The Trainer's Wife

Jennifer Bishop

A podcast dedicated to celebrating the wives, and on occasion the husbands, of horse trainer’s in the western equine industry. For 35 years I’ve watched talented, successful, brave, beautiful women pour themselves into their husbands careers. These women not only manage and build his business, they manage and build their own as well. This podcast is about exploring not only what these women bring to complex relationships, but how they continue to be strong, resilient and independent while not losing themselves or being swallowed by their husbands careers.

  1. 2D AGO

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Kailey Gay ~ Episode, 35

    One of the things I hear over and over from women in this industry is this: “We love this life… but it’s a lot.” It’s a lot to support it.To build around it.To raise kids in it.And to figure out who you are inside of it. Today’s conversation with Kailey Gay is one I think a lot of you are going to recognize yourselves in. Kailey and her husband, Jason, have built their life in the Western equine world—balancing his career in the show pen with everything that comes with raising kids, managing a household, and the day-to-day behind the scenes. We talk about family, career, moving away from where you started, and what it looks like to grow into this role—not just as a trainer’s wife, but as a woman building a life alongside it. If you’ve ever felt the weight and the beauty of this lifestyle at the same time…this one will feel familiar. SHOW NOTES: Jason Gay Training AniCell Biotech Show Sponsor - Shorty's Caboy Hattery Finding Center Retreats Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    1h 55m

  2. APR 26

    The Trainer's Wife - Collage Cast!

    This episode is a collection of real moments from conversations with women across the western equine industry. Different lives… same themes:– carrying the behind-the-scenes weight– navigating pressure and expectations– learning to support, adapt, and keep going And somewhere in the middle of it all…finding connection, perspective, and a way to keep your cup full. This is what this life really looks like. SHOW NOTES: JEN & TAYLOR GILLESPIE TAMMY & LANCE JOHNSTON TRICIA & TRACER GILSON SOPHIE & BRANDON BUTTARS THE JENNIFER JOURNALS THE TRAINER'S WIFE & FINDING CENTER RETREATS Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    11 min

  3. APR 19

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Jodie Scheffel ~ Episode, 33

    There are seasons in life where everything changes at once. For Jodie Scheffel, it wasn’t just one shift—it was all of it. From Clovis, California…to Rice Lake, Wisconsin.From independence…to marriage, motherhood, and building a life alongside a horse trainer. A new place.A new role.A completely new rhythm. And as she’ll be the first to tell you—she had to grow into it. In the middle of long winters, a young family, and the early days of a business that demanded everything they had…Jodie learned, in real time, how to step into the life in front of her. How to become a partner.A mother.A steady presence in something bigger than herself. And alongside her, Lance Scheffel—with over $312,000 in NRCHA earnings today,they have built more than a training program. Together, they’ve helped grow the cow horse community in the North Central Region BY showing up, bringing customers, and continuing to invest in a part of the countrywhere this way of life doesn’t come easy. Because the western way of life isn’t just rooted in the places you expect—it’s built by the people willing to live it, wherever they are. This is a story about growth, partnership, and building something that lasts. 🎙️ Jodie Scheffel on The Trainer’s Wife SHOW NOTES: LRS Performance Horses, LLC. Jodie on FB The Jennifer Journals Finding Center Retreats - email Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    1h 52m

  4. APR 5

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Tucker Robinson ~ Episode, 32

    ✨This week on The Trainer’s Wife… something new ✨For the first time, we’re hearing from the other side of the story —a Trainer’s Husband. Meet Tucker Robinson.NRCHA Million Dollar Rider.Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion.Raised in a legacy — but built in his own way. And married to someone you already know. Tina Robinson —a cow horse trainer in her own right, with over $247,000 in NRCHA earnings… If you listened to Tina’s episode, you heard her side of the story… this week, you’ll hear his. Together, they’ve built a life — and a business — side by side. But what stood out most in this conversation wasn’t the accolades. It’s how he shows up… As a husband.As a dad.As a steady presence behind the scenes of a thriving business. Tina runs the books, the clients, the moving pieces.Tucker handles the cattle, the upkeep, and the day-to-day work that keeps the operation running. And somewhere in that divide… they’ve built something that works. Not perfectly.Not without challenge.But with steadiness, respect, and a quiet kind of support that doesn’t always get talked about. Their story isn’t centered on struggle.It’s grounded in gratitude —in remembering the people who helped them along the way,and continuing to build something meaningful together. This episode is a different perspective……and one I think a lot of you are going to recognize. ✨ SHOW NOTES: ⁠Robinson Performance Horses⁠ ⁠Finding Center Retreats⁠ ⁠The Jennifer Journals⁠ Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    59 min

  5. MAR 22

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Tina Robinson ~ Episode, 31

    This week on The Trainer’s Wife… Episode 31  Some people grow up in this industry. And some… grow into themselves because of it. This week, I sat down with Tina Robinson — NRCHA professional, horsewoman, wife, and mom. With over $247,000 in NRCHA earnings and a career built over years in the show pen, Tina is someone this industry knows and respects.  But what stands out to me isn’t just what she’s accomplished. It’s who she’s become. I knew Tina early on — when she was just getting started.And like a lot of us at that age… she was figuring things out in real time. There were moments of frustration.Moments where things didn’t go as planned.And moments where she had to step back and take a hard look at herself. At one point, she was told to go home and do the work —to figure out what was underneath the anger and learn how to move forward differently.  And she did. She didn’t quit.She didn’t deflect it.She went to work on herself — and came back better for it. What followed were years of consistency…including nearly eight years in one program — a turning point that reflected just how much she had grown.  Today, Tina is someone who helps lead a program alongside her husband,guides clients, raises her daughter,and shows up as a woman others look to. Not because she’s perfect. But because she did the work to become steady, capable, and trusted. And for me—this one is personal. I remember her at the beginning.And now I get to share who she is today. SHOW NOTES: Robinson Performance Horses Finding Center Retreats The Jennifer Journals Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    1h 15m

  6. MAR 8

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Brooke Johnson ~ Episode, 30

    Nine months pregnant. No job. No health insurance. A mortgage and a baby on the way. When Brooke Johnson found herself suddenly facing one of the most uncertain moments of her life, she did what many horsewomen know how to do best — she figured it out and kept moving forward. In this episode of The Trainer’s Wife, Jennifer Bishop sits down with Brooke in Weatherford, Texas to talk about resilience, rebuilding life after unexpected turns, and finding your way back to the horse industry. Brooke grew up around horses, built a successful corporate career, and eventually returned to the western equine world in a new season of life. Today she and her husband, colt starter Jace Johnson, are blending families, raising kids, and building a program that helps shape young horses across multiple western disciplines. In this conversation, Brooke shares the winding road that brought her here — from starting a hay business with a newborn baby, to building a life centered around horses once again. Topics we talk about in this episode:• Life behind a colt starter’s program• Blending families in the horse industry• Resilience during major life transitions• Building a business in the western equine community• Advice for women navigating life in the horse world If you enjoy this episode, be sure to follow The Trainer’s Wife so you don’t miss future conversations with the women behind the western performance horse industry. SHOW NOTES: Johnson Horse Co. Remade Insurance Group - Brooke Johnson The Jennifer Journals Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here.

    1h 25m

  7. FEB 22

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Sandy Jirkovsky ~ Episode, 29

    Some women are born into the horse industry.Some marry into it.Some build their place in it over a lifetime.And some… do all three. This week on The Trainer’s Wife, I sat down in the Fort Worth Stockyards with Sandy Jirkovsky — Director of Judges & Professional Horsemen for the American Paint Horse Association, industry judge, horse trainer, mother, grandmother… and a woman whose story spans generations of this Western equine life. Sandy is the daughter of a horse trainer.She watched her mother quietly hold together the business behind the scenes.She became a trainer herself.A trainer’s wife.A single mother.And a woman forced to rebuild more than once. In this episode, Sandy shares — with remarkable honesty — the chapters of her life that shaped her. She speaks about leaving marriages that weren’t meant to last, the courage it took to start over, and how those experiences formed not only who she became… but the perspective she carries today. Her son, Chris Dawson, grew up to become one of the most accomplished professionals in the Reined Cow Horse industry. Alongside his wife Sarah, they have amassed over $5.5 million in earnings, becoming one of the most respected partnerships in the sport. And Sandy said something that stayed with me: She believes the things she got wrong… mattered.Because they shaped his life.And opened doors for his future. But Sandy’s story didn’t end there. Thirty years ago, she married Jim Jirkovsky — a respected horseman, trainer, and partner. Together, they built a life grounded not in survival, but in choice. Sandy shares the quiet truth that lasting love didn’t come from finding perfection — it came from learning to grow, to accept, and to find happiness within herself. She also reinvented herself professionally — stepping into leadership, education, and helping shape the future of judging and professional standards in our industry. Sandy has judged around the world.She has mentored countless horsemen and horsewomen.She has influenced generations — not just through horses, but through example. And yet, even now, she speaks about balance.About being present.About being a wife.About being a grandmother.About not missing the moments that matter most. And maybe the most powerful lesson she shared was simple: “Follow your passion. And then some.” If you’ve ever questioned your path…If you’ve ever had to start over…If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to become something new… This episode is for you. SHOW NOTES: American Paint Horse Association - Contact Sandy The Jennifer Journals

    1h 20m

  8. FEB 8

    The Trainer's Wife ~ Susan Marvin ~ Episode, 28

    🎙️ This week on The Trainer’s Wife Podcast, I’m honored to welcome Susan Marvin—a woman whose story is rooted in faith, discipline, and building something lasting from the ground up. Susan and her husband, Tommy Marvin spent decades shaping a respected legacy in the cutting horse industry. Tommy is a Hall of Fame member with over $2.3 million in National Cutting Horse Association earnings and a NCHA Futurity Champion. Susan herself has earned more than $259,000 in NCHA competition. But their story didn’t start in arenas and winner’s circles. It started with bare land, a motorhome, a few panels, and a shared dream. From humble beginnings in Arkansas to building an 800-acre ranch in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, the Marvins created their operation piece by piece—guided by strong Christian faith, financial discipline, and a commitment to avoiding debt. Today, their ranch includes multiple arenas, barns, cattle, and a home they built themselves—and is nearly debt-free, the result of years of patience and intentional choices. Susan shares openly about:• Leaving college and special education to pursue life in the horse world• Supporting Tommy through every stage of his career• Managing books, schedules, horses, and family• Raising children in the industry• Building a business with integrity and faith• The power of patience and long-term vision As their daughter, Kenli, beautifully shared, Susan is “the backbone”—the bookkeeper, loper, encourager, and steady presence behind it all. A competitor in her own right, a mother, and a true partner in every sense. What I love most about Susan’s story is that it reminds us that real success isn’t flashy. It’s faithful.It’s steady.It’s built one stall, one fence, one building at a time.It’s about building something that lasts. And it’s about the quiet strength of a woman who helped make it all possible. Now, when they have a quiet moment to sit on the porch of the home they built, they look out over their land, their cattle, and a peaceful pond in front of the house—a view that reflects the life they’ve worked so hard to create. 🎧 Don’t miss this powerful and inspiring conversation with Susan Marvin. Hey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife. If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us. This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life. We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women. This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen. I’m so glad you’re here. SHOW NOTES: Marvin Performance Horses The Jennifer Journals The Trainer's Wife, Solo Mini-Series Sponsored by Ken Wold Stallion Services

    1h 23m
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About

A podcast dedicated to celebrating the wives, and on occasion the husbands, of horse trainer’s in the western equine industry. For 35 years I’ve watched talented, successful, brave, beautiful women pour themselves into their husbands careers. These women not only manage and build his business, they manage and build their own as well. This podcast is about exploring not only what these women bring to complex relationships, but how they continue to be strong, resilient and independent while not losing themselves or being swallowed by their husbands careers.

Information

  • Creator
    Jennifer Bishop
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jennifer Bishop
  • Show Website
    The Trainer's Wife

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