When she was just 25-years-old Jamie Christine Dowdy was hit by a car while she was jogging near her home in Marshfield, Missouri. With fractures in her skull and right leg she was facing a long road to recovery. She ultimately lost most of the business she worked so hard to build. But she never gave up. Not on her recovery and certainly not on riding horses.

Jamie was born into the industry. Her parents, Cliff and Marty Hartman own and operate Cliff Hartman Farms, a training and breeding farm with a full lesson schedule. She and her sister had chores around the farm and grew up “little barn rats.”

“I was bred, born and raised in the horse industry,” she said. “I am third generation. I had no hope (of any other life). I knew nothing but horses.”

At just 8 years old, Jamie was teaching basic beginners at the summer camps on her family’s farm and, of course was riding everywhere, always.

Following her graduation from Marshfield High School she quickly started building her own training business with the careful guidance of her parents.

“There was only one rule back then,” Jamie said. “I had to drive a big truck and I had to get my CDL (Commercial Drivers License).”

After the accident, Jamie decided to start over in Texas with her (now) ex-husband, Shane Dowdy. She says she has never really worked “for” anyone for any long periods of time. She did work for a few months for Vicky Holt and learned a lot from her dad and Shane about training horses and helping clients achieve their goals with their own horses.

“I have been fortunate to ride with and learn from many of our industry’s finest,” she said.

In 2016 Jamie moved back to Hartman Farms with her 3-year-old son, Stayton James Dowdy, where she has been rebuilding her training operation on the picturesque 1,000 acres nestled in the Ozarks hillside.

“In the spring and summer months I get to enjoy riding in the pastures or in one of the two outdoor arenas,” she said. “In the bitter cold, the 6-stall barn is locked up tight and heated and I can ride in the indoor arena, set in the middle of the two aisles.”

Jamie’s passion is Western Riding but she absolutely believes in the power of a good foundation, which to her is pleasure and halter.

“If they (horses) can go forward with correctness and with quality movement and can stand still square, I can advance them to other events fairly quickly,” she explained.

Her training philosophy is loosely based on what she calls the “Marty Jo method.”

“Marty Jo Johnson, or Stanford as most would know her, focused on utilizing your seat, feet and hands in conjunction with the horse’s feet,” she explained. “Once I can place their feet and get them to follow their nose, it’s practice, practice, practice. Consistency and physical strength, especially over the back, is essential to me.”

Jamie has played a part in training or showing a number of highly successful performance horses. She showed Its A Southern Thing to a Reserve title in Junior Western Riding at the 2015 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show and a National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) World Championship title in Western Riding. In 2020, she showed BestSeatNTheSouth to a Top 5 in the 3-Year-Old Pleasure Versatility Challenge at the AQHA World Show. She also showed If It Aint Southern to a Reserve AQHA World Championship in Level 2 Halter and was Top 3 in the Level 2 Western Pleasure at the 2020 AQHA World Show.

Jamie also enjoys coaching clients and helping them achieve their own goals in the show pen.

“The majority of my horses are green,” she said. “I am fortunate that my clients trust me to build their horses’ confidence before we start showing too much. I really enjoy getting to know each horse and what they need to be the best they can be. Now I’m learning what that looks like for that horse and its owner as a team.”

As a carded AQHA and NSBA judge, Jamie’s schedule is pretty full training, showing and judging but when she does get some spare time she loves yoga, and watching a good movie. She is very close to her family and spends time with her parents, her sister and her family and of course with her son.

“I love him dearly,” Jamie said. “He is the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank God for him every day.”

You can reach Jamie by calling (417) 425-8798 or on Facebook at Jamie Dowdy Performance Horses.

           Open Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an amateur profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.