Showing and Coaching Non-Pros The Barbra Schulte Show

In this episode, you’ll meet Jay McLaughlin, a Million Dollar winner and Professional Trainer in the National Reined Cow Horse Association. In 2020 he was Reserve Champion in the World’s Greatest Horseman competition. I caught up with Jay at the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Pre-Futurity show in Fort Worth this past summer.

Jay not only excels in the Open class, but he also enjoys teaching Nonpros and Youth – and they excel, too! I know you’ll love hearing his story and what he emphasizes in training horses and coaching his people. He has a simple (as he says “KISS,” keep it simple stupid) but clear philosophy about the way he runs his program. Jay also loves the cutting horse part of reined horse competitions, so being a cutter myself that comment was a big hit with me.

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. I truly admire Jay.

Guest Info

Jay McLaughlin

Jay McLaughlin was born in 1974, into a Missouri family where horses were a primary focus. McLaughlin’s father, Mike, was a versatile professional horse trainer who prepared Quarter Horses for many disciplines, including reining, pleasure, halter, western riding, horsemanship, trail, barrels, poles, and more. His mother, Julann, built a successful 4-H program from the ground up and operated it for decades. McLaughlin credits her for instilling his strong foundation as a rider and competitor.

McLaughlin’s competitive nature served him well as he grew up and followed in his father’s footsteps, starting his professional horse training career at age 18. His initial focus on reining soon turned to the adrenalin-fueled challenge of the reined cow horse.

According to NRCHA records, McLaughlin earned his first reined cow horse paycheck in 1999. Just five years later, in 2004, he made his debut at the Snaffle Bit Futurity, enjoying the success that few first-timers can claim, qualifying for the Open and Intermediate Open Futurity Finals on SS Rosa (Sailing Smart x Snowmans Rose x Snowman Doc), owned by Julie Gibbons.

He credits his wife, Wendy, for her stalwart support during his million-dollar journey, with its inevitable ups and downs.

Besides his status as an NRCHA Million Dollar Rider, McLaughlin’s resume also includes 12 NRCHA and American Quarter Horse Association World Championships. He was the 2013 NRCHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion and the 2015 NRCHA Stakes Open Champion aboard Aaron Ranch’s Blind Sided (Peptoboonsmal x Lil Miss Shiney Chex x Shining Spark), and he has claimed numerous other championships, finals berths, and top placings in reined cow horse and reining.

McLaughlin already has his sights set on becoming an NRCHA 2 Million Dollar Rider and predicts the best is yet to come. “I’m not done, by any means. I’m not going to retire and say, ‘I’ve won what I need to win,’” he said. “At the end of this story, I want you to put, ‘stay tuned,’ because there are going to be some more great horses, I’m telling you. It’s a fun ride!”