At the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), two familiar purple vests will make their final runs representing Tarleton State University. Fresh off their graduation from Tarleton, Hadley Tidwell and Jordan Driver are wrapping up their college rodeo career but not without chasing a national title one more time.
Both four-time CNFR qualifiers in the barrel race, this pair enters their final trip to Casper with a wealth of experience, plenty of accolades, and a special friendship that has helped get them this far. Last year, both ladies finished in the top ten of the nation. The Tarleton women's team brought home the Reserve National Champion Title.
More than just teammates, Jordan and Hadley are close friends and traveling partners. Their bond, built mostly from the long drives and late nights between rodeos, has helped carry them through the highs and lows of rodeo.
They both laugh thinking back to their early college days before they knew each other well.
“Hadley was scared of me at first,” Jordan smiled.
“She hasn’t gotten rid of me since,” Hadley laughed, remembering the first time she finally worked up the nerve to travel with Jordan. Their friendship has become something special and an important factor in their success too.
“Your mental game is huge,” Jordan said. “I sometimes struggle with that when I am going by myself. But having Hadley, and just getting in the rig with someone who wants to win too, it keeps you going.”
Hadley agreed. “Jordan is a little bit of a neat freak, OCD, whatever. I am not always like that, so she made things a little more serious for me,” she said with a grin. “We balance each other out really well.
Jordan is closing her college career taking two events to the CNFR. She was the Southwest Region Women's All Around Champion, and will get to breakaway rope and barrel race this year in Casper. After the CNFR, it is all pro rodeo in Jordan’s plans. Currently, she sits inside the top 15 of the WPRA standings, putting her in real striking distance of a goal and dream, qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
“Yeah really the focus after CNFR is over is getting to the NFR. When I started college, I told myself I was going to prioritize college rodeo over the pros,” she said. “So we’re hitting the road hard and this summer will be about pro rodeoing.”
Hadley, who just earned her pre-nursing degree, has a slightly different plan. She’s headed to nursing school, but is still focusing on rodeoing as much as possible too.
“School is still my main focus even after college rodeo for now. I would like to get a prospect, a yearling on the ground, and when I am done with school can get him going down the road and hopefully to some future. And of course,” she added with a smile, “hopefully go out and help Jordan when she gets to the NFR.”
Their success, they say, wouldn’t be possible without the huge support system behind them, including the Tarleton coaches Mark and Brittany.
“They’ve helped us so much with our mindset,” Hadley said. “They cheer us on at every rodeo and want to know how we’re doing and where we are at. At this level you can have all the talent but if your mind starts to not be super strong and confident that is when things start going wrong. Our coaches help us a lot and give us all the resources.”
The Tarleton team's resources include specialty coaches, and of course the renowned Doty Rodeo Complex.
Jordan added that the Tarleton Rodeo team helped her come out of her shell.
“I was a big introvert when I first got here,” she said. “Brittany and Mark really pushed me to step outside my comfort zone—joining the leadership council, speaking. Even with 150 people on the team, they can spot out your flaws and help you fix them.”
Although an individual sport, the college ranks give a team aspect to rodeo. Jordan and Hadley both agree that the team as a whole, and their women's team has a real chance at a team National Title this year.
“We didn’t even realize it last year,” Jordan said. “Once the second and third rounds hit, we realized how strong of a women's team we had. This year, looking at the girls going, it’s exciting. We’ve got multiple events covered and I think it’s going to be super fun knowing we’ve got a real chance.”
Neither Hadley nor Jordan has settled on which horse they’ll run in Casper, not unusual however.
“I’m big on just going with how they feel that day,” Jordan said. “I like to talk about it, pray about it, and whoever wakes up on the good side that day is who’s running.”
Hadley agrees. Both have changed horses mid-CNFR before, relying on instinct and trust in their talented string.
The rodeo foundation for both ladies was laid long before they got to Tarleton. Jordan grew up on a ranch, the daughter of two rodeo parents who also graduated from Tarleton. Her mother, Jennifer Driver, won the CNFR barrel racing title in 1999.
Hadley’s roots run just as deep. Her mom won a high school national title in goat tying before she started barrel racing. Even if Hadley herself didn’t always feel the pull to rodeo, she laughs now that it was “kind of forced—but thankfully.”
From traveling together to and from the rodeos, and leaning on each other through all that college life throws at them, Jordan and Hadley have done it all together. Regardless of where they go next, they both agree this is a lifelong friendship.
“I never have a bad day when I’m around Hadley,” Jordan said. “She’s happy and positive and that rubs off, and really carries over.”
“She’d help anyone,” Hadley said of Jordan. “Even if it stresses her out, she might complain about it, but she’ll do it. She’s always there.”
Neither of them claims to have many hobbies outside of the gym and their horses. And surely they don’t really need to because when you’re doing what you love, with the people you love, the rest takes care of itself. They’ve surrounded themselves with winners—and in doing so, became exactly that.
As they make their final CNFR run sporting the purple vest, Jordan and Hadley do so with gratitude for their friends, families, coaches, horses, and each other. They thank Tarleton rodeo, their large support systems, and the long road trips that have turned teammates into family.