About Jay McLaughlin

NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Jay McLaughlin was raised in a family of horse people. His father was a professional horse trainer, who trained horses for everything from pleasure to barrels and reining, among many other disciplines. Jay’s mother was also a horsewoman, and she established a 4-H program and kept it going for over two decades. It was from his mother’s tutelage that Jay said he got his strong foundation in riding and competing. She made him work on the basics and establish his skills before allowing him to move on to faster events, like reining and barrel racing. This also helped foster Jay’s competitive nature and goal setting by having him strive for success and work towards becoming a better rider. Jay started his horse business when he turned 18. As a professional, Jay first focused on competing in reining; however, much like he did as a child, Jay quickly became interested in the adrenaline-packed reined cow horse competition. In 2004, at his debut at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, he was able to make the finals in the Open and Intermediate Open on SS Rosa. In 2008, he and Lil Miss Shiney Chex were the NRCHA Two Rein World Champions. He was the 2013 NRCHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion and the 2015 NRCHA Stakes Open Champion aboard Aaron Ranch’s Blind Sided, a son of Lil Miss Shiney Chex. Jay has earned numerous other titles, including multiple AQHA and NRCHA World and Reserve World Championships. With Shiney Outlaw, Jay was the 2019 NRCHA Open Bridle World Champion, 2020 AQHA Sr Working Cow Horse World Champion, and 2021 NRCHA Worlds Greatest Horseman Reserve Champion.