Arena Tracks by Penny Schlagel: Generations

Grounded in the ranchlands of central Wyoming, four generations of horsewomen have come to make their mark, individually and collectively, on the horse and rodeo industry in the Tri-State Livestock coverage area.  Margaret Jones of Farson, WY has talents in many arenas.  She is a horsewoman with a quiet hand and a great feel for a horse as well as the hand and imagination behind The Broncy Buckskin leatherwork.  However, what Margaret does best is serve as the glue between the generations of Philp-Jones women. Margaret’s mother, Gloria Philp and her daughter, Sydney Jones round out the family that learns, lives and competes together.

While the Philp-Jones women are making their mark on the current barrel racing, roping and rodeo scene, the story of these cowgirls begins with Gloria’s mother, Margaret Maller.  Margaret and husband, Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee Hugh Maller lived and ranched on what is now the Lower Sunshine Reservoir near Meeteetse, WY.  Margaret had a feel for a horse and rode better than most men, even drawing the eye of B.A. Skipper who approached Margaret to ride the great mare, Poco Lena at a cutting, telling her, “You ride better than any woman I’ve ever seen.”  Gloria remembers her mother as a true horseman with a way of giving a horse confidence that she recognizes in her daughter, whom she named Margaret in honor of her mother.  Margaret Maller passed away at the early age of 36 due to cancer.  The Maller family, as well as the Wyoming horse industry, had a hole left by her talent.

Gloria Maller-Philp grew up on the family ranch near Meeteetse, WY where the family loved and raised horses.  Her father always said he wanted to go to any event and see a horse he raised competing in the arena.  To make that happen, Hugh Maller put together a broodmare band based on the advice of friend and renowned race-horse owner and trainer, Jay Parsons to buy one or two truly great mares.  Hugh did so, then bought Kickapoo Cody, a son of JB King,  to cross on those mares.  That breeding program put good horses under Gloria’s saddle growing up.  One of those great horses was Timmy Tyler, a horse the Mallers bred and raised.  Timmy Tyler was the ultimate all-around horse, earning Wyoming State 4 H Championships in halter and reining before going on to be Gloria’s college rodeo breakaway mount at the University of Wyoming.  Timmy lived to be 30, long enough to give Margaret her start in rodeo as well.  Gloria took the horses her family raised and made a name for herself across Wyoming, barrel racing and roping.  In the 6th grade, she joined the GRA (Girls Rodeo Association – the precursor to the WPRA).  The horse that Gloria cites as her greatest barrel horse, and she’s had several, was Quick Six Escape (Escape Clause, Me De Six x Six Fols), known as Escape around the ranch.  Escape also took daughter Margaret to the winner’s circle at the 2000 CNFR when she won the short round.

Margaret took the momentum from her early years on the Philp place near Lost Cabin/Lysite, WY, and built upon the foundation her parents, Gloria and Rob, built for her.  Margaret gives her parents credit for building her into the horsewoman she is today.  Their support was guaranteed and they put her in touch with truly great trainers through clinics and lessons.  Living close to Central Wyoming College in Riverton, WY, where Margaret would eventually enroll, the Philps were able to attend the many horse training related classes and clinics produced by Patti Stalley, the Equine Science Program Chair at the time. 

Margaret was a force in both High School and College Rodeo, where she competed for both Central Wyoming College and the University of Wyoming, her parents’ alma mater.   In college, in addition to Escape, Margaret and future husband Roger Jones both took advantage of the talents of Native Jetson, a horse on which her mother Gloria had already won 2 Senior Pro Reserve Barrel Racing Championships on the way to earning the Senior Pro All Around Championship.  Roger must have liked both the horse and his owner as they would soon be married and start their own branch on the family tree.

The Joneses began raising their own horses, keeping with the concept of having just one or two really stellar broodmares.  The family bred their good mare, Rare Red Raider (On The Money Red) to A Smooth Guy to produce two outstanding futurity horses. The first, Smooth Operraider (Badger), placed in the 2020 5 State Futurity.  Two years later, full sister Smooth Money Raider (Pancake) went on to win the Reserve Championship at the 5 State Futurity..  Additionally, Sydney and Margaret teamed up to take Pancake to the 2023 5 State All Around Maturity Championship; Margaret running barrels and poles and Sydney competing in the breakaway roping maturity.  In between the two, was Doubledownonthisguy, a palomino gelding by Frenchmans Guy and out of Kwynns Dash, a daughter of Dash Ta Fame.  He placed 7th at the 5 State in 2021.  

It is Doubledownonthisguy that Sydney Jones has taken with her to Central Wyoming College, though she will sneak home every now and again to “borrow” Pancake when the situation arises.  It was Sydney that first drew me to the family.  She has the most open and kind personality and just pulls people in.  As quick with a rope as she is with a smile, Sydney has represented the family well in the roping pen, winning the 5 State Breakaway Maturity in 2023.  Sydney was also a force in the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association as a State and National Qualifier.  Sydney plans to follow in the footsteps of both her grandmother and mother and complete her education at the University of Wyoming, pursuing a Bachelors in Finance before going on to become a Farm Bureau Insurance Agent, a career that runs on the Jones’ side of her family.  For now, Sydney enjoys time with her “classmates” – her grandparents, Gloria and Rob Philp.  They often audit the training classes at Central Wyoming College, always wanting to further their knowledge of the horse industry.

The Maller-Philp-Jones women truly have something that is very special about them.  They all have the most perfect combination of ability and humility.  They work hard, all of them, because they know what it takes to make and compete on a great horse, but are so humble about the awards and accolades that come from achieving those goals.  They travel together and even live next door to one another in Arizona during the winter months.  Margaret & Sydney realize the gift they have been given to travel with their family and Gloria sums it up the best, “The very best part of the western and rodeo lifestyle is that you get to live it with your kids.”  I couldn’t agree more, especially when your kids are as special as Margaret and Sydney.