Jamie Oakley’s love for horses was sparked when she was just a little girl, riding naughty ponies and taking dressage lessons at a local barn in Eureka, California, where she grew up.

“My first horse shows were open shows with my AQHA mare, she was 21 and her registered name was Magical Misty,” Oakley recalled.

Jamie Oakley with husband, Tate, and daughter Ava Grace.

The daughter of Ted and Evie West, Jamie and her sister, Jessica, attended Fortuna Union High School in Humbolt County, California and then, Cape Elizabeth High School and Waynflete, a private, coeducational, college preparatory day school Portland, Maine.

“Our family moved from Northern California to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, the middle of my sophomore year of high school, she explained.

Following her graduation, Jamie enrolled at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, as a psychology and anthropology major. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

In 2010, Jamie won the 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress aboard Im Ever Certain, a sorrel gelding by Certain Potential and out of Dotevita, the dam of A Certain Vino.

She also enjoyed tremendous success with Potential Moneymaker, a 1999 brown gelding by Potential Investment and out of Invest Your Money. Together they placed third in Amateur Horsemanship at both the Congress and the American Quarter Horse Association’s World Championship Show. They recorded numerous Top 10 placings in Trail and were Reserve World Champions in Amateur Performance Halter Geldings. Oakley said there are many people who have helped her or given her advice along the way but none have been more important than Texas trainers Butch and Patty Campbell.

“They have been two of my biggest supporters, best friends, and like a second set of parents to me,” she said. “They have been a part of my horse show life and life in general for the last 18 years.”

In 2014, Jamie married Tate Oakley after meeting him when he was working for Rusty and Katie Green. They welcomed daughter, Ava Grace three years ago.

Jamie Oakley with Certainly A Vision.

Jamie already owned Certainly A Vision, a 2010  sorrel AQHA/APHA stallion by Certain Potential and out of Dotevita, making him a full brother to A Certain Vino and Jamie’s former show partner, Im Ever Certain.

In 2016, Certainly A Vision won two AQHA World Championship titles on the same day – Jason Smith led him to a win in Open Performance Halter Stallions in the morning and just hours later, Tate Oakley rode him to a win in Level 2 Senior Western Pleasure. At the Quarter Horse Congress a month earlier, Jamie led Certainly A Vision to a Championship in the Limited Division of the Amateur Performance Halter Stallions and Jason Smith led him to a Reserve Congress Championship in Performance Halter Stallions. They also have earned National Snaffle Bit Association World and Reserve World Championship titles.

After taking a few years off from showing a 2016 bay mare by RL Best Of Sudden and out of Hocus Pocus Princess drew Jamie back to the show pen this year.

“We saw her showing with Erin Lieurance at the NSBA World Show this year, and my husband and I both loved her,” Jamie said.

Jamie Oakley riding Vodkamademedoit.

The Oakleys purchased Vodkamademedoit in September and they showed in the 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the Congress last month earning a Top 10 award in the Limited Division of the class.

“I enjoy showing because I’m around people who share my same passion and love of the horses,” she said. “I love watching the great young horses when they first start showing.”

Jamie works part time for her family’s business, Atlantic National Trust and Capital Servicing doing due diligence. She is also a court-appointed special advocate for children that have been placed in foster care.  Outside of showing, it is always Jamie’s number one priority to spend time with her husband and daughter.

“The past few months have been really busy with traveling and shows, and I’m looking forward to some down time together. All I need for a dream vacation is a beach, somewhere sunny and warm, with my husband and little girl for at least a week,” she said.