When March To The Arch organizers announced that this year the Cancer Benefit AQHA show circuit would add a 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle slot class with $50,000 in guaranteed prize money, Georgia trainer Jamie English knew immediately she’d be riding a “freek.”

From the first time she and her husband, Jason, got Super Freek (Roger), a 2020 black gelding by Good Better Best and out of Shez All About Blue, into their program, they felt he would be something special. Jason spotted Roger in a pasture at Mark and Judy Zeitler’s place in Florida while on a road trip in December of 2021. He quickly got on the phone with Kelly Smith and her mother, Joan McMann, of Ontario, Canada, who were looking for their next prospect.

“Jason told me he had found a special yearling that he thought we needed to buy,” Kelly recalled. “I remember Sunni Duke telling me years ago that when Jason tells you to buy a horse that you just do it .. and Sunni sure had a lot of success .. so that’s just what we did.”

Jason and Jamie saw raw talent in the youngster and really wanted him in their program. Jason was so impressed, in fact, that he told Kelly that the youngster was a “freak” and the team decided that Super Freek should be his name.

“Judy actually put the first couple rides on Roger and told me he was so easy that it almost didn’t feel normal,” Jamie said. “When I got my turn to ride him my first thought was that he is going to be a lot of fun. It’s just so easy for him to do his job that it actually makes my job easy.”

As his training progressed, Jamie determined that it would be in the best interest of her horse, to delay Roger’s show career until he was a 3-year-old and save him for maiden and novice horse classes.

“He is a great loper and really stands up for a Hunter Under Saddle horse,” she explained. “There were some tough moments along the way but Roger has more than made up for those.”

At the Fun In The Sun Futurity, held at the Fox Lea Farm Winter Circuit in Venice, Florida in January, Roger made his show debut, winning the 3-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle.”

“He was amazing,” Jamie said. “He has so much ring presence and is a blast to show. I’ve never felt a horse lope like he does in an English saddle. He just stands up and does his job.”

After the March To The Arch 3-Year-Old Slot class, Jamie plans to show Roger in 3-Year-Old and Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle classes at all the major events.

“My mom and I have been in the Quarter Horse business for 50 years and are lucky to be able to travel to many horse shows together,” Kelly said. “We enjoy owning nice Hunter Under Saddle horses and watching them develop into great show horses. We usually keep them for a year or two and then sell them to be amateur or youth horses, and then we move on to our next prospect.”

But it’s not always been like that. Kelly started showing horses when she was just 10 years old, competing first at open shows and quickly moving on to AQHA events. Over the course of her show career she estimates she teamed with over 30 different horses first in youth and then amateur all-around competition.

“I earned many superiors; AQHA Youth and Amateur Champions; numerous year-end winners; and owned Quarter Horse Congress Champions,” she said. “After a knee injury I stopped showing and we have focused on owning top quality Hunter Under Saddle futurity contenders for the past 25 years.”

Kelly worked at Bank Of Montreal for 30 years before retiring in 2021. She has been married to Bill Smith, a machinist since 1983. She says although he is “non-horsey” he is very supportive of her habit.

“I am so lucky to have Bill in my life, he is so smart and talented,” she said. “Besides being a precision machinist and wood worker, he is a highly sought after fiddle champion.”

They don’t have children but do own a 2-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel named Saydee and a 16-year-old rescued black cat named KitKat.

Over the years, Kelly and Joan have owned many Congress and AQHA World Champions and even the winner of the Congress 3-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle futurity five times, including three in a row in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Since 2018 Kelly and Joan have had their horses in training with Jason and Jamie.

“We had a horse named Hello Handsome (a 2015 brown gelding by Coats N Tails out of Fun Lovin Luke) that Jamie showed to a top five in Green Hunter Under Saddle at the Congress. They are like family,” Kelly said, “the most honest and hard-working couple I know. My mom and I travel to the horse shows and just meet them there. I never worry about anything. Jamie and Jason always have the horses perfectly prepared and they take exceptionally good care of them.”

After Hello Handsome, Jamie rode Hez Really Exotic, a 2017 bay gelding by Good I Will Be out of Exotic And Blue, for Kelly and Joan, earning numerous futurity championships, circuit championships and a Reserve National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) World Championship title.

“The horses all love Jamie, she’s a fantastic trainer and showman,” Kelly said. “I think her secret is the bond she develops with her horses. They will do anything for her. Jason has a great eye. His attention to detail helps Jamie to take her horses to the next level. They make a fabulous team.”

But that’s only part of the equation. To have success in the show horse industry there needs to be good communication between a trainer and a client. In that department, Jamie says she and Jason hit the jackpot with Kelly and Joan.

“Even though Kelly no longer rides, she is supportive in many ways,” she said. “She believes in us and our program. When we say one of their horses needs something or come up with a plan for their horse, she is right there with us and does whatever she needs to do to make that happen.”

Jason English Quarter Horses, is situated on 42 acres in Madison, Georgia and includes a 30-stall barn, large outdoor riding arena, a round pen for starting colts, four large pastures and six grass turn-out lots.

Last May Jamie and Jason welcomed their first child, a son, Jayden Craig, who is Super Freek’s biggest fan.

“Jayden really loves Roger a lot and Roger is actually very sweet towards him,” Jamie said.

Adjusting to parenthood while maintaining a busy training and show operation has not been easy but the rewards are huge.

“It has been so much fun and when things aren’t just going exactly the way they are supposed to he (Jayden) makes it so much better. I have an extremely wonderful nanny (friend) by the name of Neva May and I could not do it without her.”

They say it takes a village and Jamie says they are fortunate to have a strong one so that she and Jason can give their horses and clients the attention they need.

“I’m looking forward to showing Super Freek this year,” she said. “Kelly loves to have a 2 or 3-year-old to watch show and be a part of everything.”

It’s Jamie’s goal to show Roger to the best of his ability and hopefully sell him at the end of the year so they can keep the process going.

“Jason and I just want to keep buying, showing and selling nice horses for Kelly and Joan,” she said. “Kelly really appreciates a good horse and Roger is sure a good one. I knew she would do what it takes to bring a show horse along and do all the right things.”