He calls her Juliet, and his hopes for her are sky high.
Junior Nogueira’s second dad, Jake Barnes, has always talked to him about the never-ending search for the next great horse. Junior, who named his son Jake after his beloved mentor, listened. “Horsepower is everything,” Junior says. “The chance to win a gold buckle depends on the set of horses you have. The best car wins the race.” Meet Juliet, the red dun mare who joined Junior’s lineup earlier this year.
Chica Dee Tinker’s just 9. Junior bought her this winter from Denny Gentry, who bought her from Gabe Williams.
“Juliet is made very well, she’s super balanced, talented and can really stop and take care of her body,” Junior said. “Gabe rode her everywhere when she was a baby, and did good on her. I watched Gabe ride her at the futurities. Then he sold her. I ran into Denny Gentry at a World Series roping and asked him about her, then sent Shawn Grant to try her and bought her.
“Juliet got way bigger and stronger. I’ve taken her to some AQHA shows, and have qualified her for the World Show in the heading and heeling. She’s amazing.”
Junior guesses Juliet to be about 15 hands. “I have no idea how much she weighs,” he said. “She’s not huge stout, but she’s stout enough.”
Dialed In for the Thomas & Mack
Junior and Juliet went straight to winning at the jackpots. It took a little time to sync up on the fast rodeo runs, but if their 3.2-second run on their second steer at Austin in March is any indication, they’re dialed in now.
“I jackpot on her really good, and think she’ll be perfect for the shorter scores,” Junior said. “She’s just so easy. I think she’ll be very, very good for the NFR. I really think she can be a game-changer at the Thomas & Mack.
“For now, I will pick and choose where I ride her, because I don’t want to push her super hard. Juliet is so good in the box, she’s smooth, she gets her butt in the ground, is a big-time stopper and is strong to the saddle horn. She’s a very, very special horse.”
A Future in the Breeding Program
Beyond the arena, Junior has high hopes for Juliet’s future in his breeding program.
“I think Juliet would be a very good cross with a good roping horse stud,” he said, noting that she’s not only sound, but an easy keeper. “Maybe next year, and maybe Kilo (Pride and Joyy). They both work beautifully, and I think they would have amazing babies if I breed her to him.
“Juliet is very classy when she works. She has so much to add to any cross, just in the way she moves and carries herself, her mind and her big stop. She’s a great-minded horse and very smooth. Mares that have good minds cross well with any stud, and Juliet is quiet and intelligent. Nothing bothers her.”
Blessed With Good Mares
Some people refuse to ride a mare. Junior Nogueira is not one of them.
“A lot of people don’t like mares, but I’ve been very blessed with good mares,” he said. “It can be hard to haul some mares, but Hali changed my life and my whole career. Special, great mares will try harder than any great gelding or stud you’ve got. And they’re very valuable to a breeding program after their rodeo careers.
“Juliet acts more like a gelding than a mare. She’s super quiet and never kicks or fights. She’s a pleasure to ride around, and is very broke and gentle. She’s just a great horse.”
We’ll continue to see Junior riding the bald-faced sorrel horse he calls Will—Will because he came from Will Woodfin—quite a lot. He’s 10, and Nogueira bought him from his header, Kaleb Driggers, last summer. Junior still has Lucky Bucky and Timon, too, but they’re starting to get a little age on them.
“I’ve been trying to rejuvenate my horse herd,” Junior said. “Juliet has been a great addition. I’ll be selective on where I ride her right now, because I don’t want to kill her confidence and I’m very high on riding her at the NFR. Horsepower is everything, and I’m excited thinking about what she can do in the Thomas & Mack.”
—TRJ—