Clint Summers’ Mr Joes Shadow Bar has once again proven he’s more than just reliable—he’s elite.
The 14-year-old gelding won his second Nutrena PRCA Head Horse of the Year presented by AQHA title in 2025, having won the title in 2023 as well as the Head Horse of the BFI title then, too.
Summers, 34, of Lake City, Florida, said he had a good feeling about the horse’s chances this year, but wasn’t ready to call it a sure thing.
“I wouldn’t say it was a guarantee,” Summers said. “But I had a good idea he had a good chance to be the Horse of the Year. He’s just been Joe—he’s taken a lot of runs and he’s really shined.”
Summers, who makes another NFR appearance at No. 4 in the world standings this year alongside three-time PRCA World Champion Jade Corkill with $161,241.61 won, leaned heavily on Joe during a make-or-break summer campaign. Neither he nor Corkill were in the top 50 at the start of the run, so they had no margin for error.
“I got asked several times this summer, ‘When are you going to give Joe a break?’” Summers said. “But all the rodeos pay good, and I never feel like I’ve got it made. So it’s hard to get off of him.”
Joe’s durability and consistency are unmatched, and even in most of the high-money jackpots, Joe gets the call.
“You don’t get to go to those kind of ropings every day,” Summers said. “So as long as the big money’s up, I feel like I’ve got to be on him. It’s kind of dumb to leave him at the house.”
Summers says Joe is now on vacation until Fort Worth in January, though he may travel to Las Vegas as a backup for the 2025 NFR behind Summers’ other veteran mount, 21-year-old WSR Hesa Alive (Transmission).
“After Pendleton, I told Joe he was on vacation,” Summers said. “But when we get home, we’ve got jackpots to go to.”
Having two all-time-great head horses in his barn at once isn’t something Summers takes for granted.
“I came in from lunch the other day and was looking at Joe and Tranny in their lot,” he said. “They’re not the greatest of all time, but they’re dang sure in that conversation. It’s pretty cool having them both together at the same time.”
Joe came from the Pitzer-Ranch-bloodlines’ legacy of durability. By Mr Joes Bar Song out of Princess Hailstone by Nick Eyed Cody, the horse was Hall of Famer J.D. Yates’ go-to mount for big-money events. Summers first saw him at the BFI several years ago and was instantly drawn to him.
“I was riding JV (Jubilant Version) back then and I thought he was amazing,” Summers said. “But I saw JD on Joe and I was like, holy smokes, look at this horse. I didn’t say anything to anyone—I didn’t want someone else beating me to it.”
It took years of patience and persistence before Yates was ready to sell, and when the moment came, Summers didn’t hesitate.
“He said, ‘Come try him. He ain’t for sale, but if you want him, he’s yours,’” Summers recalled. “I ran four steers on him, and I didn’t need to run any more. It was a match.”
Since then, Joe’s become a mainstay for Summers in rodeo’s toughest setups and richest jackpots. The gelding doesn’t get practiced on much these days—just light exercise and the occasional run-through.
“He kind of gets set in his ways,” Summers said. “He’s ready to go to town, not mess around.”
Despite how quiet Joe looks standing in the box, Summers is always waiting on a specific feel before nodding.
“He always backs straight in and stands there, but there’s a certain moment—maybe a breath, maybe his neck relaxes just a touch—and I know, alright, we’re ready,” Summers said.
Now 14, Joe may be nearing the peak of his career, but Summers believes he still has years of greatness left—and possibly a second rider in the pipeline.
“My son, Claxton, already says Joe is his horse,” Summers laughed. “He’ll tell you himself—Joe’s his. I try to push him toward Tranny, but he likes the word Joe better.”
Summers is still on the hunt for the next great one, but horses like Joe are rare.
“I want something that can score, run, face, operate—and take the runs,” he said. “That’s like a unicorn, but they’re out there. You just have to keep looking. The minute you stop, you get behind.”
Full 2025 PRCA Horse of the Year Results
Steer Wrestling
1. Telle Em PYC “Banker” ridden by Justin Shaffer, Tucker Allen, Jesse Brown, Holden Myers and Jace Melvin, and owned by Justin Shaffer
2. Off the Fence “Swamper” ridden by Will Lummus, Dakota Eldridge and Winsten McGraw, and owned by Broom Tree Ranch LLC
3. Finding Meno “Crush” ridden by Ty Erickson, Stetson Jorgenson and Rowdy Parrott, and owned by TC Equine LLC
Team Roping Header
1. Mr. Joes Shadow Bar “Joe” ridden by Clint Summers, and owned by Clint and Darren Summers
2. RK Tuff Trinket “Bob” ridden and owned by Riley Minor
3. Espuela Bro “Spur” ridden by Tyler Wade, and owned by Tyler and Jessi Wade
Team Roping Heeler
1. Cut off My Spots “Coon” ridden and owned by Coleby Payne
2. Oz Ona Hot Streak “Oz” ridden by Lane Mitchell and owned by Nate Ozentowski
3. Bodak Yello “Bodak” ridden and owned by Jade Corkill
Tie-Down Roping
1. Marked Up Cat “Rudy” ridden and owned by Riley Webb
2. Haidas Texas Jewel “Bird” ridden by Tanner Green, Quade Hiatt and others, and owned by Tanner Green
3. Daddys Shiner Cat “Peso” ridden by Ty Harris, Logan Bird, Joel Harris, Kyle Lucas and Shad Mayfield, and owned by Logan Bird
Pick Up Man
1. Baby Hes Hot “BABY” ridden by Tyler Kraft and owned by Vanessa Kraft
2. Sundayredwood Breeze “Badger” ridden by Matt Twitchell and owned by Clegg Livestock Co Inc
3. Jack On Moon “Spyder” ridden by Matt Twitchell and owned by Clegg Livestock Co Inc
Steer Roping
1. Son Ofa Glo “Junior” ridden and owned by Slade Wood
2. Unbreykable “Big Country” ridden and owned by Kelton McMillen
3. JS Frosty Badger “Goose” Ridden by Scott Snedecor and owned by Scott and Kelli Snedecor
Barrel Racing
1. DM Sissy Hayday “Sister,” ridden and owned by Hailey Kinsel
2. Seis Corona “Jagger,” ridden and owned by Megan McLeod-Sprague
3. Force The Goodbye “Jarvis,” ridden and owned by Kassie Mowry
Breakaway Roping
1. Stylish Drifter “Dutch,” ridden and owned by Josie Conner
2. Aladdins Approach “Lexus,” ridden and owned by Cheyanne McCartney
3. Jigsaw Wildcard “Jigsaw,” ridden by Aspen Miller and owned by Craig Miller
