Page 258 - Speedhorse April 2019

Red-Headed Runner
by Michelle Fleming
Kendra Pinkowsky and her Paint mare Dashing Jolene are making tracks around the barrel pattern, and proving they’re hard to beat
along the way.
PAINT HORSE BULLETIN
Kendra Pinkowsky of Brush Prairie, first horse at the age of 29, then along came Q: How is she behind the alley?
Washington, has found success around
the cloverleaf with her 8-year-old Paint, Dashing Jolene. Originally bred to race, Dashing Jolene raced five times, earn- ing her Register of Merit in 2013 and a speed index of 85. Kendra purchased the mare a few years ago and refocused her ath- leticism to barrel racing. Doing most of the work herself on the 2011 sorrel solid mare, who is by Country Quick Dash and out of Streakin Jolene (QH), has been particularly rewarding, and the duo were excited to com- pete at The American rodeo semi-finals in Fort Worth, Texas, in March 2019.
Q: Tell me a little about yourself.
Kendra: I have an amazing husband and family that have supported me in my barrel racing career. I have been riding since the age of three. My mom’s family had a dude ranch when she was little; she bought her
me! She bought me a pony and I have been riding ever since.
Q: Tell me about Dashing Jolene?
Did she come off the track?
Kendra: Dashing Jolene is an amazing APHA mare that we bought sight unseen from Barrel Horse World. She turns eight this year and she seems to be getting the hang of barrel racing. She is by Country Quick Dash and out of Streakin Jolene (QH) by Streakin La Jolla. I have owned her for about three years now. She came off the track. All I knew was that she was lightly started on the barrels and I really liked the way she moved. She reminded me of one of the old mares I used to have. She’s very respect- ful and is very light in the mouth. I really enjoy riding her. It was very easy to finish training her since she was already started on the barrel pat- tern. I just needed to add speed. I started slow until she got the hang of barrel racing.
Kendra: She is crazy! Everyone laughs at me because Jolene is very hyper and prances. I would call her the crazy red-headed lady out of Dolly Parton’s song “Jolene” when she’s warming up, but if she doesn’t act that way then we don’t have a good run and there is something wrong with her. Every run she makes, she is very honest, and she will give you 110 percent every time.
Q: Tell me about your BFA win and The American semi-final qualification? Kendra: Well, Jolene and I won Amateur Derby Champion at the 2017 Barrel Futurities of America race. Her first run was pretty good, and we made it to the short round and won the Top Five in the race.
There is a wonderful facility in Powell Butte, Oregon, that puts on an American Qualifier. Jolene and I had the fastest time of the Qualifier and won $1,600. At that time, all I knew was I was headed to Fort Worth, Texas.
256 SPEEDHORSE April 2019