Chafin Performance Horses – A New Twist on an Old Tradition
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By Sue Winslow
It’s always exciting to return home from a big show with a new horse or big prize, but this past year, Jim and Heather Chafin put a new twist on this tradition. When points were tallied at the end of this year’s Reichert Celebration, Jim Chafin won the High Point Trainer Award. Along with the honor, the Reichert family presented him with a brand new Smartcar. Jim recalls the event with his characteristic modesty. “It was pretty exciting,” he says. “I’m so grateful to the Reichert and my clients. I’m blessed to work with such great people and horses. It’s been a good year for our clients and us.”
It’s also been a very busy year. Jim and Heather are the owners of Chafin Performance Horses in Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, a town nestled in the northwest corner of the state about an hour west of Punxsutawney. The couple specializes in futurity horses, Halter, Longe Line, Western Pleasure, Showmanship, Western Riding, Trail, and Hunter Under Saddle. This team has decades of experience in a wide variety of disciplines that they share with their clients. Both Jim and Heather grew up in horsey families and were active in AQHYA competition. When she was young, Heather was the AQHYA Rookie of the Year in the 11 and Under division, top 5 at the Quarter Horse Congress, and had multiple national top 5 standings. She also had a strong mentor in her beloved grandfather, the late John Herold. “I always wanted to make him proud,” she says. “He had so much belief in me, and he drove me to always work harder and push myself.” John was also very active in the Thoroughbred racing industry.
Heather credits her success to many people who helped her along on her journey. Darlene Trein and the late Jim Becker Sr. are part of a long list of mentors Heather has always looked up to since her start in the Quarter Horse industry.
Jim also grew up in the saddle, helping with the horses and competing extensively with his parents, Jim and Sandy Chafin, owners of C Bar C Quarter Horses in Ohio. Both Jim and Heather attribute their success in the equine industry to the support and encouragement they received from their parents as they were coming up through the youth ranks. Jim, who placed in the top five at the Youth World and also has had many top Congress, Tom Powers and Reichert Celebration wins, also gives credit for his success as an adult to Gil Galyean and Dan Trein, who have inspired him with their professionalism, strong work ethic, and humble manner.
“Dan has always been someone I look up to,” he says. “I have so much respect for the longevity this man has had in this business. Not only is he an incredible horseman, he is a gentleman through and through, much like my dad. Dan’s encouragement along the way has meant a lot to me as I was starting out in this business.” Jim points out that his parents have been a guiding force in both his life and career. “My parents were definitely the most important influence on me. Dad’s work ethic and integrity made a huge impression on me, and often in my daily work, I think, ‘What would Dad do in this situation?’”
The couple lives with their six-year-old daughter, Addyson, on a bucolic 107-acre paradise that was formerly an apple farm. With a mixture of orchards, forest, and fields, the farm has 10 acres of turnout and 30 acres of trails. The heated show barn has stabling for 38 horses along with a spacious 80’ x 180’ indoor arena. The enormous 100’ x 200’ outdoor arena has a four-horse hot walker in the center. Jim and Heather also have a 12-stall broodmare barn to coincide with their new breeding program.
The couple works with riders of any age and ability, and they specialize in helping pair riders with the right horses. Jim says, “This can be an intimidating sport for people who are novices, and I feel it’s the trainer’s job to welcome new people into the sport; that’s how we support and grow the industry,” he says. “I enjoy working with new riders as well as more experienced riders competing at the elite level. When helping a client find the right horse, I evaluate that rider for strengths and weaknesses. Then, I find a horse most suitable for that person in temperament and athletic ability. I work with my clients to set realistic goals, and it’s very rewarding when I see them reach those goals and excel. We also want our customers to have fun getting there.”
Jim has great respect for the horses as well. He explains, “These horses are amazing creatures in that they can adapt to the needs of our riders. I had one rider, years ago, who had no use of one of her legs, so I taught her horse to take each lead through leg aids on one side of the body, and they did very well together. It’s incredibly rewarding for Heather and I to work with our clients and their horses and see them reach their goals. I get a real sense of accomplishment when molding a horse into a show animal, by gaining that animal’s trust and working with it to develop its potential. I feel the same way about working with our clients. The pride Heather and I feel in each of their accomplishments, whether it’s a win at the World Show, the Quarter Horse Congress, or a ribbon at the Novice Championship. Shows like the Novice Championship are wonderful venues for getting new people involved in the sport, and that’s important for the future of our industry.”
This year, the team at Chafin Performance Horses brought home impressive titles including two Reserve Championships at the Congress, eight top ten finishes, and three top five finishes. A bittersweet win for Heather and Jim would have to be the Reserve Championship in the Open Western Longe Line with their home-grown filly, Lopin My Blaze Off, for new owner Deb Maier. Heather says, “From day one, we knew she was a special filly, but you try not to be barn blind. I think you have to be extra critical of the ones you breed, because there is already a bond there that might sway your opinion a bit. We’ve always thought she was a great one, but when the judges at the Congress agreed, it felt amazing!” Heather loves babies, and training and showing Longe Line prospects. “There is so much room for error,” she says. “They’re babies at the end of a rope, so you walk a fine line prepping them to make sure you don’t over-prep or under-prep, but it’s so much fun when you have a great go and get noticed for it! I think it’s the same feeling for Jim. He loves the futurity horses, especially the 2-year-olds. He was top ten in the 2-Year-Old Stakes Western Pleasure this year at the Congress, and it’s a great sense of accomplishment when your work and training gets noticed.”
This will be a busy year for the breeding program at Chafin Performance Horses, with 15 babies expected between January and March. Jim is excited about the endeavor, saying, “We chose 15 top quality broodmares and crossed them with some of the top stallions in the industry. We’re excited to see what we get this year. We have some great mares bred, and it’s always fun to see what comes of the crosses you have personally chosen.”
With such a busy schedule, Jim and Heather are living a life of full immersion in the horse industry. The couple doesn’t have any reservations about that, because it’s the life they have worked hard for. Jim explains, “Horses account for 95% of our life. When the show season is over, it’s time for foaling season, then breeding season, so there really isn’t any ‘down time’ for us. Heather and I were both raised to embrace hard work, and we enjoy what we do. When we have that other 5% of free time, we focus it on Addyson and family activities.”
He laughs with pride when he describes his daughter’s mixture of determination and drive. “Her favorite thing to say is, ‘I can do it, Daddy,’ and sure enough, she does,” he laughs. “Mom and Dad don’t have to do anything to get her horses ready to ride, because she’s a really good hand in the barn. She’s about three feet tall, and she can catch her own horse, lead it to the cross ties, brush it, clean its feet, and climb on. She can even longe her horse. We want her to have the same values about horses that we were raised with, so we encourage her to be involved and she loves it. The only thing she can’t do is swing the saddle up on its back. We’re so grateful to Joni Gainey for sharing her Double Superior Western Pleasure mare, She’s My Version, with us. Addyson has scouted that mare around the pen like a pro, and she’s a big mare, standing 16.1 hands. She’s a great mare and Addyson has learned a lot with her. Heather and I are really proud of Addyson, and one of my favorite things is to watch her do well at a show because she sits up there and looks like she’s been doing it for years. She’s having fun out there, which makes it even better.”
The couple has embraced their horse-centered lifestyle in a way that makes it both a job and a passion. Jim says, “It’s an interesting career because you have to be both a good businessman as well as a good horseman. No matter what type of business you’re in, if you’re a business owner, you’re married to it. Having people like Heather’s parents and my parents as examples of integrity and a strong, successful work ethic has really helped. I know that by working with our clients, it’s very rewarding to watch them develop the confidence to emerge into great horsemen. When they win, it’s more rewarding than when we win, because you have helped them achieve a goal, so it all pays off. Heather and I are truly blessed to be able to do something we love so much.”
For more information about sales, coaching, and training at Chafin Performance Horses, visit them on Facebook or at www.chafinperformancehorses.com.
Email: chafinperfhorses@aol.com Telephone: Jim (330) 720-4893; Heather (724) 244-9263.
Address: Chafin Performance Horses
1007 Millbrook Road, Jackson Center, PA 16133.
