Equine
Equine Superstars & Everyday Heroes – “The House that Tebow Built”
By Janis Blackwell
Welcome readers to my new column and culmination of a long time desire. For a while I’ve wanted to write a column that features a different outstanding horse every month—outstanding for super athletic and competitive accomplishments or for just being the best everyday friend and partner to their human companion that they can be, fulfilling whatever need we have for them. NTFR agreed to allow me this desire, and so here we go.
This first article features an amazing steer wrestling horse owned by K.C. Jones, nine times National Finals Rodeo qualifier and two-time qualifier for the American. K.C. first observed the stout built, sorrel gelding while he was owned by Calvin Brevick. Calvin had acquired him from Chad Masters, who was using him for team roping. But as Calvin continued roping on him, it began to seem as though team roping wasn’t his niche. One day he decided to send him to Timmy Sparing at Stephenville to try on bulldogging. Timmy took him to K. C.’s where they ran him by some steers in the practice pen, and he did really well from the start. After a few days, it became evident that he liked and took to the steer wrestling.
K.C. liked what he saw and bought the horse. In K.C.’s words, “He’s just a big ole stout work horse.”
Having just read the biography of quarterback Tim Tebow, he realized the horse reminded him of the exceptionally strong player who was not only the strongest player on the University of Florida team, but was just a really hard worker. The sorrel gelding registered as Rastus Honey Twist, that K.C. describes as just a strong, blue collar type horse got tagged as “Tebow.”
K.C. said they got him on a good feed regimen and Tebow just continued to steadily improve his performance. K.C. credits him with an incredibly sound mind and exceptionally good behavior in the box, qualities that are absolutely essential for a winning bulldogging horse.
To read more pick up a copy of the July 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Krista Lucas Wynn
Each year, when the professional rodeo season wraps on Sept. 30, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association announce the Nutrena Horse of the Year, presented by the American Quarter Horse Association, in each event. This is a prestigious award, voted on by the members of the associations. To be named Horse of the Year by fellow competitors is a high honor only a few achieve.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Krista Lucas Wynn | Copy Editor
The name, “Daddy of ’em All,” instantly brings to mind the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration. Cowboys and cowgirls from all across the country dream of competing on the iconic Cheyenne arena dirt.
Every July, pro rodeo contestants travel to Cheyenne, Wyom. to vie for the title of champion of the Cheyenne Frontier Days. The rodeo is steeped in western tradition and celebrated the 125th year this summer. With nearly two weeks of rodeo action, fans watched bareback riding, calf roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, bull riding, and steer roping.
Steer roper, Tuff Hardman, knew winning “the Dad” was a tall order, but with a good horse and a few prayers he left no doubt who the best steer roper at Cheyenne was when it was all said and done. After two rounds, Hardman qualified back for the finals tied for ninth place with a time of 30.8 seconds.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Utilizing the horse to human connection.
By: Hannah Claxton | Editor
Deep in the heart of Texas, both humans and horses at Stable Strides Farm in Pilot Point, Texas aer demonstrating just how big their hearts really are. Founded by Mandy Cleveland in 2001, Stable Strides Farm serves dozens of Equestrians with Disabilities and Veterans each week.
Deep in the heart of Texas, both humans and horses at Stable Strides Farm in Pilot Point, Texas aer demonstrating just how big their hearts really are. Founded by Mandy Cleveland in 2001, Stable Strides Farm serves dozens of Equestrians with Disabilities and Veterans each week.
“My boys have been riding since they were 18 months old, and for the first 17 years they had a leader and sidewalker. When we moved here, and Mandy started teaching them, she just said, ‘Let’s see what they can do,’ and they ride independently now,” Danielle Frank explained, whose two sons, Adison and Aiden, ride with Stable Strides Farm. “Mandy is amazing beucase she doesn’t place any limits on them, she always wants to see what they can do.”
It is her dedication to never setting limits that earned Cleveland a spot as a national finalist for the NSBA 2024 Dianne Eppers Cowgirls Reaching-Out-to-Community Award. The award was established by the NSBA Foundation to recognize cowgirls across the industry for their selfless contributions to the equestrian community.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of the NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
(Photos Courtesy of Hannah Claxton)
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