Jim Bound Breaks Record For Most Select World Titles

AQHA Publicity

By: Abigail Boatwright for AQHA

Jim Bound knew this Adequan® Select World Championship Show could be one for the books. Just two gold trophies short of tying the record for exhibitor with the most Select world championships, Jim brought two horses to compete in four events. He is also only the second exhibitor in the history of the 17-year show to have won the all-around title three years in a row. So, he had his sights set on breaking a couple of records. His chances were good, but one never knows.

“I wanted to keep going until I tied the record (for most world championships by exhibitor),” Jim says.

Not one to put all his eggs in one basket, he brought two of his best mounts.

Jim won tie-down roping with Bound To Paint Chex, aka “Sweetcorn,” and then tied the record by winning breakaway roping with the 9-year-old palomino gelding. The pair placed 10th in stake race.

With Bound To Be Dun, the horse Jim won the 2018 Select all-around titleon, Jim was fifth in breakaway roping, fourth in tie-down roping and fourth in stake race. To be eligible for the all-around title, Jim had to qualify and run his horses in another event category, so he chose stake race.

Then, Jim got Sweetcorn and Bound To Be Dun, aka “Herbie,” back to the finals in heading, and that’s where he broke the long-standing world championships by exhibitor record.

He made a fair run on Sweetcorn, tying with Butch Morgan for first place and a potential run-off. However, Jim and Herbie were the last in the go for the finals.

“Herbie slipped by them and won it,” Jim says. “It was pretty exciting – probably the most exciting win I’ve ever had here.”

So Sweetcorn ended up reserve world champion in heading and Herbie was the world champion.

Herbie, bred by Jim’s wife, Lisa Lubbert, is a 2008 red dun gelding by the Hollywood Dun It son Dun It Gotts Gun and out of Smart Peppy Lena mare Not Dun Cookin. Jim says Herbie has been slowly taking his place in his string as an excellent rope horse, replacing Bound To Cash Chex, “Lily,” whom Jim rode to his first two Select all-around titles. Lily and Sweetcorn are owned by Jax Bound, Jim and Lisa’s daughter, and Herbie is owned by son JB Bound.

“For years, I hauled Lily – everybody’s fan favorite,” Jim says. “She won the all-around for me twice, and five world championships. She really got me going. Herbie was always tagging along, he was always second fiddle, my backup horse. But he’s really grown into himself and he’s done tremendous the past few years.”

Last year, Jim and Herbie won tie-down roping, heading and heeling to secure the show’s all-around title.

“He’s a nice horse – anybody can ride him. Anybody’s friend can ride him,” Jim says. “He’s probably the best scoring horse I’ve ever had. He backs into the box every single time, and wants to go catch them. He can face the hat off your head.”

Jim says the road to becoming the winningest Select exhibitor was paved with the help of countless friends, family and fellow horsemen: wife Lisa, daughter Jax, and sons JB and Colton, who are preparing his horses for the Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show.

“If it wasn’t for those guys, we couldn’t go anywhere,” Jim says.

He also is thankful for the headers and heelers who have helped him along the way, especially Zane Bruce.

“Zane has been consistently helping me,” Jim says. “When I’ve got Zane there, I just try to show the horse to the best of my ability, and I know Zane is going to clean it up and make it look as good as possible. I’m really confident when I have a person like him to rope with.”

The Adequan® Select World is one of Jim’s favorite shows.

“I want to thank AQHA – this is a great show,” Jim says. “If you haven’t been to the Select (World Show) it’s probably the greatest show all year.”