Renewed Interest in Jerry Wells Memorial Halter Futurity For 2014

6/3 UPDATE: Click here to view complete results and payouts.

By: Brittany Bevis

Approximately 30 competitors and 60 class entries gathered in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 31st for the 13 classes that made up the 2014 Jerry Wells Memorial Scholarship Halter Futurity. Show proprietor Betty Wells was thrilled to see an increase in participation and renewed interest in the Futurity after the event was unfortunately cancelled in 2013 due to tornado damage that shut down the Redbud Spectacular.

The Equine Chronicle is proud to have been the presenting sponsor of the Futurity since 2009. Now, in the show’s fifth year, the essence of the late, great, pioneer Jerry Wells could be felt around the ring at an event that carries on his legacy and promotes the future of the halter horse industry.

“As a board member of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association, I’ve always been on the Futurity committee,” Wells says. “We’ve always had some kind of futurity. Then, we stopped them for a while due to lack of participation. After Jerry passed away, Luke Castle and Wayne Halvorson said we needed to do something to honor Jerry. That’s how this all came about.”

“Every year is different. This year, we had a lot of new people that I’d never seen before: from Monte Horn’s customers, who just bought a new stallion, to Ramona Caldwell, who had one in every class. We had a lot of new people participate, which I thought was really great.”

In addition to the approximate $30,000 purse that was paid out at the event, Futurity participants were treated to plenty of extra awards and fun prizes, courtesy of the show’s generous sponsors.

“We had lots of giveaways and prizes that people had given us,” Wells says. “We gave every exhibitor an extra $100 dollars over and above what they won. So, each exhibitor in the youth and the open that participated got $100. First and second place got trophies. Shorty’s Hattery gave us four, beautiful hat cans with the Futurity name on them. We had a gift certificate from Showtime and four $50 gift cards from Tener’s in Oklahoma. Good Ride gave us three $100 gift certificates. Each exhibitor got a $5 gift card for Earl’s BBQ, just down the road from the fairgrounds. We had two, one-night stays at the Embassy Suites that we gave away. WCHA gave us halters to give to each class winner, and everybody got a Futurity medal.”

New to the Futurity this year was the addition of a Select division for competitors age 50 and over, which was well-recieved. Back again from 2013 was the Best of Show title, which was awarded to Angela Ryan. For her efforts, Ryan received the title, a beautiful engraved glass trophy, and a check for $1,000.

“We brought out two judges from the audience [to judge the Best of Show] to join Russ Smith, that were AQHA-approved, Jason Smith and Jerri Harmon,” she says. “We surprised Jerri and had her judge the youth as well.”

Classes at the Futurity included Limited Open Colts, Non-Pro Colts, Select Amateur Colts, Limited Open Geldings, Non-Pro Geldings, Select Amateur Geldings, Limited Open Fillies, Non-Pro Fillies, Limited Non-Pro Fillies, Youth Geldings, Limited Youth Geldings, Youth Mares, Limited Youth Mares, and the Best of Show competition. Official results are currently being tabulated and will be posted right here on EquineChronicle.com very soon.

While the talented exhibition of halter horses and the gathering of friends, both new and old, is always something to be looked forward to at the Futurity, one of the best parts for Mrs. Wells is having the chance relive old memories and hear new stories about the man she loved.

In fact, a portion of the Jerry Wells Futurity website has been set aside for people to share their stories and memories of Jerry. If you have a memory you’d like to share, please visit www.jerrywellsquarterhorses.com/stories.html. Here’s what a few had to say…

“It was at the Congress back in the 70s. I was about 10 or 11. I’m 54 now, anyway, my halter gelding was eating me up [while I was] trying to get him ready to show. Out of nowhere, Jerry stepped in, got hold of my horse, straightened him out, gave me a quick lesson, and walked away. I got to thank him in 2001 at the Paint World. I was taught a lesson that day that changed my life: always take time to look out for and help others. I never really had a dad, but that day my direction in life changed.”- Mike Seay- Yoakum, TX.

“I will never forget spending the summer with Betty and Jerry. I was only 16 that year, and Jerry took me under his wing and helped teach me what I needed to know to become a better horseman. Jerry was always my idol. Not only was he a great horseman, but he was even a better human being. From that day forward, every time I saw Jerry, he would go out of his way to speak and offer assistance if needed. Thank you for the influence you have had in my life. I hope someday I can be half the man Jerry was.”- Michael Allen- Houston, TX.

“When I brought my first first mares to breed, I told Jerry that I knew a lot about show cattle but very little about horses. I asked him for a ‘rule of thumb.’ Those statements are on wooden plaques hanging in my office, and I refer to them often.

Jerry said:

• Buy the BEST horse you can afford to buy WORTH THE MONEY!
• You’ll never pay too much for a good one; you’ll ALWAYS PAY TOO MUCH FOR A POOR ONE.
• Who are they by, what are they out of, and what have they ever done?
• You must be completely COLOR BLIND. Some of the best horses have been passed up on because of color.

As the years went by, he truly became a friend and answered any question I asked. My success in winning is largely the result of his great advice.”- Ivan Harder