Fourteen year-old Jack Medows of Cuba, Missouri had an outstanding Congress this year. This past two-time Congress western pleasure rider turned reining competitor won the NYATT Reining and Youth 13 and Under Reining classes with his horse, Wimpys Show Stopper.
Last year during the Congress, Medows rode a reining horse for the first time and was immediately hooked to the adrenaline rush of the spins, slides, increased speed and degree of difficulty involved with being successful in this class. His parents, Amy and Jeff Medows, who are are no strangers to the winner’s circle, bought the palomino five year-old gelding from Shawn Flarida and this renown trainer recommended sending the horse to accomplished NRHA reining trainer, Corey Hendrickson of Rogersville, Missouri. Hendrickson is closer to the Medows’ house, so, Jack could go ride on the weekends. Hendrickson is also known for turning big time open horses into horses that can be shown by non pro, amateurs and youth exhibitors.
Medows has an obvious innate talent with the horses, probably passed on by his parents, and he says he enjoys being around and riding them. This eighth grader at Cuba Middle School is also involved in basketball, and band where he plays the trumpet and guitar as well as actively participates in his youth church group. Jack’s mother, Amy Medows, also says she appreciates the support the school has given Jack in order to be able to participate and be successful in showing horses. His basketball coach and school were very understanding when he had to miss a week of school for Congress.
When we asked what he prefers, basketball or horses, he immediately says horses. “I love meeting kids from all over the country and having friends from different states,” Medows says. “I also don’t have to run or possibly get elbowed in the face when I show horses,” Jack says and laughs.
Jack’s father, Jeff, adds that he likes that horses teach a strong work ethic and responsibility. “It is great clean competition where my son can see his hard work pay off. It is a great place to grow up.”
Medows also placed third in the Reining at the 2011 AQHYA World Show and had the top score heading into the finals. “My horse did really well in the finals but he was really tired,” Jack explains.
According to Jack’s father, Show Stopper is Jack’s favorite horse ever. “He has a hilarious personality, very ornery but loves people,” Jeff says. “He definitely has to have some sort of job every day or he is known to dismantle the automatic waterer in his stall and get himself in trouble.”
Jeff continues, “He loved for Jack to feed him ice after each workout this summer, but after his NYATT run at the Congress, he shared a Poptart and Pepsi with Jack,” he recalls. “Jack has always loved his spins, but is starting to appreciate his stopping ability since Jack has learned to subconsciously quit reverting to his pleasure spur stops. I guess to sum it up; Show Stopper has a huge heart and gives you everything he has.”
His father mentions that his son is very competitive and sat in the stands at the AQHYA World Show and watched the reining competition all day. He watched well over 100 horses before he had the opportunity to show,” he says. “Jack sat by the center marker comparing runs and planning out how he was going to approach his run. Corey, his trainer, and I sat with him for a little while, but we got tired of sitting there–but Jack never did.”
This ambitious young man also is involved with showing pleasure horses and had an amazing year with his futurity horse, Unique Fashion, under the guidance of Mitch and Jennifer Leckey. At the Southern Belle Futurity in Tunica, Mississippi earlier this year, Jack and the mare won the Three Year-Old Breeders Non Pro, Three Year-Old Limited Non Pro, and Leckey won the $200,000 Three Year Old Novice Horse Breeder’s Western Pleasure. Medows and Leckey were also co-champions in two classes at the Top Powers Futurity that was held in June. This past year, Unique Fashion won over $62,000.00 in futurity earnings.
Jack will be a freshman in high school next year and plans to show his reiner in NRHA and AQHA events as well as showing his pleasure mare in the youth pleasure events. We wish him nothing but the best with his horses!
Click here to see Jack’s winning run in the NYATT Reining at the Congress.
Click here to see Jack’s preliminary run at the AQHYA World Show.
Photos © Jeff Kirkbride and Shane Rux
