Jongbloed was always a two-event athlete, and early on the steer wrestling came easier than the calf roping. He won a state title as a junior and held his own at the National High School Finals Rodeo, but when he turned pro in 2018, a knee injury forced a decision that shaped his career.

“I tore my knee up steer wrestling that year,” Jongbloed said. “After that, I decided to focus on calf roping. I’d already put more time, money and effort into it, and at this level you’ve got to be all in.”

The bet paid off fast. In 2022, Jongbloed made the NFR as a rookie, finished sixth in the world and third in the average with $233,962 on the season—announcing himself as one of the sport’s steadiest young hands.

The Injury That Changed Everything

Jongbloed was always a two-event athlete, and early on the steer wrestling came easier than the calf roping. He won a state title as a junior and held his own at the National High School Finals Rodeo.

“I probably had more success in the steer wrestling than I did in the calf roping early on,” Jongbloed said. “I won state my junior year and did good at nationals, and that gave me confidence that I could compete with anybody.”

When he turned pro in 2018 and hit the ProRodeo road entering both events, a knee injury at Ponoka forced a decision that shaped his career.

“I tore my knee up steer wrestling that year,” Jongbloed said. “After that, I decided to focus on calf roping. I’d already put more time, money and effort into it, and at this level you’ve got to be all in.”

The bet paid off fast. In 2022, Jongbloed made the NFR as a rookie, finished sixth in the world and third in the average with $233,962 on the season.

Jongbloed’s Consistency

A near-miss in 2023 left him just outside the Top 15, but he answered in 2024 with wins at Caldwell, Idaho Falls and Huntsville, $94,218 at the Finals and an eighth-place world standings finish worth $228,598. In 2025 he returned to Las Vegas for the second straight year, finishing fifth in the NFR average with 95.2 seconds on 10 head and 10th in the world with $221,409.

“I’d say I had a pretty decent winter,” Jongbloed said of his 2025 season. “That gives you some momentum heading into the summer. From there, I just tried to stay consistent and keep placing. The bubble fight this year never stopped. Every time I thought I was safe, the guys behind me would win again.”

Jongbloed’s Horsepower

Jongbloed leans on a pair of mares—GM Augusta Drifter, “Gucci,” and Kim, who fits the quicker winter setups.

“This year I rode two mares, Gucci and Kim,” Jongbloed said in 2025. “I like Gucci in the summer because she scores better and gives me a better look. Kim’s my winter horse. She fits the quicker setups.”

But the one that made him believe came long before either.

“I had a horse named Little Rey in junior high and high school, a bald-face horse,” Jongbloed said. “He gave me all the confidence in the world. Every time I nodded my head, I won something. If I could haul one right now, it’d be him.”

Bucket-List Calgary Win

The 2026 season delivered one of the biggest moments of Jongbloed’s career. At the Calgary Stampede in July, he won his pool with a pair of 7.0 and 7.4-second runs, tied Brushton Minton for the fast time in the semifinals at 7.5, and then stopped the clock at 7.2 in the Showdown Round—all aboard GM Augusta Drifter, “Gucci”—to claim the coveted calf-roping bronze, the $50,000 first-place check and the Calgary title. He left Alberta with $65,250 on the week and No. 7 in the world standings with $119,922 won on the year.

“Calgary is definitely a bucket-list rodeo,” Jongbloed said. “It’s a fast, electric setup. It gets your blood pumping for sure. To be able to compete against the best ropers in the world in a huge stadium overflowing with fans, it’s just a feeling like no other. And getting the win is just icing on the cake.”

The win landed after a summer that tested his patience more than his preparation.

“My summer has just kind of been average up until Calgary,” Jongbloed said. “It wasn’t because I wasn’t prepared or because I haven’t been working at it. I just feel like it hasn’t been my turn. It’s hard to stay mentally sharp when things aren’t going your way, but I just kept telling myself that you have to overcome adversity and be ready to take advantage of the situation when it’s your turn.”

The difference this year, he said, was a lighter grip.

“I let my hair down a little bit this year and treated each run as a one-header,” Jongbloed said. “That bronze is something I’ll never forget. It’s a bucket-list victory that I’m excited to check off.”