Ruby Buckle pays out over $1 million at Eastern Regional Race in Memphis, Tennessee, from October 24-28.
After taking a year off from the Ruby Buckle East Race in 2022, shareholders of what is known as the one of the most lucrative incentives in the barrel racing industry readily gathered back at the AgriCenter Showplace Arena to compete for a guaranteed payout of over $1 million.
Limited to horses sired exclusively by the 100 stallions in the Ruby Buckle incentive, the Ruby Buckle East Race boasted an impressive showing of over 500 entries. Alongside the futurity and derby, the race garnered an impressive Open 4D equal payout and Youth incentive race, giving horses and riders of every age and skill level a chance at thousands of dollars in prize money awarded throughout the course of the week.
Happily Ever After: Futurity Champion Jamey Hunt and Ever Eddie
The men of the futurity barrel horse industry showed out in a big way in Memphis, as professional futurity trainer Jamey Hunt of McAlpin, Florida, captured the Ruby Buckle East Futurity average championship and a total of over $38,000 in futurity and open earnings aboard Ever Eddie, owned by Edwin Cameron and Tiany Schuster.
Like Cullins, it was Hunt’s second-round redemption that secured the average title.
“We were after a big drag in the first round, and I felt like he made a really nice pass, but I thought he didn’t shut the clock off quite like he should have. The ground was pretty heavy and deep that morning,” Hunt explained.
The second day, Hunt rared back, and “Ever” crossed the timer running a 14.908, which won the second round and was the fastest time of the futurity throughout the week. The time secured the winning aggregate time of 30.123 on two runs.
The powerful team has had an electric year, with a big win in the Old Fort Days 5-Year-Old Futurity in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The momentum kicked off the 2018 sorrel gelding’s winning streak for the rest of the year. Ever now has EquiStat earnings of over $60,000, not including his Ruby Buckle East earnings.
“He has been a super solid colt all year. I have probably been what has held him back the most. We tipped quite a few barrels to win a lot of money,” Hunt admitted. “The incentives such as the Pink and Ruby Buckle have really changed the game; they prove that you can still win a lot of money throughout the year regardless of some back luck.”
Similar to Seger, Ever comes from a blue-hen maternal line in Curiocity Corners that has produced winners of more than $1.5 million, including Mary Walker’s Latte, by Dash For Perks, as well as 2021 Old Fort Days Futurity Champion VF Cream Rises and futurity winner VF NFL Draft, who are both full siblings to Ever.
“Along with the incentives, the breeding of winning mares and winning stallions has made such a big difference in the barrel horse industry today. Almost all of this horse’s siblings have been great barrel horses, and he’s no different — he’s a machine; he tries to win every single time,” Hunt said.
There were several great hands involved in the making of Ever, including professional futurity horse trainer and EquiStat $2.5 million rider Cody Bauserman of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, who initially trained Ever on the pattern. He was then purchased by Edwin Cameron and National Finals Rodeo qualifier Tiany Schuster of Krum, Texas, who rode him prior to sending him to Hunt.
“Tiany called me and asked me to take him because he was a little fractious, and she knew I was quiet and would go slow and take my time with him,” Hunt explained.
Hunt’s kind and patient treatment of the gelding as a winner has gone a long way in building Ever’s confidence to make him the horse he is today.
“A big part of my training program is spending individual time with each horse. I try to keep a smaller program, where I can put my hands on each horse every day. I feel like this develops the level of trust in me needed to make them the best they can be,” Hunt said.
Hunt expresses his gratitude toward his team, which he says is essential to his success in and out of the arena.
“My wife Ashley plays a large role in my program, as well as my helper, Emily Melton. Our vet, Dr. Nate Lea, DVM, of Outlaw Equine, keeps the horses in our program sound and feeling their very best,” Hunt said.
Hunt also thanked his sponsors: Oxy-Gen Equine, J&C Bits, Skipper’s Custom Leather, 100X Equine, and sweetpro.com for their contribution and support of his program.
Life In The Fast Lane: Derby Champion Brandon Cullins and MJ Segers Fast Lane
Speaking of some of the best horses going down the road today, MJ Segers Fast Lane and EquiStat $1.7 million professional barrel futurity horse trainer Brandon Cullins of Dublin, Texas, were the highest-money earners of the week, claiming both the Ruby Buckle East Derby and Open average titles for an overall payday of over $41,000.
The dynamic duo had an aggregate time of 29.805 on two runs, in which Cullins turned up the heat by running a 14.768 in the second round of the derby to secure the mare’s derby and open average wins. Their time was the second-fastest of the week behind Carlee Otero and her great gelding Blingolena with a 14.684.
Fresh off an arena record and Derby average title at the Pink Buckle Barrel Race in Guthrie, Oklahoma, a couple weeks prior, the 2017 brown mare owned by Grant and Rayel Little has had a fairytale year with Cullins in the driver’s seat. She’s won five separate derby average titles and over $161,000 as well as the renowned 2023 Barrel Futurities of America Derby Championship.
“Seger,” named after Marcie (Jarvis) Wilson’s daughter, was bred by Mark and Linda Jarvis and is by their immortal stallion The Goodbye Lane.
Aside from being sired by one of the hottest stallions in the barrel racing industry, Seger’s secret weapon is her dam, SKS Running Faucet by Diamond Faucet, who has produced over $400,000 in EquiStat earners and multiple winners in the arena, including Slingshot Lane, the 2022 National High School Rodeo Association Barrel Racing World Champion.
The Jarvises purchased SKS Running Faucet because they bought a colt out of her by Lanes Leinster that they really liked. Upon purchasing the mare themselves, they sought out a son of Lanes Leinster, which happened to be The Goodbye Lane.
The Jarvises called to book the mare to The Goodbye Lane, and instead of buying the stallion fee, they took a chance and bought the stallion himself instead.
The Jarvises’ strong intuition paid off, as The Goodbye Lane has sired over $5 million in earners and continues to dominate the Pink and Ruby Buckle incentive events, with four of the top 10 money earners in the Derby average at the 2023 Pink Buckle sired by The Goodbye Lane.
Seger was purchased from the Jarvis family in 2020 by Grant and Rayel Little of Maricopa, Arizona.
Trained by Rayel, who is a multiple Canadian Finals Rodeo barrel racing champion, a National Finals Rodeo qualifier as well as the 2004 BFA Futurity Reserve Champion aboard Lady Perks, the Littles have a lifetime of success breeding, training and now owning some of the most influential barrel horses in the industry.
Though She Be But Little, She Is Fierce: Youth Champion Dusky Lynn Hall and Aint Seen Famous Yet
No stranger to the winner’s circle, 10-year-old youth barrel racing phenomenon Dusky Lynn Hall, of Huntsville, Texas, was not one to count out throughout the week at Memphis.
The third-generation barrel racer who weighs barely over 50 pounds rose to the top of the leaderboard in the Ruby Buckle East Youth Incentive average and Reserve Champion Open 1D average. She rode Aint Seen Famous Yet to an aggregate time of 29.111 on two runs to win nearly $20,000 in youth and open earnings among some of the best barrel horse trainers in the industry.
Originally trained and campaigned by Amelia McCumber of Atkinson, Nebraska, the 2014 palomino gelding had successful futurity and derby years with McCumber in the saddle. “Wally” garnered EquiStat earnings of over $460,000 and multiple aged-event and open championships.
“I was trying to find another good horse for Dusky Lynn, and my good friend Elyse Busby said that she watched all the live feeds, and if there was any horse she could buy, it would be Wally,” said Dusky Dawn Hall, Dusky Lynn’s mother.
McCumber was reluctant to sell Wally at the time of inquiry. She eventually decided in April of 2023 to consider selling the special yellow gelding to the Halls if she felt it was the right fit.
“We have had a lot of help from Amelia on keeping Wally tuned correctly for Dusky Lynn. I have flown her down several times to ride with Dusky Lynn and show her what she does with him to keep him competing his very best,” Dusky Dawn explained.
Wally is one of four winning horses the Halls have purchased for Dusky Lynn that she is currently competing on.
Dusky Lynn’s string also includes 2015 sorrel mare VF Eysa Famous (Eddie Stinson x VF Eyesa Red Design x Designer Red), who came from NFR qualifier Sarah Rose Waguespack, and 2013 palomino gelding Troublenvrlooksogood (First Down French x Tatango Twist Te x Triple Twist Te) from NFR qualifier Ericka Nelson.
“We have tried really hard to buy nice horses from reputable trainers and jockeys. I wanted to make sure we could get the help we needed on the horses so that Dusky Lynn could win on them also,” Dusky Dawn said.
The final horse in Dusky Lynn’s current string of horses worked hard not to be outdone at Memphis. Jets Letters Ta Abby (Blazin Jetolena x Real Famous Abby x Dash Ta Fame) and Dusky Lynn finished third in the Ruby Buckle East Open 1D average and finished as reserve champion in the Ruby Buckle East Youth Incentive with an aggregate of 29.938 on two runs to cash out over $15,000 in winnings for the week.
The 2014 gelding bred by Busby Quarter Horses, LLC, was trained and ridden to EquiStat earnings of over $127,000 by professional futurity barrel horse trainer Ashley Schafer of Comanche, Texas, including a Pink Buckle Open 1D average title in 2019.
“All the horses we purchased for Dusky Lynn have been in the Pink and Ruby Buckle, because she can win so much money in both the youth and open incentives,” Dusky Hall said.
The dedicated mother explained they are all-in when it comes to setting Dusky Lynn up for success in her future of barrel racing. The young rider has plans to eventually train futurity horses herself as well as barrel race professionally at rodeos.
“We are very grateful to those we have bought horses from for their continued help and support of Dusky Lynn’s success,” Dusky Hall said.
Dusky Lynn and Dusky Dawn thank Dusky Lynn’s father for his support in her barrel racing career, as well Dr. Cody Johnson, DVM, at Elgin Equine Hospital and Carrie Deck for introducing them to the Equiscope to help their horses feel their best.
This article was originally published in the January 2024 issue of Barrel Horse News.
