Blazin A Trail: The Stallion Whose Offspring Continue to Dominate Professional Rodeo

Each year, we see many records broken and 2024 has been no exception, particularly for one sire

Jordon Briggs and Famous Lil Jet / PRCA photo by Click Thompson

A sorrel stallion with a mixture of old-school bloodlines including Doc Olena and Jet of Honor became the leading Barrel Futurity Horse in the Nation in 2003. Winning seven futurities, he won over $76,000 as a four-year-old. He later aided in a National Finals Rodeo qualification in 2005.

The stallion was not a great barrel horse by chance, his lineage set him apart. His dam was a proven barrel horse, setting arena records and earning over $20,000 at open jackpots and open rodeos in the 1980s. His sire was injured as two-year-old, which limited his show career. Even 20 years ago, it was becoming apparent how important a good maternal line is for a barrel horse.

This stallion now has 394 money-earning offspring, according to QStallions, with $10,185,672 in total earnings. His offspring have won futurities, derbies, professional rodeos, slot races, and World Championships. They hold countless records at the highest levels and continue to break them.

Who is this mysterious sorrel stallion? None other than "Jet," the great Blazin Jetolena of Busby Quarter Horses. The late stallion left an incredible impression upon the industry and we once again saw his influence at the National Finals Rodeo in 2024.

According to QStallions, Jet's highest money-earning offspring is Jets Top Gun, better known as "Benny." The nine year old gelding has won... well, "What hasn't he won?" might be the better question. Benny was a key player in Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi's 2023 WPRA World Championship, finishing the year with a record breaking $496,499 in season and NFR earnings.

The only thing the duo did not win in 2024 was the Average, due to a downed barrel in Round 10. They placed in eight of the 10 rounds. Benny returned to the 2024 NFR with owner Andrea Busby and they claimed that title, along with the new record for the fastest aggregate time on all 10 runs. Busby and Benny placed in nine of the 10 rounds.

Ironically, they took this title from another Busby Quarter Horses raised gelding, Famous Lil Jet, "Rollo" (ridden by Jordon Briggs). Rollo is out of a Blazin Jetolena daughter, Blazin Black Beauty. He is the fourth highest money earning barrel horse of all time, at $1.3 million. While Rollo narrowly missed the 2024 NFR due to an injury that had him sitting out a good portion of the season, his full sister, Blazin Ta Betty, ran down the alley of the Thomas and Mack this year with Lisa Lockhart.

While full NFR earnings have not officially been updated yet in QStallions, Busby and Benny's NFR earnings were over $230,000, which pushed his lifetime earnings over $1 million.

Jet's second highest earning offspring is another 2024 NFR qualifier, Blingolena. Ridden by Carlee Otero, the six-year-old gelding has $417,571 in lifetime earnings. His NFR earnings have not yet been calculated into this number, but "Sly" and Otero earned roughly $150,000 in Las Vegas.

Sheza Blazin Move is third on that list, with $384,900. Not only did "Movin" qualify for the NFR, she has proven herself as a producer. Jet shines on the maternal side, with Movin's daughter, Tres Movidas, racking wins at every level with Hallie Hanssen. Jet is ranked No. 15 on the all-time leading list of maternal sires for barrel horses, at $2.8 million in earnings.

For the last decade of his life, Jet made his home in Millsap, Tex. at Busby Quarter Horses. The life's work of Jeff and Andrea Busby, Busby Quarter Horses has strived to raise versatile horses that could excel in a variety of performance avenues. Jet joined their program in 2013, already an established champion, and with the perfect mixture of ideal traits.

Combining Jet's genetics with some of the best broodmare bloodlines available, Busby's have built a program that offers something for everyone. From selling colts to the best trainers in the business (like Justin and Jordon Briggs) to campaigning them through the aged event ranks then selling as finished horses to competing on some themselves, Busby's have worked hard to get Jet's offspring into the right hands.

It has clearly paid off, with the sorrel stallion with a simple star in his face leaving a legacy and continuing to break records amongst the most elite of competition.