At 24 years old, EquiStat $6 million sire Blazin Jetolena passed away January 17, 2023, of an unexpected cardiac event.

Owner Andrea Busby shared to Facebook:

“We hoped this day would never come but the inevitable has arrived.

It is with profound sadness we share the news that Blazin Jetolena passed away last night. He died peacefully of a sudden cardiac event at 11:05 p.m.

It is impossible to convey something that has forever changed your life. The magical ride he has taken us on was more than anything we ever dreamed of. We were so honored to own him, care for him and to simply be in his presence.

The hole this leaves in our hearts and at the ranch is immense. There are a million things that could be said to describe him, but the legacy he leaves us with is more than words could ever say.

He was laid to rest today at the Busby Ranch Headquarters, surrounded by those who cared for him and loved him deeply.”

—> Read more: The Story of Busby Quarter Horses

Blazin Jetolena turning a barrel
Ryan Lovendahl and Blazin Jetolena. Photo by Photo Makers.

As a performer, Blazin Jetolena earned more than $95,000 in EquiStat reported earnings for then-owners Sue and Randy Rist, primarily under trainer Ryan Lovendahl, with about $74,000 of that earned as the EquiStat No. 1 Futurity Horse in 2003. The stallion qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with Melanie Southard in 2005 as well.

As a sire, “Jet” sired a remarkable $6,325,344 in barrel racing money earners. As of his EquiStat report at the time of his death, NFR barrel horse Sheza Blazin Move is his highest earner at $382,664, with Jets Top Gun as the No. 2 earner with $330,859.

PixelWorx
Ryan Lovendahl and Sheza Blazin Move. Photo by PixelWorx

In 2022, Andrea Busby rode Blazin With My Dude to the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo championship, pushing the mare’s earnings over $105,000 and accomplishing a sweet victory for the Busby homebred by Jet. Brittany Tonozzi also rode 5-year-old futurity mare Blazin Babe Olena, by Jet and out of Streakin Six Babe, to over $173,898 in EquiStat reported earnings in 2022, with about $164,000 coming from futurities, including the Blue Collar Breeders Futurity title in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and a reserve championship in the futurity at the Breeders Challenge Championship Finale.

Andrea Busby turns the second barrel at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
Brock, Texas, barrel racer and EquiStat Leading Breeder Andrea Busby won her first Cheyenne Frontier Days championship aboard Busby Quarter Horses-bred and -raised 2015 mare Blazing With My Dude (Blazin Jetolena x Dasher Dude x Texas High Dasher). PRCA photo by Jackie Jensen

Blazin Jetolena’s reach in barrel racing pedigree excellence is also quite prominent as a maternal grandsire, in which he’s produced $1,757,900. Jordon Briggs’ WPRA world champion gelding Famous Lil Jet sits atop that list of offspring at $886,421, according to EquiStat, as a son of Dash Ta Fame out of the Blazin Jetolena mare Blazin Black Beauty. Molly Otto’s NFR mare Teasin Dat Guy is No. 2 with $344,454 in EquiStat career earnings, a daughter of Frenchmans Guy out of Teasin Jetolena by Blazin Jetolena.

Jordon Briggs
World champion Jordon Briggs and Famous Lil Jet en route to their 2022 world title. Photo by Kailey Sullins

It’s likely Jet’s name will also top charts as a leading paternal grandsire, with sons Blazin Honor and A Blazin Dude standing at Busby Quarter Horses. Blazin Jetolena’s legacy won’t soon be forgotten with many current and to-be-seen offspring still winning, producing and making an impact in the barrel racing industry.

Read Blazin Jetolena’s complete obituary feature coming to print in the April issue of Barrel Horse News magazine. Get your copy here.

Author

Blanche Schaefer is an avid barrel racer and managing editor of Barrel Horse News. Email comments or questions to [email protected]

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