12/24/2005 1:06:06 PM  
 
The curse of 2005 is rearing it's ugly head at me one last time and with full force.  I am broke down, yet again this time it is not my truck (thank God for small miricles).  My trailer has broke...I know that is not a good discription but mechanical stuff is not my speciality.  So needless to say, I will not be spending Christmas at home with my family as planned.  Luckily I am broke down at Sherry Cervi's house in Marana, AZ where my horses have a great place, I have somewhere to stay and I can ride as much as I want.  I guess it could be a lot worse, but it is still depressing to miss Christmas.  But, the Potter (Sherry's parents) have opened there home to Travis and I so we will get to celebrate with 'family.'   Sherry and I went to a jackpot on wednesday night and Blue and Skimper both ran really good.  Getting those last few runs in before the rodeos start.  Starting to get excited now as the entries for the big rodeos are opening, closing and call backing to see how nice ProCom is being to me.
I has a very successful clinic in Rolling Hills Estates last weekend and had so much fun.  I had 4 ladies that had never run barrels and it was very fun watching them learn, improve and have fun!!!  Thank you to all who attended, I had a blast and look forward to seeing you all run in the future!!!
Well, I guess I will get back to the grind stone and go ride.  Just remember.....there is a positive aspect in every bad situation you just have to look for it.  As Christmas nears I thank God for a great family, good friends and fast horses!!!
Love you all and wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (can't come soon enough for me!!)
Jackie
If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer. Matthew 21:22  Happy birthday Jesus!!!
 

 12/1/2005 12:58:42 PM  
 
As you all know it is NFR week, so it is a gloomy time here in Camp Dube.  It has all really set in this week that I am not going to get to run down that tunnel and perform in front of the best fans in the world at the best rodeo in the world.  Man it is a bummer.  But, I have come to realize that when the NFR runs tomorrow night in the first round, it is only 10 more days until the playing feild is all level again!!! YES, this bad year is finally going to be over.  We are all going to be back at $0, no more playing catch up, having to check the standings to see myself slip further down....I am sure you get the point.  That is the beauty of rodeo is each day at the conclusion of the 10th round I new World Champion is crowned and the slate is whipped clean.  Rodeo holds no grudges, it allows you to start new every year with the exact same opportunity as every body else.  WOW that is encouraging for those of us who had a rough year!!!!!
One a positive note, there is a new member to Team Dube!!!!  I bought a 5 year old mare and she is a super star.  Her name is Blue and I am really excitied about adding her into my rodeo rotation.  After losing Rio and Rooster having a tough year she is a breathe of fresh air.  Look for her at Odessa, Denver and San Antonio.  Blue absolutely fits me like a glove and is so much fun!!!  It is funny the long, hard road that has lead me to find my new ride!!
The quote for this week comes from a song by Rascal Flats, "God blessed the broke road that lead me straight to you."  God has a plan for all of us if we just have faith, withstand all the tests and keep a positive attitude.  I have had my share of tests this year and in the end I got the gift I needed, a new horse that give new hope......what could be better?
 

 11/6/2005 6:27:12 PM  
 
Hello,
Well not even sure where to start.  It has been a while.  I have since been to Reno to the AW Finals.  I played bumper barrels all week up there with every horse I took.  Don't really know what my problem was.  But, the highlight of my week was my futurity horse Skimper.  I was so proud of him and am really excited about him, I think his future is very bright :]  I am going to take it really slow with him so that he is really solid and ready when I start rodeoing on him.
I lost my good horse, Rio last week and that has been very devastating.  I bought Rio 11 years ago and I grew up on him.  He was one of those rare diamonds we are blessed with only once in a lifetime.  He has a blood clot that ruptured in his intestines.  He bought a long, hard battle to beat it for 4 days until he lost the battle.  My Mom went and got him and brought him home where he is now resting on the hill overlooking my parents place.  I am very happy after all the tracling Rio did in his lifetime that he got to be at home in peace.  I have never lost a horse before and this is one of the hardest things I have ever gone through, it is like losing a member of the family.
On a happier note, my clinic here in Stockton went off very good.  Thank you to all of you who came.  I had such a great time and everyone did so good.  I am really proud that people put their faith in me to come to a school.  I am finding my grove as a teacher now and I am proud to say I am good at it.  Look forward to helping lots of people in the future.  Please keep checking the clinic page for 2006 schedule.  If you are interested in putting on a clinic in your area, please e-mail me and we can get you more information. 
As I think of the loss of Rio and how much my life has changed in the last year I found this quote.  We are all just a bundle of our experiences and how we react to things.  Thank you to all who have sent kind words in this time of need. 
Until next time,
Jackie
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
-Eleanor Roosevelt
 

 10/2/2005 9:27:35 PM  
 
I had a really good weekend.  I went to the Wheatley's Breast Cancer Benefit barrel race this weekend, and it was encouraging to see everyone wearing pink and raising money for such a great cause.  I won 3rd the first day on Sophie, she made a really nice run other than a little pilot error on the thrid barrel.  The other 3 horses I ran didn't look so good, but I think I am too out of shape to run that many in one day anymore!!!  I pre-entered all four so they were all in the first 30 entries.  I was really busy and having to move from one to the other really fast, I think I am getting too old to do that.  Today, Godzilla (the new horse that has been out due to being cut) ran really good and so did TC (on the sale horse page).  I was winning 2nd and 4th, respectively, when I left.  Not sure how I ended up, but I was really pleased with the way both of them worked.  The mare didn't have a very good run today, part of being 6 yrs. old and a lot of runs in the last two weekends.  Going back to the slow work on her before the AW Finals and get her settled back down.  But, all in all my horses showed good and it was a very positive experience. 
This quote goes along with the good feeling I have inside from going to a great barrel race for a great cause.  Have a great week.
JD
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is  catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.
-Anon.
 
 

 9/27/2005 12:54:05 AM  
 
Well, in one sense things are looking up!  My good friend Cassie let me run her mare Sophie this weekend and she ran great!  I just barley tipped a barrel both places to win checks at both.  My timing is a little off on the mare, but these were the first times I have ever run her.  Cassie is going to let me keep her for a while and I am going to run her.  I am really excited because the mare is so much fun, I really enjoy riding her and that is refreshing.  Sophie hasn't run since June and is fat and out of shape, so I am excited to see how good she is going to do after I have her a couple weeks.  She is like a breath of fresh air, and exactly what I need right now.
BUT.....my black cloud continues to linger over my head and follow me where ever I go.  In a freak deal, my mare kicked me several times in the leg at Poway.  Luckily I was close enough to her that she never caught me full force and I am ok.  Her shoe scrapped up my leg pretty bad and it is swollen like a watermelon, but it looks a lot worse than it really is.  Then, on the way home last night my truck broke down AGAIN!!!  I had to wake Travis up at 2 AM to come get me, Cassie, the trailer and our 3 horses.  I had my truck towed in and it is in the shop AGAIN.  Needless to say, not the ideal trip and I missed my flight to Texas and lost a whole day.  So, I have posponed my trip home for a couple of weeks becuase I am entered here in California this weekend.
The hurricane completely missed my parents, Thank God!  They didn't even get any rain, which they were hoping for.  I guess you can't be too ticky.  I am headed to River Oak this weekend to run at a Fund raiser for breast cancer research.  The Wheatly's are putting it one and I am really excited that we can all do something we love and help others too.  I am donating 4 necklace/braclet/earring sets (Pink of course) one for each division...I guess my way of contributing to a good cause.  I hope you will all come out and support it, we all have been touched at one time or another by someone dear to use who has fought breast cancer. 
The quote for this week speaks for itself.  I hope where ever you path leads you this week you find the beauty and hope in each day.  Until next time,
JD
Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.   Dorothy Thompson
 

 9/23/2005 1:55:46 AM  
 
Well, I am off in the morning to head down to L.A. to go to two rodeos.  I am riding Sophie (see For Sale Page under Hopeshezit) I have had her at my house this week so I could try to get her in shape and get to ride her a little bit.  Thanks for my friend, Cassie, who is letting me ride her.  I am beginning to think that I am going to be borrowing horses forever.  But, Sophie is lots of fun and that is refreshing and exactly what I need right now, so look out!  The quote for this week....is why I rodeo even though times are rough.
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
-Jim Ryun

On a side note:  This is a nerve racking time for me.  Hurricane Rita is headed for Giddings....in other words it is headed for my parents, my sister, all my horses and my home!  I pray that God will keep them all safe.  I am flying to Texas Monday for a week long visit and a little horse trying, that is if my house still is there.....
JD

 9/15/2005 9:27:08 PM  
 
I am finally home in California!!!!  No one said it better than Dorthy in the Wizard of Oz, "There is no place like home."  After a really long trip, that included my truck going 80 miles and breaking down again (got it out of the shop the day before after 6 weeks and a new engine), we made it home. 
Rooster is happily turned out in the pasture at home in Texas.  He is getting fatter as we speak and is with his favorite pasture buddy, Dumplin.  I am going to give him a well deserved rest until after the first of the year.  Time is the healer of all things.....let's hope that is true in Rooster's case.  Travis and I bought a 2 yr. old mare in Oregon from Sid and Randy Rae Britt.  I will be devoting most of my time and focus in her until the end of the year....guess things have come full circle I am back to training colts again.  I guess sometimes we have to go back to the bottom to get back to the top.  I find comfort in knowing that I can start over.....this year on the road has been long, hard, and taken it's toll.  Here's to looking to the future and not to the past, I find my strength to keep clawing my way back from that.  The quote of the week is for anyone who has hit a rough patch and needs help getting on the right path. 
When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
-Hugh White
A speical thank you to all of the wonderful people I met and who helped me in the Northwest.  I love you all and you all have a special place in my heart, you know who you are.  Thanks for the great shirt, Whitney I will cherish it and I am sure it is going to be very lucky!  Until next time, keep looking up!
JD
 

 9/6/2005 1:30:21 PM  
 
I will finally have something good to talk about!  I made two good runs on CeeCee last weekend, I even won money!!!!!!!!!!  Mircles do happen.  I rode Rooster the first go at Ellensburg and he turn the first and second good and got lost going to the third, guess he thought something interesting was happening over my the tractor.  Who knows??  That was his last run for 2005, he is going home to Texas this week when Tammy leave after Puyallup.  He is going to finally get the well deserved rest that has been 3 yrs. coming.  Skimper and Godzilla are healing well, though I still can't ride either of them.  I think by the time they are both better I will be a professional wound care specialist! 
We will be in the Northwest for another week and then off to sunny California!  I can't wait to get back home, the road has been long and hard this year.  I have been looking at some 2 yr. olds for Travis and I.  Looking to revamp my program....I have let it slip in the last 2 yrs. while I have been on the road. 
To all of you effected by Katrina my prayers are with you.  The two people I know who live in that area were lucky......but so many were not.  Makes you sit back and think how lucky we really are, even when it seems like everything is going wrong. 
The quote for the week pertains to us all in every aspect of our lives. 
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Will Rogers
US humorist & showman (1879 - 1935)
 
 

 8/22/2005 5:15:24 PM  
 
Well, I offiacally do not have a horse to ride.  Rooster is crippled.  He has an abcess is his back foot that will not bust.  My new horse, Godzilla, got cut up in the trailer last week and is now swollen and infected.  Skimper, my colt who was my #1 mount, lunged forward and hung himself on a hook (on the fence that you hook a chain in) and now has a hole in his chest the size of the grand canyon.  So that is it all 3 of the horses I have that know the barrel pattern are sidelined.  My great sister Tammy is going to let me ride her mare, CeeCee, until my wounded get better.  Needless to say it was a rough week.  But, life will go on and it is not the end of the world. 
Quote of the week comes from Travis.  He always tells me "They will not eat us."  Maybe I should explain...all the things that have happened will heal, get better and go away.  They are not going to kill me and in time I will not even remember this bad time. 
Thanks to everyone out there that has been so good to be during this hard time.  When hard times are upon us we learn who our true friends are.
JD
 

 8/13/2005 7:46:52 PM  
 
I am going to start with the quote as things are starting to get desperate in Team Dube.
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, quoted Kansas City Star, June 5, 1977
32nd president of US (1882 - 1945)
Rooster is being so inconsistant you would think he was 4 years old again.  I have almost come to the conclusion that he needs the rest of the year off and I will start fresh on him in January.  I bought a new horse from Delane Morgan in Texas and he will be here tomorrow so I am very excited about that.  He is 7 and been to a few rodeos and was a really nice futurity horse.  I can't wait to get him in my program and see what he has got.  But, I guess until I get it figured out I will just get to continue to be the video girl at the short go's filming Travis. 
On a side note, I has a clinic this week in Milton-Freewater, OR (near Pendleton) and it went great!  I had such a great time and all the girls (and Philip) made leaps and bounds of improvements.  I have to admit that Tracy and Debbie have kicked my butt all week, after being at the clinic Tues. and Wed.  Way to go girls and I look forward to seeing you all down the road!  Thanks again for coming!
JD
 

 7/29/2005 4:29:08 PM  
 
I have had a lot of different experiences during my rodeo career, but Monday at Cheyenne was one of the worst ever.  When I got on Jammy to go watch Travis in the team roping it was just starting to sprinkle.  There are 3 events between team roping and barrels, so after watching Travis I went to warm up and the bottom fell out and it started pouring down rain.  There was no way for us to get out of the rain and the wind was blowing so hard.  As I was standing there before the barrels I looked at my mare and she was the saddest thing I have ever seen, she was had her head about 2 ft. off the ground.  She ran pretty good, considering.  She never picked her head up, even during the run.  As sorry as I felt for myself, I felt even worse for her.  Her is a pciture of Darlene, Lindsey (friends where we are staying in Boulder) and I after our drowning.
We left for Canada that day and continued to drive in storms all night.  We got searched at the Canadian border, but made it through just fine.  Our trip to Canada drew a big blank.  Travis never got to throw this rope.  Rooster yet again surprised me with a new antic.  He never saw the 2nd and went towards the 3rd (a guess you would call that a reverse duck????  not even a description for what he did).  I guess you would say he keeps me on my toes all the time.  I had tuned on him a couple days before I ran, I guess he finally took me serious (are maybe I should say way too serious).  Oh well, I guess at least he didn't duck.  We drove all night and we are back at the Fitch's house in Boulder.  I am sending Rio home to Texas for some R&R for a while (he deserves it).  We are going to rest and practice here until Tuesday and when we are headed to Kansas.  Maybe Toto will have the answers I am looking for (ha, ha). 
Note:  Make sure you take a look at the clinic page, several new ones have been added!!!!  I hope you all get a chance to come, I would love to work with you.  ****Echo clinic is REALLY soon, make sure you get your deposit in to insure your spot!!!!!*****
Quote for the week:  "By nautre, men are nearly alike;by practice, they get to be wide apart."  CONFUCIUS The Confucian Analets (Chinese philosher and reformer 551 B.C -479 BC)
 

 7/25/2005 12:21:17 AM  
 
It seems like I have been around the world since my last entry.  Rooster ran really good at Salt Lake City.  I was too cautious on my first run, but I was just a couple tenths off and really happy that he minded and was a good boy.  I came back in the second go and smoked a run, but just barely caught the second barrel leaving it.  CRAP!  Still bums me out thinking about it.  I would have been sitting really good in the average.  But, he ran good and that was exciting because the only other time I ever went to SLC he did terrible, so that was very encouraging.  So off to Cheyene we went (all night drive).  Thank God Darlene went with me to help me drive, so I would get some rest.  I woke up the next morning sick as a dog and throwing up (my least favorite thing to do in the world), so I was very thankful for Darlene who babied me through it.  If Cheyenne would have been a two barrel contest I would have won hands down, but unfortunetely they took time on all three so that took us out of contention.  Rooster got a little lost on the third and went I tried to take a hold of him it he shook his head (he doesn't take direction very good, he thinks he know where he is going more than I do, and sometimes he is right just not in this case). 
Travis and I caught a flight to Salinas.  My good friend Cassie went and got Jammy a week early and rode her so she would at least not buck me off.  Cas did a great job with her and got her in the arena and worked her so she would have some idea of what we were going to do (she has been turned out since the first of June).  Jammy really impressed me over there.  I placed in the first go, was just out of placing in the third go, but hit a barrel in the second go to keep me from coming back to the short go really high.  Tammy is giving her a ride to Cheyenne and I am going to run her on my second go there tomorrow. 
The quote for this week is a poem sent to me, that reminds me how lucky I am everyday to be out here on the road with my horses living my dream.  Keep dreaming, you never know when you chance will come.  Thanks Amy!!!
Barrel Racing Dreams
I go to work everyday and sit behind a desk
With a fear that causes a pain in my chest
I have this feeling, deep down inside
I can’t get it out of my head; all I want to do is ride
This feeling that I have is so strong it’s calling my name
If I don’t at least try I know I’ll be ashamed
I want to live my life with my horse by my side
Waking up everyday in a gooseneck double-wide
Some may think it’s silly to follow such a dream
But to them I say “Don’t Doubt Me”
My desire is strong and my willingness is great
And I won’t be happy till I run through that gate
 
By:  Amy Alder
 

 7/19/2005 1:34:23 PM  
 
I am going to start with the quote, becuase this is exactly how my last week went.  "If at first your don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again."  Aaliyah
Rooster decieded in Capser that he didn't want to be a barrel horse at all.  It was terrible.  But, after a day off and some regrouping we headed to Sheridan.  Sheridan went better, I hit a barrel but at least we made the pattern and at least looked like we knew what we were doing.  So off we headed to Colorado Springs, with a lot of hope and a little confidence.  I won second in the long go round and I was soooo excited!  I hit a barrel in the short go, but I can deal with that, getting NT's I can not.  I am in Salt Lake City this morning waiting to run in the slack.  I turned out of Nampa yesterday, because it was 1,000 miles in less than 20 hours.  No thank you.  I just tried to make the best decision for me and my horse and Nampa was the one this week that was not a Tour Rodeo so I choose to skip it.
On a side note, we had a lot of fun last week.  We went and floated down the river twice in Casper and it was a blast.   Sheridan is also a fun rodeo, because they have the Indain Relay Races.  If you have never seen them I will try to explain, but I know I will never do it justice.  One Indain jockey in a loin cloth and war paint, 3 Race horses with no saddles and also in war paint, 3 wild laps around the track, one lap on each horse.  The exchange is where the wrecks happen.  The indain rider dismounts the first race horses at a pretty good speed, runs and has to mount the other race horse (remember no saddle so they have to swing up!) and take off as fast as possible.  It is wild and really fun to watch!  If you can ever get a chance go see them, they also have them in Cheyenne. 
Until next time, keep getting up and dusting yourself off.  You can't win if you don't try!!
JD
 

 7/12/2005 1:04:38 AM  
 
I am back in civilization again where I can get online!  Vernal did not go that well, but the horses and I did get some well deserved R&R.  Rooster did the queen's contest in the first round and I hit 2 barrels in the second round on Rio.  But, we are all rested up and recovered from the hard 4th run and ready to go again.  I am in Casper now and I run here tomorrow.  I am also up at Sheridan and Colorado Springs this week, 3 really good rodeos.  I have moved back up to 16th in the standings after the 4th run and am knocking on the door again.  I am hoping I can pull it together and have a good week this week and gain a little momentum going into another big week, next week (Nampa, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne and Salinas).  These next few weeks are critical, my horses feel good and are sound so I am very hopeful. 
I am going to start adding a quote to the end of my diary entries.  Take it or leave it, it is up to you.  They are really more for me, but I want to share with you were I am, how I am feeling, and how I motivate myself.  So here goes.....
"When life seems chaotic, you don't need people giving you easy answers or cheap promises. There might not be any answers to your problems. What you need is a safe place where you can bounce with people who have taken some bad hops of their own."
Real Live Preacher, RealLivePreacher.com Weblog, August 12, 2003
Anonymous author of RealLivePreacher.com
Let me know what you think and what your interpretation is of this quote.  I can't wait to hear your response. 
JD
 

 7/5/2005 12:36:43 AM  
 
I hit a barrel at Cody, but surprisingly so did all but 1 girl in my perf.  Guess I just choose the wrong night to go.  We drove all night and got to Greeley about 6 AM and put the horse up and let them and us rest until noon.  Rooster ran outstanding in the short go (I won 3rd in the short and 3rd in the average).  He stumpled at the 1st, but recovered great and I was really proud of him.  It was his best run of the week, despite all the hauling and runs he finished like a true champion.  I gathered up 26 tour points (more than I got total out of 10 winter tour rodeos)!!!!!  So that is a great start for the Summer Tour and that is really exciting. 
My Mom flew home this evening and I was sad to see her go, because I am not sure when I may see her again, it may be months.  But, Dad couldn't function without her anymore.  I haven't seen Travis in 8 days and I will meet him in Vernal tomorrow, and I can't wait, I miss him and my bulldog very much!
I want to sent a special thank you out to my wonderful extended family (which includes the my future in laws the Woodard's) who have all sacraficed and given so much to me over the last week to make sure me and my horses were at our best everywhere we went.  I love you all very much and I couldn't do it without you, you all deserve just as much of the spotlight as Rooster and I do, but never get it.  Rodeo is so much more than a nice horse and a good rider.   It is the long sleepless nights, bad ground, unfair conditions, blowing tires at 3 AM, taking cold showers, living on vitamins and banana because that is all you have time to eat.....seeing the world one rodeo at a time, laughing at stupid pictures (thanks Erika), meeting great new people that will be friends for a lifetime (thanks Sue and Reba), pulling it together on the last run of a long week and finally showing your true colors, and thanking god that you love your life, horses and family when you close your eyes at the end of every day.  I wish all of you that same feeling.
JD
 

 7/3/2005 12:45:45 PM  
 
A want to start by sending a special thank you out to Dave and Sue McDonald in Canby, OR for taking such good care of my Mom and my horses.  Sue you have no idea how much it means to me that you opened up your home to my family.  My Mom had such a wonderful time with you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Rio did outstanding at Molalla.  I was winning 1st after all the slack had run.  There were 40 left to go in the perfs, so hopefully I will get a good check.  It had rained and they put pine shavings in the ground (very interesting choice) so I am not sure what the ground is going to do as it dries out.  I hit a barrel at St Paul, but it really didn't matter because they hand flagged the whole performance and only the first girl out ran a fast time and all the other times where really slow.  It was very disappointing that such a big rodeo, with so much money added, couldn't get the timers working and opted to flag it.  But, that is rodeo sometimes you are on the good side of those things and sometimes you are on the bad.
It took us 15 hours to get from St Paul to Livingston, MT, really long....  Rooster ran good at Livingston, but I was too slow to win anything, but at least he worked and that made me feel better after Oakley.  We are off to Cody tonight.  Cody is the biggest one of the week, so I am hoping it is going to all come together at the right time.  My Mom and Darlene are with me so they are doing all the driving and taking care of the horses so I can rest, what a life saver!!!  I am making the short go at Greeley still, so I will have to drive all night tonight to get back there.  I will report back after Greeley, thanks for stopping by.
JD
 

 6/30/2005 12:39:35 PM  
 
Greeley went really good for Rooster and I.  We are placing 4th in the first go, 8th in the second go, and sitting 5th in the average.  Looks like we will be back there on the 4th for the short go!!!  This will be the first tour round I have made all year, so I am really excited!!!  We worked really nice, despite less than perfect ground conditions.  Erika hit a barrel on her first run and Smokey almost completely fell down at the first barrel on her second run.  Darlene Woodard (Travis's mom) flew in to help us drive to Oakley, UT. 
Oakley went really good for Erika, she was sitting 5th when we left with only 30 girls left to run.  Rooster missed the first barrel and I pulled up.  He went on strike last night, he is head half way on Livingston, MT today and will go the rest of the way tomorrow.  He will get 3 days off to rest and get back on track.
Erika and I are on a plane right now head for Portland.  Both our Mom's will be waiting to pick us up.  We are up at Molalla and St Paul tomorrow.  We are tired, hungry, and a little testy but we are having fun and winning so I guess it is all worth it when the day is done.  I will report back in a couple days.
JD
 

 6/26/2005 5:36:45 PM  
 
We are on the road again, heading from Reno to Greeley to start our 4th of July run.  Travis, Erika and I are driving Rooster and Smokey (Eriks's horse) to Greeley.  My Mom flew into Reno this morning and her and Erika's mom, Linda, are heading towards some friends house in Canby, OR.  Mom has Rio and T (Erika's new horse) and they are going to be turned out and resting until Thursday thanks to my friends the McDonald's.  Erika and I run Monday and Tuesday nights at Greeley.  After we get done Tuesday night we will head toward Oakley, UT, but we will take our time getting there because the slack at Oakley isn't until 5 PM on Wednesday.  I will keep you updated on the plan and how we are doing.
Reno was good and bad.  Rio made two really good runs and I didn't make it back.  He worked great the first go, but a bad stumple at the 3rd barrel cost us from getting a check and ultimetly making the short go.  We were a 17.43 and it took a 17.3 to place.  The second go round was a little better and we ran a 17.3, but he still felt like he was scrambling behind the barrels.  So, I went back to Stockton for 4 days and Rob Dugo by great horse shoer, worked with me and we changed Rio's front shoes for more traction.
I was really proud of Erika at Reno.  It was the first time she had run T (registered Rocket's Day Dream and trained by Terri Alexander) at a rodeo since she bought him.  She was a nervous wreck the first go and went too slow, but he worked nice and she was a 17.5.  She lost a stirrup and it fouled her up really bad, being unfamilar with T.  But, in the second go she ran a 17.1, but caught the 3rd barrel.  Even though it was a little disappointing, it was very exciting that they did so good with each other and I can see a ton of successful in their future.
This is a busy week, but I will update you as much as I can.  I have really high hopes for this week, being that both of my horses seem like they are on top of their games.
 

 6/24/2005 1:34:20 AM  
 
Ok lots of news, so I will break it up over several days, so keep checking back for updates.  I am also doing a Question and Answer tomorrow (Friday 24th at 2 PM central time) on www.barrelhorseworld.com so please come if you can.
First, Rooster's EPM test results came back positive.  He was in the 75 percentile (which from what the vets explain is pretty high).  So after discussion with the vets at UC Davis, my vets in Texas, my vet is California, and a Bayer executive we have decieded to give him a double dose for 28 days.  I am very hopeful that this is going to finally rid Rooster of the EPM that has plagued us for a year and a half.  The best thing is if I can completely kill it, hopefully we will NEVER have to treat it again or constantly fight the symptoms.  So that is very exciting to me.
My e-mail is finally up and running, so please feel free to us the contact tab at any time.  I will be checking my e-mails almost daily (as my rodeo schedule permits, in other words if my wireless internet works where I am I will be on, if not it may be a couple days).  Thanks for stopping my and stay tuned for more.......
 

 6/15/2005 10:10:39 PM  
 
Well.....Rooster and I spent 3 1/2 long hours at UC Davis today where we saw an optomoligist and a neurologist.  Seems that all of Rooster's vision problems stem from the optic nerve, not his actual eye.  So basically there is nothing they can do to improve his vision.  But, the neurologist is running a new test (that just have been developed) that tests for EPM through blood work.  He thinks that Rooster may still have a low grade EPM infestion.  That may expain why he runs so good for a few months after I treat him with EPM medication, but steadily get worse as the infestation gets worse again.  They are thinking (if the test confirms their suspecians) that Rooster may need 3 months of treatment instead of the typical one month.  This may explain the fluxuation for his symptoms throughout the year.  So there is a small light at the end of the tunnel and Rooster and I are running as fast as we can to reach it......
I will keep you posted.  The test results should be back tomorrow.
JD
 

 6/12/2005 4:51:15 PM  
 

Hello,
I have just returned from Sisters, OR and it went really good.  Rio ran outstanding and I was winning 3rd when I left, with only 20 to still run.  Hopefully I will get a good check, which would be great.  I am heading to Reno this week and we run the first go round Friday, June 17th.  I am going to run Rio-he just loves Reno and Rooster really hates it!  My good friend Erika Harper will be meeting up with me there.  Erika will be traveling with me this summer and I think will are going to have lots of fun and WIN A LOT!!!!  As soon as we run on Friday we will load up the other set of horses and heading to Utah.  We are up at Delta, UT Saturday morning in the slack and we are up Saturday night in the performace at Pleasant Grove, UT.  We will spend the night and then head back to Reno on Sunday.  Monday is the Bob Fiest Invitational (BFI) team roping and I wouln't miss seeing Travis rope there for the world.  We make our second go round run at Reno on Tuesday the 21st.  So that is where I will be for the next couple weeks.  Reno is one of my favorite rodeos so I am can't wait to get the summer started!
I have an appointment for Rooster Wednesday with an optomoligst.  I am really excited to see what they have to say.  They may possibily be able to put a contact in his eye to help with him vision.  I will let ya'll know how it goes......
Jackie
 

 6/7/2005 3:38:54 PM  
 
Hello,
Thanks for stopping my my website, thing are starting to shape up.  Keep checking back for update and more fun information.  Clinic dates, horses for sale, and more pictures are on there way.
Things are going good.  Rooster is coming back from a well deserved rest and will be back running in the next couple of weeks.  He is fat and sassy and I hope he will come back running good for the summer run.  Rio is back from injury and running good.  I placed in both rounds and the average at Santa Maria last weekend.  He is going to Sisters, OR this weekend and then on to Reno.  I have a new addition to my crew.  Her name is Jammy and she is 6.  I set an arena record on her in Ceres, CA-but things at the rodeos are a little scary.  She is going to be great with time and experience and I am really excited about her.
I am enjoying my last few days at home in Stockton before I am off chasing the road....
Thanks for stopping by-Happy Trails!
Jackie