horseman-horsewomen

Horseman and Horsewoman of the Year

The Red River Valley International Select Sire Futurity has an Award called the Horseman and Horsewoman of the Year.

To nominate someone please contact Don Patterson.

2015: Roy & Sheryl James

Roy was originally from rural St. John, ND, and was involved with horses his whole life. I (Sheryl) from Devils Lake, ND, my girls, Jolene and Jessica, were 4-H members and also ND State Horse Show Association Queen, ND Paint Horse Queen and first runner up ND State Horse Show Association Princess. I truly strived to have the equine industry as part of our lives from the very beginning. Going way back I was even Boots and Saddles Queen, with the North Dakota State Horse Show Association.

But it all began for Roy and I on May 13, 2000, when we were married. We both had the passion for horses. And it was just “those horses” that everyone said – that we both loved and thus was the beginning of wJames Paints and Quarter Horses.There were numerous stallions, at the farm, while raising, what Roy liked best, foals. ApHA black and white stallion – A Classic June, AQHA palomino stallion, Ash The Zipper, another AQHA palomino stallion, Vanzi Bar Ashwood, an AQHA Champagne buckskin stallion, RSJ Sonny Dee Cool, and now our pride and joy– an AQHA Champagne palomino stallion, RSJ Zippin With Style, who is a 2011 stallion that we currently own. Winsdor was raised by us and has numerous PHBA points in Halter, Western Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, Road Hack and Trail. He was also top 10 in the nation in 2014 and received his ROM in Hunter Under Saddle, 3rd in Road Hack and 8th in Hunter Under Saddle. And now he is producing, what we think, are versatile quarter horses.

Over the years, we have been very involved in all aspects of the horse industry. From providing short
term board for travelers, to setting up stalls in the arena for barrel runs for NBHA, North Dakota Barrel Association, North Dakota Rodeo Association (NDRA), Roughrider Rodeo Association, to being members of AQHA, ApHC, APHA, PHBA, the Dakota 50-50 Futurity, the MN 50-50 Futurity and past members of the Saskatchewan 50-50 Futurity. In 2008 we had the high selling foal at the Dakota 50-50 Futurity and in 2014 we raised the “Wild Card” colts at the Dakota 50-50 and also won the “Breeders Award”! In the show pen we had had entries in those futurities that resulted in top 10’s in a tough class of two year olds. But I must say, in 2014, our weanling colt won the Red River Valley International Select Sire Futurity and in addition, another one of our foals, RSJ Sonnys Vaquero, received the 2014 Red River Select Sire Futurity Superhorse Award AND also won the Dakota 50-50 Futurity. We could not be more proud.

Foals from our breeding program and horses we have had, have sold all over the place, from Canada, England, France, Netherlands, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Montana, Minnesota and North Dakota. We are so lucky and blessed to have had such success.
In amongst all the happiness and hard work mentioned above, everything changed. Tragedy struck, having Roy pass away unexpectedly at home on February 19, 2015. He was able to receive the awards for his horses and he and I shared those memories. And now the future brings a new partnership with my daughter Jessica, and together we will continue what Roy and I had accomplished, with Roy walking beside us every day keeping our magic and our dreams, and will continue to have foals at the shows and futurities.

So on behalf of Roy and myself, I want to thank the Red River Horse Breeders for selecting us as recipients for the 2015 Horseman & Horsewoman of the year and I accept it with honor. Thank you.