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“And he makes friends everywhere he goes. He’s very respectful to everybody; when he comes to the barn, he has conversations with the people behind the scenes and shows them that he cares about them as individuals.” – Clint Crawford
Foundation [which provides support for employees and families affiliated with Ruidoso Downs Racetrack],” adds Clint’s co-trainer, Renee Wilson. “One of our grooms had a daughter that was getting ready to go to college and they made sure she applied for
the scholarship.”
“Judy is Conda’s biggest asset,” adds Clint. “They’re a very good team and great for
the industry.”
HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS
Both Conda and Judy grew up in Crosbyton, Texas, in families involved in the agriculture industry. The high school sweethearts then attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, about 40 miles
west of their hometown. Conda earned a degree in agriculture education and Judy an accounting degree.
They married right after graduation nearly 39 years ago. Conda then taught ag ed in White Deer, Texas, about 45 minutes northeast of Amarillo, for the next 17 years and Judy worked
as a certified public accountant as well as in the chemical industry.
Conda’s teaching career took him and his students to many state and national FFA contests and major stock shows. “I felt like I had a well-rounded program and one aspect of it was showing animals,” Conda says. “It was similar to the racing industry in that both competitions involve vying for awards and money.”
NEVER MAKE A PROMISE YOU WON’T KEEP
Both Conda and Judy attended races at Ruidoso Downs with their families as children, and Conda remembers dreaming of owning racehorses when he was just kindergarten age.
So, it may not have been surprising in 2000, while Conda was still teaching ag, that when Judy asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he replied, “A racehorse.”
“Being an accountant, I’m fairly conservative financially,” says Judy, “so my first thought was to try to put a stop to that!”
But her unwavering support for Conda led her to agree under the condition that he first find 10 partners to spread out the risk. The next day he came home with not 10, but 18 partners—ag teachers, farmers, ranchers and just plain “good ol’ country boys.” So, Good Ol Boys Racing LLC was born. The Mazes have been involved in racing ever since and their partners have found success there as well.
The partnership’s first venture, Quicks Trick, a 1999 filly by Royal Quick Dash and out of the Phone Trick mare Heart Trick, won one of 21 starts in her three years racing, earning $22,541. The win fueled Conda’s
fire for racing.
Two years later, Conda was ready to retire from his teaching career. He and Judy moved to Houston, where she worked as a financial executive with National Oilwell Varco,
and two years after that, Conda put his ag knowledge to use by starting Conda Maze JRP LLC, a livestock show feed distribution business that he and his manufacturer still run today.
“He really knows what he’s doing [in the horses]. Every time I’d tell him something about one, he’d remember and take it to heart.” – Toby Keeton
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse Photo
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