AQHA Will Jones

Chex Out Tuff, AKA Wilson, took home the honors of AQHA Horse of the Year at the 2022 NHSFR. He is ridden by Will Jones from Allerton, Iowa. Allerton is a small town in southern Iowa, 15 minutes from Missouri border. “It’s real humid,” said Will. “I live on a ranch five miles south of Allerton – my grandfather has 4,000 acres and we have 1,500.” They raise hay, cattle, and horses. “I rope all through the day,” he said. Between he and his brother Cort, they ride around 15 horses a day. “We team rope, calf rope, and train some on the dummy that we haven’t started yet.”
His dad, Luke, has several cow horses in training and has shared his knowledge of horsemanship and training with his sons. “We are slowly taking over the roping horses when they are younger. I want to train rope horses and pro rodeo when I get older.” Luke started roping when he was 13 – his dad was a carpenter, he had horses, but didn’t do much with them. He competed in high school and college rodeo but found his passion in training and showing Quarter horses after watching the world show one year in Oklahoma City. Will started competing when he was young, graduating from mutton busting to bull riding, as well as roping. “I rode bulls until I was 10; I broke my arm and I was done. My deal with dad was I had to rope along with roughstock, so I stuck to roping.”
Will is going to be a senior; his two brothers, Cort, 14, and Lane,10, all compete in high school or junior high rodeo. They are home schooled by their mom, Erin, who helps with the horses as well. Cort will compete in all the events and Lane’s rodeos start in a few weeks. Will competes in cutting, team roping, tie-down roping, and reined cow horse. He uses Wilson for reined cow horse and was able to win the AQHA award with just one event. For his accomplishment, Will received a Todd Sloan saddle and a $1,000 check that he will put in savings. “It was really cool to win a saddle at the National High School Finals Rodeo!” Wilson is 7 years old and the family has had him for three years. His mom showed him in Fort Worth during the World’s Greatest Horseman and won the boxing on him. Will goes to AQHA shows with his dad to help but plans to show more in the future. “It’s a great association to be part of.”