One of Barrel Racing's Greats

This weekend, I got to watch my all-time favorite horse run - Joe B Jammin. He's probably getting older, as I remember running with him and his owner Sue Bologna eight years ago, and even then Jammer had won his fair share of events. This weekend Jammer ended up in the second division, but there's not enough that can be said about what Jammer has done for the sport of barrel racing. 

As for me, I can say that Jammer has been the horse that I've tried to emulate in every colt I've ever run. He's got no wasted motion at all in his turns - they're perfect. 

I will remember forever the run I had at Hartbow - now Simmon's Equine Center - that brought me within two tenths of Jammer. I was 13, and that was the first time I'd ever had a run like that (and probably the last time). I think a lot of kids like me remember their times depending on how close they came to Jammer. I've heard people describe the quality of their runs as such for years - "I was only three tenths off of Jammer..." or "Well, I ended up in the 2D but it was Jammer who won it, so that's not bad at all!" 

Talk about staying power. Jammer won three Congress titles, carried Martha Josey to countless rodeo championships and has set arena records from PA to Texas. And he's still going. 

I googled Joe B Jammin, and came up with one Youtube video of the horse at a rodeo in Denver, with Jeana Finlinson aboard. I didn't remember her ever having him, but she must have. Here's the run: