Page 92 - January 2021

Jimmy Harrel and Separate Bet
by Diane Rice
Jimmy and Marilyn Harrel consider the friends they’ve made in horse racing to be even greater in life’s success than their horses.
In their youth, Jimmy Harrel and his brother Duane never thought they’d ever see a race at Ruidoso, let alone own horses that would
compete and win there. Yet in the 40-plus years since they and Howard Moore claimed their first racehorse at La Mesa Park in Raton, New Mexico, they’ve climbed the ranks to own Horses of the Meet at both Ruidoso Downs and Remington Park along with a Champion Quarter Horse runner.
Yet it’s the people they’ve met along the
way that Jimmy and Marilyn say hold their heartstrings. “We’ve had the good fortune to be involved with a tremendous number of good people in the industry,” says Jimmy, whom most
people call by his full name, ‘Jimmy Harrel’ rather than just Jimmy. “We’ve really enjoyed the people and the atmosphere; it’s more fun if you can share it with people who enjoy it, too.”
THE EARLY DAYS
Jimmy grew up about 130 miles northwest of Oklahoma City in Leedey, Oklahoma,
the son of ranchers Henry and Nellie Harrel. Marilyn grew up on a farm in Leedey, the daughter of Hugh and Elva Carney.
Jimmy and his brothers, Duane and Frank, worked the ranch with their dad. “My parents were good, hard-working people who built a pretty nice ranch out there,” Jimmy says.
Jimmy and Marilyn knew each other from childhood. They both attended Oklahoma State University and married in 1963, later welcoming a daughter, Keela, into their family. Keela is now married to David Terry with
a daughter, Taylor, and her husband, Brody Haynes, and a son, Ryan.
Jimmy’s successful stint on OSU’s livestock judging team, during which he traveled to Kansas City, Chicago and Fort Worth, would serve him well after he graduated in 1964 with a degree in animal science and vocational agriculture education.
Along with helping on his dad’s ranch, Jimmy started up his own spread while he
90 SPEEDHORSE January 2021
Winner’s Circle Meets Social Circle