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Born to perform. [Photo: SJ Equine]
Training, competing, raising horses, and standing a stallion are all pieces of the moving parts of day-to-day life for the Tucker and Sadie Dale family. Ryder, North Dakota is where they call home, and horses are mandatory banter in and outside of the arena.
Travelling and competing on a futurity stallion 1,700 miles from home in a trailer with a newborn, toddler, and a load of horses doesn’t just happen. The rare percentage of competitors hauling down the road, juggling their family, horse herd, and maintaining a competitive edge seems like normalcy for the Dales. However, a lifetime of skill, work, hours, and dedication is what makes the unattainable for some doable for the Dales.
Tucker Dale heading on ‘Shining Famous’ at the Royal Crown 4 and under roping. [Photo: Lexi Smith]
“My grandpa (Lloyd Dale, Lemmon, S.D.) got me started in training and raising horses. He had his 50-year breeding certificate from the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). I stayed with him in the summers when I was young, and that’s where my brother and I learned how to start colts,” explained Tucker Dale.
The main thing that Tucker took away from his priceless time spent with his grandfather was that raising horses wasn’t just about breeding for pure athletic ability, but they had to be trainable. “Honestly, we came about having a stallion, because we had a great mare. She had the qualities we wanted every horse to be,” said Tucker.
And that great mare was his wife, Sadie’s, barrel horse, Shiner’s Vaquera, which became an essential part of their journey of raising horses and a family together.
Sadie (Gjermundson) Dale grew up in western North Dakota and is no stranger to the arena. “Whatever it took, my parents (Lyle and Sharlene Gjermundson) would do. If they didn’t know something, they would get me to a clinic when it came to rodeo events,” said Sadie. “The connections I’ve made throughout high school, college rodeo to the professional ranks are priceless.”
Sadie and Rookie wrapping the barrels. [Photo: Branded J Images]
Sadie attended Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, Wyoming, finished her bachelor’s degree at Dickinson State University, and obtained her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2019 from the University of Mary — all the while, roping and running barrels at every rodeo she could.
Pairing that with Tucker’s non-stop journey of training horses from his grandpa’s ranch to working for trainers from Texas to South Dakota, the champion team roping header is a special, soft-spoken horseman that has an eye for what a good horse is and an exceptional hand at making them great horses.
Elaborating on the history of Sadie and Tucker’s breeding program and what has unfolded, Tucker said that their incredible mare, Shiner’s Vaquera, ended up with an injury, so they started breeding her. All her colts were so nice, according to the Dales. Kaleb Driggers, a National Finals Rodeo team roping header, was a repeat client of the mare’s offspring.
“We have a need for horses that are also versatile. They need a mind that can handle multiple events and go ride on the ranch, just the same. We really believe in having ‘all-around’ good horses,” stated the Dales.
Eventually, the renowned horse breeder/businessman Allen Woodbury suggested they take the leap and breed Shiner’s Vaquer directly to the legendary sire, Dash Ta Fame. That pairing produced a stallion named Shining Famous, aka Rookie. The stallion’s first competition year is unfolding in 2023 as a four-year-old.
Shining Famous [Photo: SJ Equine]
At the Royal Crown 4 and Under Heading futurity recently held in Buckeye, Arizona this February, the Dales said they were happy with how Rookie handled the miles, the competition, and acted just as composed and competitive as if he were at home and stayed together well. Rookie is set to debut in the barrel racing futurities as a five-year-old next year.
Hauling and competing on young horses is an ‘art’ let alone handling a stallion while doing it. It has been a common thought amongst horse trainers that a good horse takes years to make, and the Dales agree.
“We really care about disposition when it comes to the horses we have around, especially now because we have two young children. Every event in rodeo has become so specialized, so we do consider pedigree, but at the forefront of everything in our program is a good and trainable disposition,” added the Dales.
Rayne Dale and Rookie at Stallion Row at Rapid City Stock Show [Photo: Submitted]
“I think if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way. We spend a lot of time up here hauling to different barns to keep maintaining consistency in training through the winter months,” said Sadie.
When it comes to training horses and after the decades of experience he has acquired, Tucker notes, “The more years under my belt, the more I’ve realized that focusing on fundamentals and the basics makes the training process more successful. I used to work on a lot more advanced horsemanship things, but getting those fundamentals down, allows those advanced skills to just happen.”
The Dales said they are both excited to start riding the first colt crop out of Rookie, which is set to hit the ground this spring.
Welcome to the family. Sadie, Rayne, and Tucker Dale with Rookie [Photo: submitted]
Along with building a legacy with their daughters, Rayne (3) and Rhenlee (3 months), the Dales are building a legacy amongst the Dakotas and beyond.
Besides their rodeo titles/wins and PRCA circuit qualifications, and Sadie’s career as a physical therapist for the Elbowoods Memorial Health under the Three Affiliated Tribes serving the native populations, the family is helping future generations have the chance to ride some amazing athletes, while encouraging the western way of life across the countryside.
For more information on Shining Famous and availability, visit their Facebook page: Shining Famous or Tucker and Sadie Dale Performance Horses.
Tisa Peek is a long-time horse trainer, competitor in barrel racing and team roping, and writer about the equine. Rodeo and horses run deep in her roots. JT Family Equine is where she calls home, south of Bismarck, ND. Tisa, along with her husband, Jon, and boys, Blu and River, train horses and host clinics. Tisa is the host for Dakota Cowboy on BEK TV.