Josey History
The Founders
Founded in 1967 by R.E. and Martha Josey the Josey Ranch has spent 55 years teaching future generations of rodeo athletes. This rodeo couple built the Josey Ranch on a dream of teaching students what they knew about the rodeo arena after seeing success in the big pens. As they taught hundreds of students they continued to compete professionally bringing home multiple World Championships, Prestigious titles, Hall Of Fame Inductions, and a whole lot of history. Today the Josey Ranch is home to the longest-running rodeo school in the world with over 300,000 students attending clinics and schools throughout its lifetime.
Martha Josey
WPRA, AQHA and NBHA World Champion, Martha Josey, has built her legendary career on many horses, reflecting her keen training and horsemanship ability. Beginning in 1964 on her great gelding, Cebe Reed, this explosive pair won 7 horse trailers and 52 barrel races in a row. Cebe qualified Martha for her first NFR in l968 and again in l969. Martha later teamed up with her immortal gelding, Sonny Bit O'Both, and this powerful combination went to the NFR 4 years in a row, from 1978 to 1981. In 1980, Sonny set an all-time record of being the only horse in history to win the AQHA and WPRA World Championships in the same year and continues to hold this record today.
Inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1985, Martha continued competing and winning on the Pro Tour Circuit, aboard a new partner, Jetonfer Pay, who she rode to the NFR, also in 1985. Swen Sir Bug, or "J. C.," qualified Martha for the NFR in 1987 and was the champion she chose to ride while representing the United States in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
History was made once again as Martha Josey received a medal in front of 100,000 people and returned home from Calgary in 1988 with an Olympic team Gold Medal and an Individual Bronze Medal. Mr. Revolution Bars took Martha to the NFR in 1989 and again in 1990 helping her go to the NFR for four consecutive decades. "Rev" won the 1990 All American Quarter Horse Congress and was the two-time Wrangler Showdown Champion.
In 1997, Martha rode a stunning 16.2 sorrel gelding named Orange Smash to win the NBHA Senior World Championship and Reserve Open 1-D Championship in Augusta, Georgia at the NBHA World Championship Finals.
This dynamic duo continued to win big, qualifying for the NFR in 1998, and receiving the Gold Go-Round Winner Buckle. In 1999, Martha was chosen as the Women’s Sports Foundation AQHA National Female Equestrian of the Year and was also presented the Dennis D. High Award in Denver, Colorado, as a distinguished Lifestyle Leader for the Western/English Sales Association. Orange Smash received top honors as well, by earning the 1999 AQHA "Best of America’s Horse Award" and having his spectacular image captured by Peter Stone as a collectible statue. In 2000, Martha teamed up with yet another champion, Joe B Jammin who ran the fastest time at the Lone Star Finals. They went on to be the Go Round Winner at the 2001 Copenhagen Cup Finale in Dallas, Texas.
In 2002, Martha took top honors at the NBHA Holiday Classic in Jackson, Mississippi winning the Senior 1-D Championship on Joe B Jammin and the Senior Reserve 1-D Championship on her mare, Sweet Sailin'Six. In 2003, Martha and Joe B Jammin were the 2003 Equus America, Equus Extreme Champions, in Houston, Texas and the 2003 AQHA Reserve World Champions in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
R.E. Josey
R. E. Josey, three-time AQHA World Champion Calf Roper, left his mark on the world by winning his prestigious titles on three different horses; Major Chalfant in 1970, a sorrel stallion named Toebars in 1972, and Silver Creek Jak in 1974. Toebars was ridden in 40 AQHA calf-roping competitions and won 35. R. E.'s unique skills of selecting and training winners- combined with his ability to work with both horse and rider to make them a winning team has been sought after by top ropers and speed-event competitors alike. R.E. was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame, and the Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum in 2008.
Want To Know The Whole Story?
The Josey Ranch is the longest-running Rodeo School in the world. Home of World Champion Calf Roper R.E. Josey and World Champion Barrel Racer Martha Josey the Josey Ranch hosts yearly barrel racing and calf roping clinics for students from across the world. This is their story.
