Welcome to the ACHA

Member Spotlight

ACHA Youth Program Remains a High Priority for Cat and Terry Jones
By Raena Wharton

The story of Catherine and Terry Jones is a love story: love for each other, love for their family, love for cutting, and love for the youth of the American Cutting Horse Association (ACHA). Terry and Catherine, or Cat as she prefers, were recipients of the Ben Todd Award last year in the ACHA. This award recognizes sportsmanship and support of others in the association. They currently serve on the ACHA Youth Committee along with Gena and Bucky Bonner. Cat said, “We are fortunate enough to be surrounded by such amazing people in our ACHA family.”

That family is a blended one on more than one level. Terry is an electrician, and Cat is a nurse. They met when Terry was preaching in Coldspring, Texas, where they live now. “Terry asked me on a date after a long workday at the church, and we have been together ever since,” said Cat Jones. When she met Terry, Cat had four young sons, but she claims, “Terry has always loved them like they were his own. That made me love him that much more.”

Cat and Terry agreed to raise their boys to be “kind, hard-working, and respectful.” Cutting is an important but optional family activity. Two of the boys, Morgan and Dually, have become cutters and are currently doing very well in ACHA junior and senior youth classes. Their parents believe the best way for the boys to be successful is to learn to do it themselves. Terry helps them, but according to Cat, “Terry does not ride their horses, they do! That is something I am so proud of!” Cat is also quick to credit the ACHA trainers for helping the boys as well, and she says the trainers are truly great people to help the youth as they do!”

Cat did not grow up around horses, but Terry did. His father was the cattle foreman for Valley View Ranch in southeast Oklahoma. Terry said he rode his first bucking horse when he was seven years old and continued to ride broncs through high school. He also roped calves and team roped. When he moved to Texas, he settled next door to cutting horse trainer Donnie Shore. They had been roping together for a while before Shore put Jones on his first competitive cutting horse “sometime around 1987.” The rest of Terry’s introduction to cutting is identical to that so many other cutters. Terry said as soon as that first cutting mare he rode really engaged and “fell down” in front of a cow, he was hooked.

Nevertheless, Terry did not compete much in cutting until 2000. He had lost both parents in 1999 and decided to haul in their honor in 2000. He certainly did them proud. That year he won the ACHA World in the $2500 Novice Rider and $10,000 Non-Pro on a horse named Cow Minded and the $3000 Novice Horse with SR High Handed Doc. Since then, Terry has been focused on his electrical business and on encouraging and cheering for his boys. He admits he misses the “butterflies you get when they call your name,” but says he can get that same feeling when Morgan and Dually show. Does Terry expect to show again in cutting? “Absolutely, but for the time being it is all about helping my boys show their horses.”

Cat agrees. She says she loves to ride and can see herself competing someday, “but right now it’s all about the boys. I want to see them be successful, to learn to make mistakes and learn how to fix those mistakes.” That helpful attitude extends to other ACHA youth as well. Cat said, “We have a small pen and a small flag, but we tell kids all the time to come over and bring their horses. We’ll help in any way we can.”

Terry offers accolades to his wife for her dedication to the ACHA youth. He says, “Cat’s most important contribution to the ACHA is her tireless effort to see the youth grow. She is constantly coming up with new ideas and prizes and plans to bring more youth kids in.” He claims that once Cat “gets her mind set on something, she gives 110%. That’s why I love her so much.”

Both Cat and Terry have made it a high priority to increase ACHA youth participation. Cat recognizes that, “If we are not bringing in more children and encouraging them, teaching them, and supporting them, then the youth program will never grow.”

Providing a place where youth cutters can compete plus have some fun could be essential not only to the growth of the youth program but also to the entire association. Obviously, they love supporting the youth, yet Cat and Terry Jones also recognize that the youth are the future of the ACHA. 

Congratulations to the 2021 World Champions

Open
Backwoodz Bad Girl
Owners: Gena & Bucky Bonner
Rider: Trent Bell

Non Pro
Bobbie Sue Shore

50,000 Non Pro
Janie Crumpler

Senior Non Pro
Martha Wilson

Junior Youth
Toby Combs

Senior Youth
Dually Husband

15,000 Novice Horse
Bunnys Passion
Owner: Circle C Livestock
Rider: Trent Bell

15,000 Novice Horse / Non Pro
Hot Sheila
Ridden by Laney Bell

20,000 Non Pro
Janie Crumpler

3000 Novice Horse
CR Mr Peppys Mambo
Owner: Craig Robinson
Rider: Michael Crumpler Jr

2500 Novice Rider
Ryan McGilvray

1000 Novice Rider
Ryan McGilvray