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cover story
a family AFFAIR
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JR with his daughters; Georgia Isabella and Elizabeth
Being able to share the sport you love with your family is special. JR Cook has been lucky enough to share his love of showing horses not only with his wife, Melissa, but also with their three talented daughters, Georgia, Isabella, and Elizabeth.
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where the love started
< Isabella Cook
JR and Melissa each started out competing in different parts of the equine industry. “My grandfather bought me a trail horse when I was about ten, and my journey just took off from there,” JR said. “I showed Cutting horses mostly as a youth and early on as an amateur. I would also show a few Halter horses for my grandfather at the APHA World Show and some of the fall futurities.” It was while showing Halter horses at the Just For Pleasure Futurity in Perry, Georgia that JR first met Melissa. “I was showing halter horses for my grandfather and Melissa was there showing her pleasure horses,” said JR. “At the next horse show we went out on a date and have been together ever since. Melissa is the one who taught me how to show a Western Pleasure horse.” After getting married, the newlyweds decided to take a break from showing to devote more time to other parts of their lives.
< Georgia Cook
“In 2008, Melissa and I stepped back from the horses to focus on starting our business and our family,” said JR. “We have three girls, Georgia who is ten, Isabella who is seven, and Elizabeth who will turn six during the AQHA World Show. Georgia is the one that got us back into horses.” Many parents secretly hope their children will follow in their footsteps and share their passion for a sport or hobby. JR and Melissa were no different, however, from the time their eldest child was born they vowed never to push their daughters to show horses. Choosing to ride would have to be the girls’ choices. “Melissa and I always agreed that we would not push the kids into this,” said JR. “It was important that we let them choose what they wanted to do. Georgia was about five when she started talking about horses. When she turned six, she started taking riding lessons from one of the teachers at her school who was also a riding instructor. Her love for the horses just kept growing from there. Now all three girls ride and love horses.” Showing horses can help kids develop important life skills, among them responsibility and confidence. It also helps build lifelong friendships. For JR, the lessons horses are teaching his daughters, and the quality time it gives him with his wife and children, are just a few of the many reasons he is grateful the horses are something his entire family can enjoy together. “It is definitely a family affair,” said JR. “We hoped our girls would share PREMIER | NOVEMBER 2021 | 13
our love of horses because this was always something we wanted to be able to do as a family. I think it’s the competition and friendships we have made traveling across the country to different horse shows that appeals to us most and we wanted our daughters to have those same experiences.”
search for me until he saw me and then wouldn’t take his eyes off me. He was an incredible horse.”
Being competitive in this sport requires a significant amount of time and travel. Having that time together as a family is one of the things that JR loves most about showing.
“Line Up Behind is without a doubt the most talented and best horse I have ever thrown a leg over,” said JR. “He is truly a one in million. They just do not come around like him very often. He is gentle, good minded and I would trust him with any of my kids. I think he would try just as hard for them as he does for Cole and I. He is just that type of horse. He gives 110% every time.”
“There are so many things I love about sharing this hobby with my family,”
N S B A
W O R L D
said JR. “But one of my favorites—and I think Melissa will disagree with me on this one—is the travel. I love having everyone together in our RV and hitting the road to a horse show. We live near Houston, Texas and attend quite a few shows on the East Coast. Every time we cross the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, we all get on one side of the bus and look for alligators. Being born and raised in Florida I have seen hundreds of gators, but there is something about sharing this little tradition with my girls that never gets old.”
line up behind JR has been blessed to show many successful horses throughout his career, however, there are two who have each left a significant mark on his life and he considers personal favorites. The first of those two special horses was his youth Cutting horse, Playful Son. “My parents bought Playful Son for me to show in the Cutting shortly before I turned seventeen,” said JR. “He was the horse that I finished out my youth career on. That horse and I hauled all over the country going to every cutting we could. I would have him tied up in the loping arena and everybody would tell me that when he would hear my voice, he would 14 | PREMIER | NOVEMBER 2021
JR’s other special horse is his current show partner, Line Up Behind.
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Line Up Behind, who is known around the barn as Calvin, has made quite the name for himself in the two years that JR has owned him. Shown by both JR and his trainer, Cole Baker, Calvin has been Champion or Reserve Champions at every major event. Most recently, JR and Calvin were Champions in the Amateur Western Pleasure at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. They also won the NSBA World Championship in the same class just a few months earlier. “I would say our biggest accomplishments thus far have been winning the NSBA World Championship and Congress Championship in Amateur Western Pleasure,” said JR. “I have wanted to win the Congress since I was a youth kid showing cutting horses.” His win this year with Calvin was JR’s first Congress Championship, fulfilling a life-long dream. “Winning the Congress was very special to me,” said JR. “The Congress has so much history and such a legacy attached to it. The Amateur Western Pleasure is one of the most competitive classes with the very best horses and riders. If you go through past results and look at the winners in that class, it’s a who’s who of riders and horses. To think Line Up Behind and I are now on that list is surreal.”
The next stop for JR and Calvin will be the upcoming AQHA World Championship Show where they hope to continue their success in the Amateur Western Pleasure. “All year long, the goal each time Cole or I showed Calvin was just to have the best ride we could,” said JR. “I want to finish up the year at the World Show the same way—just trying to have the best ride I can.” Keeping Calvin happy and healthy has always been a top priority for JR. Not only so that he can continue showing his beloved horse, but so that his
“Next year Georgia and Lazy Illusion will be showing in the Novice Youth allaround classes,” said JR. “Isabella is going to start showing Famous N Foolish in some of the all-around events. Elizabeth’s goal is to show her horse Cierras Bold N Gold in the Small-Fry Western Pleasure.” It’s safe to say that next year will be an exciting, and busy, year for the Cook family. While they will continue to chase success in the arena, the greatest reward will always be the time spent together as a family sharing their love of horses. Written by Courtney Parmenter Photography by Larry Williams Photography, Shane Rux & Claire Binkowski
champions daughters can also show him in the future.
“At some point in time we will probably see Georgia trotting in on Calvin,” said JR, “but I think I still have a little bit more time to ride him myself before that happens!”
the future looks bright JR and Melissa have both competed in different disciplines within the AQHA industry. Their girls have had the same opportunity to try different events, showing both Halter horses and All-Around horses. JR foresees his daughters continuing to show both types of horses. “Georgia & Isabella really enjoy showing both the Halter and riding events,” said JR. “Next year Georgia and Isabella will be competing in different divisions, so Halter will be the only time Isabella can try to beat her sister, which is something Isabella loves to do!” Georgia, who finished out her successful Small-Fry career this year with Famous N Foolish, will be stepping up to the Novice Youth events next year with her new horse, Lazy Illusion. PREMIER | NOVEMBER 2021 | 15
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