Jarrell Jackson – Hands-on Horseman
by Susan Winslow
Jarrell Jackson with Suzonne Franks is victorious at the 2012 AQHA World Show
Fierce competitor, conscientious judge, dedicated breeder, trainer and coach Jarrell Jackson is the owner of Jarrell Jackson Show Horses. He is a true modern horseman, combining a Bachelor Of Science degree in Equine Studies and Reproduction with hands-on, paid-your-dues experience, resulting in one of the top Halter horse breeding, training and showing operations in the country. Originally located in north-central Louisiana, Jarrell Jackson Show Horses have earned multiple World Championships, Reserves and Top Tens in the AQHA, AQHYA, PHBA, ABRA, IBHA World Shows, the AQHA Select World Show, as well as the All-American Quarter Horse Congress.
In the spring of 2013, a partnership was formed with Three Nails Ranch, when Billy and Suzonne Franks decided they wanted to do more than show halter horses. They wanted to develop the best horses, and they wanted someone to head that operation with intelligence, integrity and a true devotion to the horse. Jarrell Jackson was their first and only choice, and soon Three Nails Equine Facility was up and running. Jarrell smiles at the memory of meeting Billy and Suzonne Franks, the owners of Three Nails Ranch, “When I met Suzonne, she said to me, ‘I remember you back when you were in 4-H’. I haven’t been a 4-H kid in a long while. To know I left a positive note on someone that’s come back around to me, that’s something.”
With a new home base located on the 1800 acre Three Nails Ranch in Cisco, Texas, this Louisiana cowboy’s goal is to roll out some of the best young stock in the halter arena. As the new manager of Three Nails Equine Facility, his dedication to producing world class halter horses “from the ground up” has come to it’s fruition. The culmination of a dream that took shape in his youth, his involvement with 4-H gave him the opportunity to immerse himself in horses with access to all the disciplines.
Spending his youth on horseback whenever possible, he says, “My mom, Nancy Weinberger, wasn’t a rider, but my dad, Tommie Jackson, showed Open on a limited basis. Both of them really supported my love of horses and competition.” He pauses, then laughs, “If the arena gate was open, I showed it!” At the age of 15, Jackson was soaking up knowledge from the more experienced horse people around him, developing the drive that would lead him to a career focused on the development and promotion of halter horses. He recalls, “I got to watch some of the greatest horsemen and I knew I wanted to do what they did.”
It was a dedicated young man who set his sights on college, earning a BS in Equine Science with a minor in Equine Reproduction from Louisiana Tech. He remembers the many people who helped him along the way including Ted Parker. He says, “Ted was a close family friend, second father and a mentor to me through 4-H, high school and college.” In college, he was also given the opportunity to serve an internship with JD Blondin, Past President of the AQHA. Jackson counts Blondin among the most influential people in his life. He says, “It was an amazing experience working for him. I started out cleaning stalls in the mare barn for JD, and I just watched, listened and learned.”
Jarrell worked his way up to managing the stud barn at the farm, eventually training the halter horses as well as running the cattle business on the ranch. He recalls, “It was an amazing experience. JD had a large cattle operation and we worked the cattle with ranch horses. We’d be out in the saddle 9 -10 hours a day, and those horses meant the world to us. Not only were they well-trained, they were integral to the success of the day to day operation of the farm. JD had a great influence on my ethics in this industry, and he taught me the importance of starting with quality stock, believing in that stock, and choosing the right mares to complement the characteristics of the stallion. The people I worked for while I was at JD’s also had a strong impact on me. Bobby Harrison and Alan Pellegrin were important role models. Later on, at the first registered show where I judged as a carded judge, Alan Pellegrin showed in my class, and I always thought that was such an interesting turn of events.” Click Here To Read The Complete Article From The Equine Chronicle August/September, 2013 Issue – EC August/September, 2013
For more information on Jarrell Jackson, visit www.jarrelljackson.com Telephone: 318-348-3492 email: jjacksonshowhorses@yahoo.com For more information on 3 Nails Ranch, visit www.threenailsranch.com
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