About

John T. Jones began his successful career in the Saddlebred industry as a teenager in Marion, Pennsylvania. When he was twelve his parents separated and he went to live with the Harry Showalter family at Swamp Fox Farm in Marion. The Showalters owned American Saddlebreds. Over time John and Harry Showalter developed a deep and abiding relationship and John’s interest in training American Saddlebreds grew along with it.

As he was approaching high school graduation “Dad” Showalter, as John still calls him,  made a generous offer. He told John that he would send him to the college of his choice and then take him into his family business. When John responded that he wanted to be a horse trainer Harry Showalter made him a second offer. He said that he would buy ten Saddlebred broodmares and a stallion and raise horses for John to train. He told John that he would have to develop and train his own show horses. And that he did.

In 1974 John was offered a job working privately for Clyde W. McCoy in Finchville, Kentucky. He was doing well in Marion with his show string and was deeply divided about leaving the farm and the Showalters. He took his concerns to Harry and asked his advice. Harry told John that if he was to sail big ships he would need to do it in deep water. He gave John his blessing, shipped the show string that John had developed to McCoy’s farm and closed up the Marion operation. John won his first World Championship on a two-year-old five gaited colt named Danish Harmony in 1976. That same year in December Harry Showalter hit by a car and killed while he was out jogging. He left John a special and enduring legacy; the understanding of what hard work and dedication to a life passion can produce.

From that point on John established himself as a specialist in young horses. He worked for Haverhill Farm in West Linn, Oregon for two years and then moved back to Kentucky and opened his own operation in Versailles where he developed and showed multiple World Champions. His career has spanned forty years and his reputation for turning out polished, well trained horses that stand the test of time is unquestioned.

The list of World Champions is probably not complete due to the fact that he has never kept a record of his accomplishments but from memory these are his World and World Grand Champions alphabetically:

According to Lynn (with Tre Lee)

Aloof

Banter

Callaway’s Eve Toncray

Callaway’s Abigail Adams

Callaway’s Cameo

Callaway’s Confetti

Callaway’s Copyright (six Fine Harness World Grand Championships, 2001 through 2006, one World Championship 2000 as a Junior Horse)

Callaway’s Hot Copy

Callaway’s Mr. Republican

Callaway’s Yahoodi

Capers

Cherished King (with Tre Lee)

CF Burnout

Danish Harmony

Foxfire’s Profit (World Grand Champion 1989)

Gillen’s Fairy Gold

Hank Herion

Hear The Music

Himalaya

Just Special

Lady Luck

Lovin’ Lass (with Tre Lee)

Marching Orders (with Tre Lee)

Metro Heirea

Radiating

Rose Garland

Silver Lady

Starstruck

Walterway’s Remember Me

John has had several assistant trainers over the years who have gone on to have successful careers as well like Bob Brison, A. J. Bruwer, Jeff Leech, Walt Bullard, Alison Deardorf and most recently Tre Lee.  John and Tre were a formidable team for two years under Tre and his wife Emily’s banner of Prospect Lane, Inc. with such successes as A Silver Charm, Boston Legal, Callaway’s Connotation, Cherished King, Coco Royale, Helen’s Charm, Just Heavenly, Paranormal and The Starwalker (SA).

In 2008 John moved into yet another phase of his career. He continues his association with Tre at Prospect Lane in Versailles and is raising and working a few of his own colts. He and his wife Karen recently relocated from Lexington, Kentucky to Scottsdale, Arizona where they continue to raise, train and sell quality American Saddlebreds.