One Smooth Ride

Jessica & Smoothie at the Badlands Circuit Finals

The term, "smooth is fast" is often used in the world of barrel racing when referring to a picture perfect pattern. But if we're talking about Jessica Routier and her queen of consistency, Smoothie is faster.

By Bailee Murnion

In the northwestern corner of South Dakota lives one of the toughest barrel racing mares in the country. Known for her grittiness and unbelievable longevity, Jessica Routier’s “Smoothie” is undoubtedly, timeless. Together, this dynamic duo captured wins during their early years dominating the Wisconsin High School Rodeo Association, to now leading an assault on the professional rodeo circuit. The partnership of Jessica and Smoothie has lasted 17 years and the 20 year old Smoothie just keeps getting better with age.

For most barrel horses going down the road at a professional level, 20 years old is "over the hill". Someone forgot to mention that to Smoothie, as the cow bred mare continues to dominate year after year, showing no signs of slowing down in the near future. Though Smoothie might not have the head turning color or jaw dropping pedigree, her uncanny ability to run in any size of arena on ever changing ground conditions and Jessica's incredible jockeying skills, has made the pair one of the toughest teams going down the road for the last 17 years. Together, they have amassed over $200,000 in lifetime earnings, numerous National High School rodeo qualifications and state championships, three Great Plains regional barrel racing championships, two Great Plains all around championships, one National Intercollegiate Barrel Racing title, five qualifications to the Great Lakes Circuit Finals, six qualifications to the Badlands Circuit Finals, 4 qualifications to the Dodge National Circuit Finals, a circuit championship and numerous Horse of the Year honors, just to name a few of their accomplishments.

 

Jessica & Smoothie competing at the National High School Finals in the pole bending

 

Well known clinician and horseman Ray Hunt once said, "A horse knows. They know when you know. But they also know when you don't know." Undeniably, Jessica and Smoothie know each other better than most professional athletes know their teammates. "Smoothie has been with me through all of it. She's stuck with me through high school, college, marriage and three pregnancies," Jessica said when reflecting on her years with her beloved partner.

When horse crazy little girls fantasize about chasing their barrel racing dreams with their equine partner, they hope to have the perfect bond. That unbreakable bond that many hope for was formed between a 13 year old pint sized brunette and a stocky built blazed face sorrel mare when their collaboration began.

 Montfort, Wisconsin was home to Jessica Mueller where she grew up rodeoing and riding cutting horses which her parents Jon and Shelley Mueller trained. She found success in almost every event in junior rodeo however; a legacy was in the making when Shelley acquired a three year old double bred Doc Bar mare named Especials Smoothie. Sired by the Doc Bar son, Especial and out of Docs Lil Smoothie, by Smooth Herman, Smoothie was originally sent to the Mueller family from a friend in Texas to re-sell. Jessica started riding Smoothie, who had approximately 30 days of training when they acquired her, and was quickly competing on the mare within a year. "From day one, she knew how to run barrels," said Routier. "I never had to drill her or correct mistakes when I was first running her, she just always knew her job. I have never switched bits on her in all the years I've ran her. She has always run in the same bridle."

By the summer of Smoothie's four year old year Jessica was running poles and barrels on her, as well as using her in the breakaway roping. Smoothie made her first trip to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Springfield, Illinois where Jessica ran her in one round of the pole bending. Although she qualified for the finals on a different horse Smoothie rode along on the trip to experience the sights and sounds. "She started to get a potbelly that summer and as much as I rode her, she wouldn't lose any weight," Jessica recalled. "We wormed her repeatedly but she just kept gaining weight and we couldn't figure out why." In September, Smoothie surprised the Mueller's when she foaled a sorrel stud colt that Jessica appropriately named "Special". "We had no idea that she was bred," Jessica laughed. Although Special's sire is unknown, he went on to serve as a backup horse to his infamous dam. Not to be out done by his mother, Special carried Jessica to qualifications in the NRCA and SDRA associations and also pulled checks at several pro rodeos.

In 2001, Smoothie got the call to be Jessica's main mount. She won two high school state championships that summer and qualified for the National High School Finals in both pole bending and breakaway roping. Ironically, Smoothie and Jessica never qualified to the high school national finals in the barrel racing. "She didn't really shine in the barrels until my freshman year of college," Jessica said. And shine she did.

The Black Hills of South Dakota drew the Wisconsin raised high school rodeo standout to accept a rodeo scholarship and attend National American University in Rapid City, SD where she majored in Business. While rodeoing under the direction of NAU rodeo coach, Glen Lammers, the pair would go on to win the Great Plains region barrel racing title in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Smoothie also helped Jessica capture two regional All Around titles in 2002 and 2003 when she served double duty as Jessica's number one breakaway roping and barrel racing mount. It was in 2003 when Jessica's favorite memory and Smoothie's greatest accomplishment came in the form of a barrel racing championship at the College National Finals Rodeo. "She always shines in little indoor pens where the ground might be a little hard and the music might be a little loud," explained Jessica. "The CNFR was her perfect set up." With a National Championship saddle in her trailer, Jessica and Smoothie set out on the rodeo road and began their professional rodeo career. "Winning the CNFR was one of my greatest memories on Smoothie, because after that we hit the road and went out west for the pro rodeo's that summer," Jessica recalled. "Every friend I've ever had from every phase of my life knows Smoothie, because she's been with me through all of it."

Jessica running Smoothie's first foal, "Special"

 Jessica continued barrel racing after graduating from NAU in 2005 with a Master's degree in Business. In 2007, she married Riley Routier and moved to the Routier ranch south of Buffalo, SD where they run a commercial herd of black angus cows and raise their two children, Braden, 9, and Payton, 7. Braden and Payton are active in the family ranch, where the majority of their cattle work is done horseback. Jessica enjoys spending her time training futurity horses and is counting down the days until she can swing a leg over Smoothie's latest offspring. By virtue of embryo transfers, Smoothie produced two foals in 2013 while still competing. Sired by the Corona Cartel son, High On Corona, the two foals, a filly and a stud colt, are registered as Hot Corona Smoothie and Cold Corona Smoothie. Jessica is anxiously awaiting their full sibling, also being carried by a donor mare, to be born this spring.

Smoothie with Braden and Payton

 Smoothie's legacy will live on through her foals. She has already proven that she produces colts that will take after her hard turning, barrel hunting capability. "One of Smoothie's greatest strengths is her desire to please you," Jessica explained. "No amount of athleticism can replace her desire to be number one." Even with all of their accomplishments, Jessica said she does have her quirks. "She can be kind of naughty," Jessica laughed. "For the first five years that I rode her, I always tried to make her stand still when I got on her. I finally gave up, knowing that was a battle I was never going to win. She also has a tendency to bite my traveling partners unannounced!" Overlooking the few quirks that she has, Jessica believes that her heart and willingness have contributed to her longevity in the rodeo arena. "I still let her be a horse," Jessica said when explaining how she cares for Smoothie. "I never try to confine her to a stall, she's always in the pasture grazing and I think that keeps her happy and still running strong at her age."

 At press time, Smoothie is on a short break from the winter rodeos while Jessica is expecting twin girls in early May. Don't expect the duo to take a year off from their winning ways. Jessica plans to once again hit the Badlands circuit rodeos throughout the summer and is shooting for another qualification to the circuit finals. When asked when she will retire Smoothie, Jessica smiles and replies "when she tells me she's done." Smoothie has no doubt left an indelible mark on Routier's career. Though Jessica has trained and competed on many other horses throughout the years, none will replace to the infamous Smoothie.



Riley, Jessica, Braden & Payton Routier. (Family photos will soon be multiplied by TWO!)