With more than 40 years of equine experience under her belt buckle, Martha Josey appears to have done it all. She galloped into the record books as the first woman to win both the American Quarter Horse Association and the Womens Professional Rodeo Association World Championships in the same year. She has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo during four consecutive decades. In 1985, Martha was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, won gold at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, and was named the Women?s Sports Foundation AQHA National Female Equestrian of the Year in 1999. Still today, Martha continues to rodeo and win.
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Martha Josey sits in her wooden rocker on the Josey ranch.
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Martha grooms Tiny Sugar Charm, one of her horses on the ranch.
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A teacher
Barrel racing originally developed as an event for women. While their husbands roped or rode broncs and bulls, the women barrel raced. That's how Martha met her man.
"I met my husband at a show," Martha said. "My husband won first in calf roping, and I won first in barrel racing. From there it was love at first sight."
When they're not in the saddle, Martha and husband, world-champion calf roper R.E. Josey, dedicate their time to passing their skills on to others. The Joseys host equestrian clinics specializing in horsemanship, calf roping and barrel racing at their ranch in Marshall and also take their know-how on the road, holding clinics across the country. Each year, they host nationally acclaimed competitions including the Josey Jr. World Championship Barrel Race, an event billed as the largest youth barrel race event in the world, and the Josey Reunion Roundup.
"We opened our school in 1967. We were looking for something to do and just thought, 'Hey, why not teach barrel racing?'" Martha said. "The first year we taught 33 people, and we thought we struck it rich. Now about 1,000 people come through the ranch a year."
She said not much has changed since she began her career. Even though horses are better trained and prizes are bigger and better, still one constant remains: little girls' love for horses.
"There are only two real differences from then and now: the money and the horses," Martha said. "The money wasn't as good back then, whereas today people win everything from belt buckles and saddles to scholarships and prize money. As for the horses, now they are just better trained. But that common bond is still there — it's still all about these people coming out and loving horses."
A role model
The Joseys have a store opened year-round to Josey Ranch visitors and mail-order customers around the world, offering a complete line of quality equipment including saddles, supplies and horse health products. Products are just one way the Joseys provide their students with quality care.
Martha is an inspiration to women and men who hope to one day reach the record-breaking heights she has reached. To Martha, being a role model isn't something she takes for granted.
"One saying of mine that I tell my students: Winners never quit and quitters never win. To make it in anything you do you must have dedication, determination and desire. You can do anything if you want it bad enough, you've just got to be motivated."
Today, the Joseys have taught more than 100,000 students. Martha said she has no plans of putting an end to her clinics any time soon.
"I'm proud of the fact that I still enjoy teaching this after so many years," she said. "I'll dedicate my time to instructing others for as long as I enjoy it, and I plan to enjoy it for many more years."
