Spud and I at the YRA Finals when I was a kid. We ran a 19.2. It's the fastest time I have ever heard of...

Princess and I at Rodeo Houston in 2008 in my favorite one-of-a-kind hat!

Getting to Know Your Favorite Professional Barrel Racer:
Jackie Jatzlau - "The Wild Child"
Feb. 2009

Your Name?
I was born Jackie Dawn Dube.
My married name is Jackie Jatzlau

When and where were you born?
March 17, 1980 in Brenham, TX (about 30 minutes from Giddings)

What town did you grow up in?
I lived in Giddings, TX until I moved to college.

Where have you lived since then?
I lived in College Station, TX while attending college. I lived in Stockton, CA for a few months here and there between rodeoing in 2004-2006. I lived in Stephenville, TX in the same way in 2006 threw March of 2007. I then moved back to my hometown of Giddings, TX

Where do you currently live?
Giddings, TX. Lane and I own a house in town and I keep my horses at our place a little out of town. My mother lives there and is such a big help with my training and rodeo program.

When did you start riding?
Before I could walk! My Mom said she never had to send me to a babysitter because my horse was the best babysitter money could buy.

Where did you go to college?
I went to Texas A&M University from the fall of 1998-spring of 2000. Then, I transferred to Blinn College in Bryan, TX and attended there from the fall of 2000 till I graduated in May of 2003 with an associates degree in Applied Science in Physical Therapy Assisting

What is your daily schedule?
When I am at home I usually do house work, paper work and business work in the mornings. I have lunch everyday with Lane. Then, I spend my afternoons riding. I usually have 6-7 horses I ride daily. I try to be home in time to cook dinner for Lane and I everyday, and Lane is a great cook as well so we enjoy spending that time together in the kitchen. My nights are usually my down time, I like to relax with Lane and work on my computer. When I am gone rodeoing my schedule is unpredictable. Sometimes we drive all night and do a lot of our sleeping during the day before the rodeo that night. Other times we hang at our multiple friends across the country between rodeos, I like to call these stops our homes away from home. Here we catch up on laundry, horse tuning, truck or trailer repairs, or just some good ol’ fashion resting! Rodeoing full time is not for the weak at heart. It is an endurance race and it is emotionally draining being away from home and your family.

Who do you haul with?
I haul with my sister, Tammy Key-Fischer and at times there could be one of 10 or so different barrel racers with us. I have learned that surrounding yourself with winners makes you raise your own expectations and morale and is vital to being successful!

What are your nicknames and why?
Growing up my nickname was "monkey" or "jackie dawn dube the brat." Both given to me by guys that worked for Dad in the race horse barn. "Monkey" was because I took gymnastics and have great balance so my favorite past time was to walk down pipe fences like a balance beam and crawl on everything. Later in high school most of my rodeo friends called me "Scooby-Dube." Tie-Down roper, Scott Kormos, calls me "Scooby" to this day. My all time favorite is "The Wild Child." This nickname was given to me at my first NFR in 2003 by multiple time PRCA Announcer of the Year, Bob Tallman. Rooster was really short at the 2nd barrel because the camera pit was behind the barrel and he was scared of it. Almost every night he would start his turn too soon and I would reach down and hold the barrel up as I was turning it. He said I was crazy and wild and it evolved into "The Wild Child." Later Bob said it just fits my no lose, balls to the wall riding style perfectly and it stuck. Now, just about every rodeo I go to across the country I'm introduced as ‘The Wild Child.’

What is the story behind your wild cowboy hats?
I bought my first "wild" hat before my 1st NFR in 2003. Shorty’s Caboy Hattery in Oklahoma City made four one-of-a-kind hats and one was at The Maverick in Ft Worth, TX in the Stockyards. The whole hat is a vibrient blue. Under the brim it has hand stitched white and red stars that are surrounded by beautiful crystals. I had my eye on it for over a year and when I secured my 1st NFR birth I splurged and bought it. My Dad thought it was ugly and voted strongly against me wearing it. But, I busted it out anyways because I loved it and it was a huge hit. The next year at Houston, I met Shorty herself. I introduced myself as "the girl who wore your crazy blue hat at the NFR." The relationship was established and since then I have added 5 more "wild" hats to my collection. A brown one with gazelle skin on the brim. A black one with brindle black and white cowhide on the brim. A silver belly hat with purple tooled leather on the brim. A dark brown one with acid washed cowhide that has gold leather under it. The last is my personal favorite, one of the other four one-of-a-kind handmade colored hats. The hat is solid pink and under the brim it has white roses and green stems that are surrounded by crystals. I have only worn it at 3 events. I am saving it for the next time I make the NFR!

What is your favorite food?
As weird as it may sound, salad is my absolute favorite thing. I love veggies and ranch dressing. We have salad almost every night with dinner and it is what I am designated to bring to every family function. I have grown pretty fond of sushi recently. My husband, Lane, loves it and I think he would eat it for every meal if there was a decent sushi bar in our home town.

What is your favorite color?
My favorite color is purple. It is also my luckiest color and Princess looks fantastic in it! My Bob Marshall sport saddle for the 2009 season is lavender with dark purple cut outs in the seat. My matching Luan’s Leather tack is dark purple ostrich with purple crystals. It is FANTASTIC!!

Do you have a quote you try to live by?
“Go the extra mile, it is never crowded.” I don’t know who said it, but it is oh so true. Nothing replaces hard work and dedication when it comes to whatever you do in life. Also, “slide, lift, horn, rotate, and finish.” That is what I teach at my clinics and how I ride every single day of my life on every single horse I throw my leg over and take around the barrel pattern. If you have been to one of my clinics you know what I'm talking about.

What horse do you ride 1st everyday?
Usually Diamonds while I pony Princess. I have a habit of riding my two favorites first and last so that I start on a good note and end on a good note every day. That means I usually ride the greenest horses in the middle as they are the least solid and predictable.

What was your first horses name?
Salty Joe was my first horse. I lived on that horse's back. My favorite story about Salty Joe was that I was so little that I would ride until I feel asleep on his back. He would take me to the yard fence and nicker. Mom said it was his plea to, "please come get this kid off me so I can have a break!" I had a red shirt with white lettering that said ‘Salty Joe’ on it. Mom said I insisted on wearing that shirt every single day until I out grew it. So my obsession with horses goes WAY back!

When did you win your first buckle? Saddle? Trailer?
I won my 1st buckle at the very 1st rodeo I ever entered in Marble Falls, TX in the pole bending on my sister’s good horse, Big Bad Johnny. I was 4 years old. I won my 1st saddle also at Marble Falls when I was 9. It was at the annual Youth Rodeo. I won the saddle for the All Around - 10 & Under Cowgirl. I won my 1st horse trailer for the year end 10 & Under - All Around Cowgirl in the YRA. I was 10 and I competed in the cloverleaf barrels, straightaway barrels, pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping to win this trailer. I have since won 99 saddles (at least thats what it was when we stopped counting, I can't remember anymore), 11 horse trailers and way to many buckles to count I would estimate in the 400’s. Oh, I also won a truck once thanks to Rowdy and Mr. Mike!

What is your most memorable barrel racing moment?
I have several memorable moments at all different levels of competition as my barrel racing career has evolved. The first was when I was 11 and won the AQHA Youth Division at Rodeo Houston. All the youth entries ran in the morning in the Astroarena (next to the Astrodome where the rodeo was held). They took the top 8 to run that night during the rodeo in the Astrodome after the Pro girls ran. I qualified both of my barrel horses at the time, Bill and Doc. Doc qualified in 8th so he was the 1st to run. Dad was my "helper" with Doc. I ran the fastest time of the finals on Doc, even out running all the pro girls that were up that night. I moved from 8th to 1st and won a trailer on Doc. Bill also did awesome and ended up 4th overall. Running in the Astrodome in front of 50,000 fans was SO big for a 11 year old with dreams of being a rodeo girl one day.
My next big memorable win was when I won Josey’s Jr World on Rio when I was 15. Josey’s is such a huge youth event and was the biggest barrel race for kids we went to. Winning it was the highlight of my amateur career. The next memorable win was when I won my first futurity in March of 1998 on Dumplin. Dumplin was the first horse I trained from start to finish and competed on at the futurities. I was 18 years old running against trainers that I had looked up to all my life. To win 1st at a futurity was phenomenal for me branching into a whole new diminsion of my barrel racing.
My very favorite and most heart felt barrel racing memory came from the 1st time I made the NFR. When I was about to cross into the alley to make my run in the 3rd go around my Dad was standing beside me and he said, "Let’s go to the Gold Coast." I knew he meant go win the round so we an go to the buckles ceremony held nightly at the Gold Coast Casino. You can see me on the video nod my head in agreement with him. I remember thinking no problem Dad I got this in the bag. I am not sure why I felt so confidence, but something in my father’s voice made me that way. I won my 1st NFR go round that night. As I ran out the arena I knew my run had been exceptional and I looked back over my shoulder to see the clock reveal a fast time. I gave my Dad a holler and a big fist pump as I ran by him in the alley and he did the same in return. That feeling was once in a lifetime and I am so honored to have shared it with my Dad. When we buried my Dad in 2006, I put that go round buckle in the breast pocket over his heart. I thought it only fit that it go with him as I know it was his confident words that night that lead me to be a winner.

What do you hope to accomplish in the barrel racing arena?
As all little girls I dream of being a world champion and getting my Gold Buckle.

What is your favorite rodeo?
Rodeo Houston, the Calgary Stampede, the Pendleton Round Up and of course the NFR. Rodeo Houston because it is only an hour and a half from my hometown of Giddings, so it is just about the closest I get to a hometown rodeo. It also is the largest crowd we run under. Up to 75,000 fans per day! The Calgary Stampede for their outstanding purses, fun and exciting format and unmatched hospitality and contestant treatment. The Pendleton Roundup because there is nothing like running across the grass and I think the 28 second challenging course really showcases how good of a jockey and a cowgirl you are. And last but definitely not least the Thomas and Mack which houses the NFR. The anticipation of standing in line in the alley to take you turn is indescribable. Running under the lights in Vegas is the most exciting and exhilarating experience in a barrel racers career… or at least this barrel racer!

Who is your favorite horse you have ever rode?
I actually have a few different favorites for all different reasons. Si Can Do aka Rio who I got when I was 14 and rode for 11 years until he died in 2005. He taught we how to be a winner and was so honest and had the heart of a true champion. He taught me that a great horse has to have more than talent, it is what you can’t "teach" them that makes them extraordinary.
Oro Leader aka Rowdy for his uniqueness and for helping me to become a better trainer. Rowdy was an outlaw but so loveable it was hard to ever be mad at him very long. He was a challenge every single day in his training and while I was running him. He constantly pushed me to keep my training technique on its toes and one step ahead of his wondering mind. I loved him because every win on him was a huge victory in so many ways.
Uno Commander aka Rooster for his ability to over come so many things and for being a true winner at heart. Rooster had a fire inside of him that I have never felt in any other horse I have ever been on. Imanonstop Princess aka Princess for her true love of the game. We are soul mates in that sense. She is the only horse I have ever rode that loves and craves running barrels as much as I do.

What are your future plans?
I want so badly to make the NFR again on a second horse before Lane and I have children. Once Lane and I start a family my rodeoing will slow down. I am not saying I will quit, but my priorities will be totally different. I then plan to shift my attention back to training and heading back to the futurity scene. It will allow me and my kids to stay home and only be gone a few weekends per year. Training has always been where my heart truly is. There is nothing like seeing a horse blossom day by day.

What influence do you hope to make on the barrel racing community?
I hope to help people become more knowledgeable about horses in general. I think that people focus too much on getting a great barrel horse, but don’t always know what to do to help them stay great. My parents gave me a huge jump start on that. At any given time we would have 100 horses at our house. 60-80 would be colts in race training. I feel that I have been blessed with an inherent horse knowledge from my parents that I pride myself on.

What are some of your interests other than barrel racing?
I love to go to the movies. I spend a lot of my down time with Lane. I have a new found interest in the sport of soccer. We watch a match or two every weekend I am home. My husband is a huge "football," aka soccer, fan and even occationally goes to England to watch matches. I love my 4 dogs, Chipper, Roxy, Tonka and Stella. They are my most faithful companions. I love taking them to the country and just being in the wide open spaces. Lane and I love sushi, music and trying new things. We love being together! That is how I spend most of my time away from the horses.

What would you do if you could never ride a horse again?
I went to school and have a degree in Physical Therapy Assisting. I really loved working with people and helping them overcome adversity threw hard work. I am a people person so I never see myself doing anything where I couldn't help people.

Who do you look up to?
My Mom, Peggy Dube, is my biggest hero. She has always been my biggest fan and is so giving and supportive. I hope I grow up to be half of the mother to my children that she has been to me. My Dad, Jack Dube, for being the greatest horseman I have ever known and being such a wonderful teacher to me. He pushed me to become who I am today and gave me the faith in myself to make it threw the ups and the downs. My husband Lane, who shows me everyday how to be a better person through true and unconditional love.

Home | News | Diary | Bio | Media | Photos | Videos | Webisodes | Horses: Princess, Current, Prospects, Retired, Sale, Former | Clinics | Sponsers | Contact
2008 © All rights Reserved | www.jackiejatzlau.com | site builtby her loving husband!