Jet Powered Threat, 1999 Supreme Versatility Champion, is another example of the backyard versatility of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Bred from Jet of Nights crossed with Bay Powers Joy, a breeding selected by Betty Rugman. He was born on a spring evening while the Rugmans and friends enjoyed hamburgers from the grill. The next morning when he went outside for the first time he picked up his nickname of Jerry (short for Jeremiah) when he jumped around like a bullfrog.

Jerry grew and played for the next two years in the pasture in front of the house. Soon after his second birthday he was started under saddle by Blanchard Poole at Poole Training Center. After 5 weeks he was home again and exhibited for the first time at the Rugman’s TWH Open house. That summer he was ridden a few times but mostly just allowed to mature. By his fourth birthday he was back at Poole Training Center learning to canter under saddle. That summer he competed in many shows with Betty Rugman riding and George doing grooming duties. His show record was good enough to get him into the versatility top 10 that year. Because Betty was going to ride another horse in the canter classes the next summer, George decided to get away from all the hard work of grooming and learn to ride Jerry in the canter classes.

After a few months of lessons, the first show was going smoothly as most disasters seem to do at first. The English Lite-Shod class went ok, but then in the Western class George kept the judge awake by nearly running over him while trying to neck rein. Needless to say, there weren’t any ribbons in that class! Things seemed to come together by mid summer and a few more months of riding lessons. By fall there were some placings worth talking about.

That year at a pleasure show when they sat watching Mary Helen Coleman Martin and the Comninaki sisters compete in versatility classes, Betty and George decided there was a lot the were missing by just going around and around in the show ring pleasure classes. Driving instructions for the horse and rider were a start. Simple lead changes and then flying lead changes were followed by shoulder-ins with haults, sliding stops and pivots as the pair learned more about riding. Debbie Poole, George’s riding instructor told him not to worry about Jet Powered Threat because he cold do all of those moves if George just didn’t mess him up. What a confidence builder that can be! After some practice and a lot of encouragement, Jet Powered Threat and George started getting placings and points in these versatility classes. A trip to the 1998 International taught them what they had to do to place in the ribbons in these classes.

With the start of the 1999 show season, Jerry and George needed seven points in Pleasure Driving, Western Riding or Reining to achieve their goal of Supreme Versatility Champion. Watching Morgan Comninaki finish Belveu’s Power Play at the STARS show and Donna Moss finish Noon’s Delight at the TWHBEA Versatility show made them even more hungry for the honors. What a surprise it was when Jerry was tied with the blue ribbon in the Western Riding class at the International just 2 days later pushing him over the top. One more showing at the Palmetto Pleasure Horse Classic in the fall and Jerry’s shoes were pulled to give him a well deserved rest. He has led a life of semi-retirement with about one trail ride per month just to stretch his legs. He lives in the pasture next to the back yard, not far from where it all started.

I would like to thank George for contributing Jet Powered Threat's photograph & story, giving us the opportunity to know this extraordinary Champion Tennessee Walking Horse.

Return to Sunset Acres

Adult Supreme Champions

Youth Superior Champions

Tennessee Walking Horse Stallion Showcase
 
Shows & Events  *  Horseman's Directory