The Epic Skyfall of 2026 World’s Greatest Horseman: Solo Select Sale Grad Jaymes Bond
- Melanie Smith
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
“It’s not supposed to happen like that,” April Bonds says with a laugh. “You’re not supposed to get a horse like Jaymes Bond as your first one—you just hope you don’t mess it up. We made a million and one mistakes along the way. But buying his dam? That was definitely not one them. This changed everything for us.”
The Bonds Ranch program has produced many good horses over the years, but Jaymes Bond is something different. Something rare. The kind of horse that changes everything. And his story began long before the bright lights of the Will Rogers Coliseum.
We sat down with April Bonds, daughter of Bonds Ranch owner Pete Bonds, who is still walking on a dream, to reminisce about the story of the horse that became a legend last weekend.
Remember:
Whatever you can imagine,
It can be real.
Shortys Jay Ray: The Mare That Started It All
The story really began in 2017–2018, when Melanie Smith reached out to Bonds Ranch about a mare named Shortys Jay Ray. This Dual Rey mare was coming with something special—an embryo by Metallic Cat, one that would soon be called Jaymes Bond.
After suffering a traumatic trailer accident, Shortys Jay Ray struggled in confined spaces and did not do well when stalled. She needed somewhere she could live more naturally.
“She was always acting strange in a stall,” April recalls. “Melanie said she would probably do better somewhere where she could live out in a pasture.”
And Bonds Ranch was exactly that kind of place.
Headquartered in Saginaw, Texas, Bonds Ranch is a working commercial cow/calf, stocker, and feeding cattle operation, raising cattle alongside a growing program of quality American Quarter Horses.
For April, the mare had already caught her attention once before:
“I had seen her in the sale and made a note about how good she looked. We were looking to elevate our breeding program and Melanie really sold me on the potential of the famous Metallic Cat/Dual Rey mare magic cross.”
Taking the Bonds Ranch Breeding Program to the Next-Level
The Bonds family had never made a purchase like this before.
“We wanted to make an investment,” April explains. “Invest in genetics. Raise the quality of what we were putting out there.” The goal was clear: bring modern, competitive bloodlines into their program while still maintaining the kind of horse they believed in.
“We wanted horses we could go show, but that would come back and make really good ranch horses afterward.” Shortys Jay Ray checked every box. “She’s 15.1h, big boned, beautiful, with a lot of personality. She’s really gritty and has endurance.”
So when Melanie called, the decision came quickly. After a conversation with Alvin Fults and a little convincing of her dad, the Bonds purchased Shortys Jay Ray.
Then came foaling day.
“She started labor during the Super Bowl that year,” April laughs. “I don’t remember anything from that Super Bowl.”
The colt born that day would eventually become Jaymes Bond.
Growing Together
As he grew up, he just kept showing how special he was. April jokes that the only thing she wished for differently was the horse’s gender.
“I desperately wanted a filly,” she laughs.
Instead, they got something even more rare: A champion.
Another key piece of the story is the partnership with trainer Jordan Williams, who piloted Jaymes Bond to victory at the 2026 World’s Greatest Horseman. At the time, Williams was also an emerging talent.
“Jordan was an up-and-coming trainer when we started working together,” April says. “Our partnership is very special. We really share a program together.”
Together, they developed Jaymes Bond into a horse capable of handling the ultimate test in the cow horse world—herd work, rein work, steer stopping, and fence work—all in one event. Jaymes Bond, his heart is gold and his feet are right.
The result was a historic victory that crowned Jaymes Bond the 2026 World’s Greatest Horseman Champion. Full contact, horsepower and real gladiators tearing up the dirt of the mythical Will Rodgers Coliseum. The rivalry was relentless. As it always is until the very last minute in the reined cow horse.
221.5 out of the herd
225 in the steer stopping
220 in the reining
219 down the fence
We can still hear Darren’s iconic voice in the microphone: “How about youuuuu Jordyyy!”
Looking back, April credits the many people who helped shape the journey. Melanie Smith has played an important role in the Bonds Ranch program for years.
“I feel like Melanie always finds something that matches who we are,” April says.
Over the past eight or nine years, the Bonds family has purchased several horses through Melanie and Ty Smith.
“They know our program really well. I like working with someone who understands what I’m looking for—and who I know what to expect from.”
A Story Bigger Than One Horse
Today, Jaymes Bond’s victory represents more than just a title. It represents years of decisions, partnerships, and shared belief.
“This is really the story of a lot of people growing together,” April says.
From the mare that needed a ranch home, to the embryo purchase that required a leap of faith, to the trainer and owners developing a program side by side—it all led to one unforgettable moment.
The moment Jaymes Bond proved he truly was one of the greatest horses in the world.
This sport is brutal. A slight feeling of self-sabotage and a strong feeling of taking your game to the uppest, reaching the absolute peaks all this with heartbeats above 180 BPM.
We felt it last Saturday watching the Bonds Ranch’s horse become the new World’s Greatest Horseman–shivers down every spine.
