take ninth place in the standings.

Maginnis and James Dukes, who also lives in Ramona, were Team Roping partners and had the seventh-place average of 37.59 seconds on two head. They missed their steer on the first go, and a 5-second penalty on their second run increased their time from 7.31 to 12.31 seconds, which was still worth fourth place. They caught their third steer in 20.28 seconds for sixth place in the go-round.

“I was proud to turn all three steers for him this weekend,” Maginnis said.

The season total of 161 points gave Maginnis and Dukes shares of 17th place, or ninth among teams, for the event which included Senior division contestants as well as Junior division competitors. Because Maginnis was 13 at the start of the CJRA year she competed at the Junior level.

“I was honored to make it to the finals,” Maginnis said.

The top 10 in each event prior to the finals competed at the year-end rodeo. Maginnis was 13th in the Breakaway Roping standings with 60 points and did not compete in the finals. Dukes had one successful Breakaway Roping run at the CJRA finals and was 10th in the average, and was also 10th for the season with 94 points.

“I feel blessed to be able to be at the top in four of my events and able to spend quality time with friends and family,” Maginnis stated. “I would also like to thank my mom and dad for hauling me to every rodeo and traveling across the state and teaching me to maintain a positive mental attitude. And also a big thank you to the Battaglia family for their support and lending me the amazing horse Scout to ride.”

Scout is a 14-year-old quarter horse gelding. The Battaglia family owns Mountain Valley Ranch and allows Maginnis to practice there.

Maginnis has been riding horses since she was 6 months old and won her first Pee Wee Dummy Roping buckle on May 10, 2007, which was her second birthday. She was 2 years old when her family moved from Salinas to Ramona.