Russell Jenkins

For most of the last 40 years, Russell Jenkins has owned and shown cutting horses at various locations in Louisiana and Mississippi. He was president of Sweetwater Cutting Horse Association in the 1970’s. This organization had shows in Independence, Covington, as well as Franklinton. He was also president of the Louisiana Cutting Horse Association in 1986. Most of those shows were held in Baton Rouge. He was active in the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association when his son was showing cutting horses in that organization from 1985 to 1987.

In 2000, he showed his seven year old quarter horse gelding, Splitty Lena, in competitions virtually every weekend and achieved a much desired goal of finishing in the Top Ten in the World in the National Cutting Horse Association’s $10,000 Novice Non-pro Class. In this class, the horse cannot have won more that $10,000 and the rider must not make a living training cutting horses.

In 2008, Russell purchased a three year old gelding, Lil LOL Colonel, in April and spent the rest of the year preparing the horse and himself to compete in the premier event for cutting horses, the NCHA Futurity, in Fort Worth, Texas in December. He competed in the Amateur class which means that he had not won more than a total of $100,000 and did not train cutting horses for a living. There were 305 horses in his class. Five days, two go rounds, a semi-finals and finals later, Russell finished tied for 8th in the Amateur class and second in a Senior class within the Amateur class for participants over 60 years old.

Russell retired from the Louisiana Department of Transportation in 1996 and formed a consulting business which gives him the time to pursue his passion for owning and showing cutting horses.

Unlike many non-professional riders who have trainers gets their horses “show ready,” Russell has figured out what it takes to do that himself which definitely adds to the pleasure of winning.