The Two Million Dollar Man: Jake Telford

Jake Telford’s success in 2021 pushed him over the earnings mark and made him the fourth rider in an elite group.

Interview by Kate Bradley Byars

ake Telford didn’t set his sights on becoming a reined cow horse trainer until he was in his mid-20s, after training rope horses. The Caldwell, Idaho, trainer’s résumé boasts not only a National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Champion title, but now he can also list NRCHA Two Million Dollar Rider. He achieved the milestone nine years after becoming an NRCHA Million Dollar Rider and now, as of December 15, 2021, has NRCHA earnings of $2,019,626.92.

There are only three other riders in the elite club, and all stamped their place in the cow horse industry through hard work, perseverance and sustained success.

“It is so competitive anymore; there is a lot of luck involved—the right draw, the right cow and so many other factors,” Telford said. “I don’t feel like I show better than anyone else but have had some good luck. That, and I’ve stuck to it for long enough.”

Telford, who turns 50 years old in January of 2022, has approximately 25 years in the industry. A father to two daughters, Sierra and Shawny, Telford is a fixture at NRCHA premier events, and at high school rodeos helping his two daughters. Sierra rode to the reserve title at the 2021 National High School Finals Rodeo with Telford coaching her in the reined cow horse.

He first became familiar with cow horses when he swung a leg over one trained by NRCHA Hall of Fame member and trainer Dan Roeser, also from Idaho.

“I was helping Dan Roeser by showing his horses in the roping. He showed a lot of all-around horses at that time. He would show halter, reining, cow horse, then I would rope on them,” Telford explained. “For me, it started out as a way for me to get my rope horses broke better. Dan’s horses felt better than mine, handled better than mine, and I felt I needed to learn how to train that way.”

Instead of embarking on an apprenticeship, Telford purchased a 2-year-old and started training it himself. A method, he says, that was not the ideal way to do it.

“I did it the wrong way, trying to figure it out myself,” he laughed. “I was starting colts for Dee Craig, who introduced me to Anne Reynolds. Her horses were on another level. She is who showed me the process of how to do reined cow horse.

“She and I got to be friends and she’s responsible for introducing me to Todd Bergen, Jon Roeser and Ron Ralls. Those people helped me a lot, too, but in the beginning, Anne is responsible for introducing me to the right people.”

Today, Telford is on the level of many of the riders who helped him kickstart his career. Here, NRCHA’s Reined Cow Horse News gets to the nitty-gritty with the $2 million dollar man.

Aboard Michelle Cannon’s palomino mare Sparktilion, Telford rode to tie for the Reserve Champion World’s Greatest Horseman in 2020.

RCHN: Can you tell us about a few horses that really kickstarted or propelled your career?

Telford: Definitely! Colonel Leo Lux (LH Colonel Hank x Quincys Bloom x Sir Quincy Dan) was one. The first time I ever showed a horse at Reno [Nevada], was in 1997 and that was Colonel Leo Lux. I made the Limited Open Finals and thought it was the best thing in the world. He was a good horse for me and my ability; he covered up for my lack of experience. Horses that propelled me? CD Survivor (CD Olena x Have A Lil Lena x Peppy San Badger) was the first horse I ever had that was a phenomenal athlete. He raised the bar for me as far as my expectation of what I thought horses could do. He could stop like no other, turn and he really opened my eyes to a whole ’nother level. If I knew then what I know now, he would have won more than he did. He was a great horse.

The horses you win a lot on do stick in your mind, like Starlight Kisses (Shady Lil Starlight x Kiss My Shiny Lips x Shining Spark), the mare I won the Futurity on. That was one that taught me not to give up and to persevere. She was weak as a 2-year-old and needed help to get strong enough physically to compete. She was one that taught me to stick with it and not give up. I knew she had ability, but there were hurdles to overcome that required extra time and effort, and it paid off.

You’re based in Idaho, which boasts a couple of Hall of Fame members and top NRCHA trainers. What draws people to the reined cow horse industry in your part of the country?

There are a lot of horses up here and a lot of cowboys. That being said, the cow horse is a good fit in Idaho and this area. The smaller shows here, the buckaroos come in off the ranch. The affiliates around here have always been really strong. You look back to the World Championship Snaffle Bit Futurity one time and there were almost 400 entries in Boise. The cow horse has always been strong in Idaho. A lot of people are migrating south, but I like where I’m at and Idaho is home to me.

You’re a Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Champion and a Reserve Champion World’s Greatest Horseman on Sparktillion (owned by Michelle Canon). What keeps you training for the long term, through the four-stage process of creating a finished bridle horse?

I do like the process. There have been a lot of days where things don’t go right that you want to give up and try

COURTESY OF JAKE TELFORD

COURTESY OF JAKE TELFORD COURTESY OF JAKE TELFORD

Starting at a young age, Telford carried his daughters, Shawny and Sierra, with him on rider introductions. His love of horses carried over into both girls competing in rodeo and reined cow horse.

something else, but at the end of the day, working with a colt that has a lightbulb moment and it is rewarding. I enjoy that and love the process. As I get a little older, I don’t win as much as I used to, but the training process is still very appealing to me.

You’ve had success in the roping arena, too. Does that help you as a reined cow horse trainer?

My dad runs cattle and I’ve always been around cattle. I don’t know the roping has helped my cow horse; it’s been the other way around. Having competed and gotten my feet wet in competition probably helped me a little bit in the cow horse, but it was usually the other way around. I always looked at the cow horse as a way to make the rope horses better, because at the time that was what I wanted to be good at.

Life throws changes at you and early on, I saw that the cow horse was a better way to make a living. The horses were better and the clients wanted to keep the horses in training longer.

RÉSUMÉ RUNDOWN

2005 — NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Intermediate Open Reserve Champion on Stylabob (Docs Stylish Oak x Not Quite An Acre x Bob Acre Doc) 2006 — NRCHA Open Derby Reserve Champion on CD Survivor (CD Olena x Have A Lil Lena x Peppy San Badger) 2008 — 2007 NRCHA World Champion Open Hackamore on Shady Lil Starlight (Grays Starlight x Shady Little Cat x High Brow Cat) 2010 — NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Reserve Champion on One Time Rey Jay (One Time Pepto x Hickorys Red Rey x Docs Hickory) 2014 — NRCHA Celebration of Champions Open Bridle Champion on Nabisco Roan (Boonlight Dancer x Crackin x Smart Little Lena) 2015 — NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Champion on Starlight Kisses (Shady Lil Starlight x Kiss My Shiny Lips x Shining Spark) 2018 — World’s Greatest Horseman, third place, on Lenas Buddy Nic (Nic It In The Bud x Dual Lena x Mister Dual Pep) 2020 — World’s Greatest Horseman Reserve Champion on Sparktilion (Shining Spark x Cattiliion x High Brow Cat)

Speaking of big events, you’ve had success at regional events, like the Idaho Futurity as well as NRCHA premier events, and it’s not easy to win anywhere, at any show! Talk to us about the evolution of competition you’ve seen in your years in cow horse.

No, it’s not easy to win anywhere. The competition has evolved because of the type of people drawn to cow horse. It’s good people that want to do good, help each other and ride good horses. When you go to other events, you realize how good our cow horse people really are to each other.

Getting into it, there were so many people that were willing to help me. There are people that want to do the same

PRIMO MORALES Above: Heading for friend Ryan Powell, Jake Telford turned a steer to win fifth place and $32,500 in a 2019 round of the World Series of Team Roping.

Left: Telford credits stallion CD Survivor with helping him feel how athletic a reined cow horse could and should be.

PRIMO MORALES Left: Starlight Kisses carried Telford to the Open Champion title at the 2015 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® .

Below: Lenas Buddy Nic carried Telford to third in the 2018 World’s Greatest Horseman, and the Paint Horse gelding also helped Telford’s daughter, Sierra, in her first reined cow horse shows.

thing all over. The number of people now that have the ability to train a horse that could win has quadrupled over the years and it is due to the fact that our people are nice and willing to help each other out. You don’t go anywhere without hearing about our trainers and the competitors riding together and helping each other. I’ve gotten together with Corey [Cushing] and Todd [Bergen] and have been to their places, and they come to mine. It’s a mentality to figure it out to make the horse better. That, paired with the increased number of well-bred horses that are so good— there are so many good horses and that is not like it used to be—has made it great.

The number of talented, athletic horses out there has really raised the bar. It is pretty cool to watch a cow horse show anywhere today.

Can you point at any pivotal moments in your career that helped you become only the fourth Two Million Dollar Rider in the NRCHA?

Looking back and the amount of money I’ve won on Nancy Crawford’s horses, that is pivotal in my career. CD Survivor was the first horse she sent me—I didn’t train that horse, but it was eye-opening to have one like that. The quality of horses she sent to me made a huge difference. If you look back at my statistics, I won a lot of money on her horses and I cannot overlook that and I thank her for that.

There are too many moments or horses to really count each moment. Some days you want to give up, but then you have one horse come to the party, win something for you, and it’s a rollercoaster. Horse training is what I like to do. I never used to think it, but I guess now I could say I was pretty good at it. Glad I stuck it out.

Is it fun to watch your girls become more involved?

Definitely! They’ve always been horse crazy from the time they were tiny. If I made a Finals, I would always take one in with me during a rider introduction. From a very early age, they have always liked horses and loved to ride. I think they like the rodeos as much as they like the cow horse. Anything to do with horses, they are all in.

Tell us what goals you have left to achieve, or rather, what drives you in this industry?

Life has thrown me some curveballs and you reach a point where you re-evaluate. I went through a stint where I didn’t make the Futurity finals. Lately, my goal was to get back to being competitive and I did that this year. Now, I need to set some higher goals. Right now, I’m taking care of my family, seeing my kids grow and doing what they want to do, and I’ll figure it out after that.