Jenny Honey and Katie Chex Your Gun Win Non Pro Working Western Rail Stakes NSBA at the 2024 Congress

By Sarah Welk Baynum:

“This is amazing, because this might be my last Congress!” said Jenny Honey as she left the Taft Coliseum arena holding her first place trophy, beaming.

However, while this might be her last Congress, it is far from her first. She’s also no stranger to the winners circle lately with the mare that helped her win today’s first place title.

Katie Chex Your Gun, known around the barn as Katie, was Honey’s Congress sale purchase a few years back. She purchased her from Cooper Smith, who she can’t recommend enough.

“The older Katie gets, the more she’s coming together—she’s just awesome! She’s six years old now,” says Honey.

The class had several splits, and the final round involved what Honey said felt like endless extended loping and extended trot.

“Obviously it was a very big class, and challenging. I’m very blessed to be able to win that. I give all the glory to God, and I would also like to thank my husband, Jeff Honey, who’s awesome and he helps me tremendously—I could not do it without him,” explains Honey.

But Honey hasn’t always been in the ranch riding discipline, and even got some push back from those close to her when she decided to make the change. “I did Western Pleasure for forever and ever. About ten years ago, I started riding in the ranch discipline, and my family thought I was crazy! I couldn’t say anything at all that was remotely against the pleasure because I still love a good pleasure horse. But now, they’ve all come over to the dark side with me,” says Honey.

Today, Honey rides in the ranch riding, the ranch rail, and the ranch trail. She plans to potentially breed Katie Chex Your Gun to her stallion in the future, but right now, she is really enjoying riding and showing her.

 

Results for the Non Pro Working Western Rail Stakes NSBA presented by Headley Quarter Horses: