HOMETOWN: Texico, NM
BIRTHDAY: 07/17/87    AGE: 19
HEIGHT: 5' 10"   WEIGHT: 140
BACK NO: 7   YEARS RIDING PRO: 2
WEBSITE: www.ljjenkins.net

Since winning his first championship on a calf at the age of 8, L.J. Jenkins has been undaunted by the competition. "I grew up near PBR bull riders Matt Bohon and Luke Snyder. I looked up to them, but they didn't pay attention to me. My brother was their age, and they just thought of me as the 'younger brother.'"

However, it didn't take long for fellow bull riders take notice of this New Mexico cowboy when he burst on the PBR scene on the day he turned 18. "I bought my permit on my birthday and won first place at the PBR event in Gillette [Wyo.] that night. It was sweet 'cause all of the top guys were there. It helped boost my confidence." Since then the high school senior had done nothing but show his winning style.

In 2005, Jenkins made an impressive 93-point ride on Reindeer Dippin of Flying U Rodeo Company at the Built Ford Tough (BFTS) event in Laughlin. He finished fifth that event and added $7,720 to his earnings. He followed that up by winning the last regular season BFTS event in Columbus, Ohio, and walked away with nearly $68,000 in prize money.