Oklahoma Championship Highlights Legacy of Both Ivy Saebens and JLo

For anyone who might have seen Ivy Saebens run, and win,at Durant, Okla.you might have thought you saw her back on her famous mare JLo, but not quite. 

Saebens was aboard a nine year old mare, Kn Fabs Gifttovegas (Adele), who is by French Streak to Vegas out of JLo. When you look at the two mares side by side, it is hard to tell them apart. If you look at videos of the mares running side by side it is even more difficult. 

Adele only stands at 14.2 hands which means she is all heart. In order to win any professional rodeo, let alone a decent sized one such as Durant, a horse has to love the event and try their heart out. Saebens mentioned that she loves the effort and grit the little mare has.

“It warms my heart to be on something so similar to JLo,” stated Saebens. 

As of now Adele is described as a lot calmer than her mother and apparently much more enjoyable to deal with during her upkeep throughout the week.

“They run pretty similar. You have to make sure your angles are right at the first and the other two come easy from there,” says Saebens. 

Kenny Nichols and Dale Barron own Adele and JLo as well as Frenchmans Fabulous. They bred and raised both Adele and Jlo.  Sue Miller started started her on the pattern before Leia Plummer took Adele in her care for a couple of years before Saebens received her just recently. It truly takes a village.

Moving forward this year she is hoping to qualify back to the Prairie Circuit Finals aboard Adele while they increase her lifetime earnings. The more she can be showcased in a positive light the better it will be for the upcoming breeding season for Barron and Nichols. 

Saebens is known for a lot of positive aspects in her barrel racing career, one being her ability to pristinely take care of her horses. This team has a chance to go on to do great things and a big part of that is how well Adele, and any horse that enters her barn, is taken care of. 

Barrel racing fans have missed seeing the famous yellow mare running down the alley. It truly was bittersweet after Saebens announced JLo’s official retirement, but to see her on a JLo baby is heartwarming. It will be amazing to watch this team grow together and show off what these bloodlines can do for generations! 

Photo Courtesy of Ivy Saebens