Passion for horses
Jayson’s journey began in Central Texas, where he grew up on a family farm growing peanuts, watermelons and cantaloupes. His family also raised cattle and relied on horses to move the livestock, which built the foundation for his passion.
From an early age, he was fascinated by the lineage and pedigree of horses, spending hours flipping through magazines like Quarter Horse News. He even started reading the magazine backward so he wouldn’t miss any valuable pedigree information.
This interest in pedigrees stuck with him, as Jayson told WLJ, “I guess I was a pedigree freak from the start.”
Jayson began helping a local horse trainer when he was 10 or 11 years old. Initially, Jayson imagined life as a horse trainer, with a focus on cutting horses. His zeal for horses was evident as he became heavily involved in training and gaining industry knowledge. He spent his early teens at National Cutting Horse Association events, and it was there, sitting in the auction rings, that Jayson became fascinated with the auction process.
“I was really fascinated with the whole sale process, and it fit my wheelhouse because I was so intrigued by pedigrees,” Jayson said.
Transition to auctions
After a stint in Italy training cutting horses, Jayson became increasingly involved in horse auctions in the U.S. While he had always envisioned himself as a horse trainer, Jayson began working at more sales, and over time, the auction world became his main focus. His talent for understanding horse pedigrees made him a natural in the auction environment. Jayson was hired to read pedigrees at auctions, something he never anticipated becoming his primary role.
“I never thought I would be in the auction business,” Jayson admitted. “I wanted to train horses. That was the goal.”
Jayson saw people reading pedigrees and speaking about horses on the auction block, and he aspired to be someone who buyers could trust when making a purchase. Though he had dreamed of being the auctioneer, when he was placed in the pedigree chair, he realized his friends already held the auctioneer role, so he decided to embrace his position and make the best of it. As the pedigree-reading jobs kept coming in through word of mouth, Jayson understood the pedigree chair was where he was meant to be, allowing him to give back to the industry he loved.
Jayson emphasized that integrity and knowledge are essential for success in the auction industry. Whether reading pedigrees or working alongside auctioneers, he believes honesty is imperative. Jayson approaches his role with dedication, ensuring buyers trust his expertise and have confidence in his descriptions of each horse.
“I don’t want to say anything I can’t stand behind,” Jayson said. “If I am going to say something, I will stand behind it, which is huge for the buyers and sellers. For the seller, that helps because I believe what I say and will stand behind it. For the buyer, it gives them more confidence that I believe in it as well.”
Jayson believes that a lack of integrity can ruin the credibility of an auctioneer or pedigree reader, and he refuses to compromise.
Market trends and challenges
As someone deeply embedded in the horse industry, Jayson has seen the market evolve over the years. Jayson noted that 15-25 years ago, it was hard to find good-quality, broke horses, but the growing interest in the Western lifestyle has furthered the demand for quality, well-trained horses that can be used for ranching or pleasure riding.
Jayson also pointed out that horses today are bred for more specialized roles than in the past. Whether it’s for cutting, reining or roping, each discipline demands a specific type of horse. This specialization has driven breeders to pay more attention to pedigrees to produce horses capable of excelling in these roles.
However, Jayson is concerned about maintaining stability in the market. One of the biggest challenges is the overuse of popular stallions. He explains that some stallions are bred to so many mares that it could eventually harm the overall quality of horses available.
“Stallion owners are breeding as many mares as they can because they don’t know if the market will be good next year,” Jayson said.
While it’s a profitable short-term strategy, he believes it could have long-term repercussions for the industry.
Jayson remains optimistic about the future of the horse industry. He believes the market will remain strong as long as breeders prioritize quality and integrity. His advice to those in the business is simple: “Do your homework. If you produce a good, well-trained horse, the market will pay.”
Family
Beyond auction markets, Jayson’s family plays a central role in his life and career. His wife, Becky, though not from an agricultural background, has become a vital partner in their business. Together, they manage several ventures, including 7J Cattle Company, a cattle operation and a sales management company.
“She’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me,” Jayson said. “I think to have a spouse that’s a partner in business and a partner in life that is willing to push you to be better is special. The hard part is there are days when you feel overwhelmed because there are so many things that you need to do, and days you don’t know where to start, and it gets confusing. But, whenever you look at her and realize what God has done, what your life is and what it is all about, things start falling into place.”
For Jayson, his family’s support has been essential, and their teamwork allows him to succeed in an industry that requires constant travel and dedication. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
