story by Lily Weinacht
Jaime Fowler is sitting second in the APRA barrel racing standings. The 30-year-old from Greensboro, Maryland, joined the APRA two years ago and she’s won two rodeos thus far this season. “I started off in the WPRA, and I heard from my friends about the APRA. I like that there’s a lot of different pens around here and it’s not the same one every weekend. Our finals were in Atlantic City last year and it was a very unique experience,” says Jaime. “Attica is my favorite—it’s a nice facility and you can park by the woods, and they have food and a party afterwards.”
Before she found her niche as a barrel racer, Jaime started her riding career at age 7 in the English discipline, then switched to Western when she was 10 and took lessons from Shannon Potter. Maryland didn’t have high school rodeo at the time, so she competed in the NBHA and 4-H. “I talked my parents into horses and got my first horse when I was 10, and from then I’ve always had them,” she recalls. “I really enjoy the adrenaline rush and the competition, and constantly being introduced to new people and making new friends along the way.”
While she still runs in the NBHA, Jaime primarily competes in the APRA and WPRA First Frontier Circuit, having qualified for the circuit finals from 2015–2017. She was also the 2015 First Frontier Circuit Barrel Racing Rookie of the Year. She focused harder on qualifying for the APRA Finals in 2018, but aims to compete in both finals rodeos this year. “I like the challenge of always trying to do better, and going new places and putting yourself in different competition,” says Jaime. She often hauls with her friend Paige Reynolds, a fellow barrel racer and a breakaway roper in the APRA, as well as her dad, Donald Fowler, on occasion. “He’s always helped me and supported me in every fashion with it—he lives and breathes it now too.”
Jaime has a pen at home in one of her family’s fields to work her horses in. She’s currently riding a 9-year-old sorrel Frenchman’s Fabulous mare, KN Corona With a Twist, whom she simply calls Twist. The mare was Jaime’s backup horse until she sold her main barrel horse earlier in the summer. “She is a full red-headed mare but it makes us gritty. I bought her as a 4-year-old futurity horse that didn’t make it, but now she’s starting to turn on and it’s showing more and more. I also have a 3-year-old, and she’s cow bred, so I’m not sure if she’s going to be more roping horse or barrel horse,” says Jaime. “I get my dad or different friends to video runs and I like to go back and critique everything, especially with my younger horse. I’ve always tried to watch others and learn from them, especially better competitors. I have a lot of great friends who have supported me through the years and helped me with my backup horse.”
During the week, Jaime is a supervisor at PNC Bank, where she’s worked since graduating high school. “I work with a good group of people and we’re always super busy. It’s nice to be able to help people, and customer service is a big thing.” Jaime also enjoys boating with her mom, Susan Fowler, and spending time with her 4-year-old nephew, Holden, who comes to watch her at rodeos.
“I would definitely like to try to make both of the finals (APRA and First Frontier) this year. And I’m sitting second in the APRA, so it would be cool to move up and win that.”
