2024 Cowgirl Great

Jessica Routier

Jessica grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, training horses with her mother, Shelly Mueller, who trained cutting, barrel racing, and rope horses.  She attended college at National American University in Rapid City, SD on a rodeo scholarship, and during that time she met her husband, Riley.  After college, she and Riley moved to his parent’s ranch in Buffalo, SD, where they continue to raise cattle, horses and kids.  They have 5 children- Braden (19), Payton (16), Rayna (9), Rose (9) and Charlie (8).  

 While Jessica will argue that her greatest accomplishments in life have been her children, she has had some success in rodeo as well, particularly barrel racing.  In college, as part of a very competitive women’s team at National American University, she claimed 2 Great Plains Region all-around titles, as well as one national championship and one reserve national championship in barrel racing.  Her rodeo career has not slowed down since, thanks to 2 incredible mares- especially Smoothie who was purchased by Jessica’s mother when she was in high school, and Fiery Miss West who is owned by Gary Westergren but has lived on the Routier Ranch for most of her life.  Those 2 mares together have taken Jessica to 18 circuit finals, 9 National circuit finals, and 6 National Finals Rodeos.  She has won the Badlands circuit 6 times, the NFR Open twice, and was the Reserve World Champion barrel racer in 2018.