Know the Pro: Callee Miller

KNOW THE PRO

Idaho-based trainer Callee Miller didn’t start out intending to train reined cow horses, but ever since trying out the sport 11 years ago she’s been hooked.

By Kristin Pitzer

Callee Miller has always enjoyed the Western lifestyle. Her dad rodeoed and trained rope horses, and while still in high school she started training horses herself.

Originally from central Oregon, Miller studied accounting at Lamar Community College in Southern Colorado. She paid her way through school by working for cutting horse trainers and learning from instructors like J.J. Rydberg, who trained cutters and tie-down roping horses. Though she enjoyed her accounting classes, Miller soon discovered that her passion was training horses and she changed career paths.

Miller dabbled in reining and cutting and worked for other trainers, including Chet Burrows, Cody Duvall and Doug Milholland before starting her own business in 2003. For the first few years, she mostly rode colts and general horses, but then she was given a cow horse as payment for a training bill. Intrigued by the sport, she went to her local affiliate to try the discipline.

“Lo and behold, I was on the board within a year, and I’m still on that board!” Miller said.

Eleven years later, Miller is still hooked on cow horses. She still uses Rydberg’s philosophy in her program and credited Duvall for influencing her colt-starting methods. With nearly $40,000 in lifetime earnings, Miller appreciates the versatility of reined cow horses, the camaraderie of the people and the history behind the sport.

ROCKIN HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Miller rode SBF Smart Lil Boon, owned by Dave and Rebecca King, to the Limited Open Reserve Championship at the 2020 Utah Reined Cow Horse Association Derby.

Reined Cow Horse News: When you travel to a show, do you have a favorite restaurant?

I don’t like eating in restaurants! I like to prepare and take my stuff with me, because I don’t like going anywhere else. I kind of like being at a horse show and not having to leave, to be quite honest. I’m not a picky eater by any means, but I am a eat-and-go kind of person, so just having my stuff with me, I enjoy that better on the road. To stop what I’m doing to go eat some dinner just drives me crazy.

What makes you smile every day?

I’m just blessed to be able to get up every morning, walk out the door onto a piece of property that me and my husband [Jack] own, and be able to do exactly what I said I was going to do when I was 5 years old. I probably didn’t know that I was going to be a cow horse trainer, but I’ve had the horse passion my entire life, and I always wanted to be a trainer, even though my mom thought I was crazy. That makes me smile probably the most. Having a really good set of people, clients and friends, and the close connections that I have in the industry—those are probably the biggest things.

What would you do if you didn’t train horses?

I went to school to be an accountant, but I couldn’t sit in an office. It helps me in my business, and I do some consulting on the side with more financial advising than I do accounting, but it’s still something that I’m passionate about. I think it’s one of the biggest things I see in the industry—you might be a really good trainer, but you also have to be a really good business person and manage some stuff so that you don’t end up at the end of your career having nothing. I wish there were more opportunities for younger trainers coming in to have some tools to help them make more financial decisions that help them in the long run of their careers. Q A with NRCHA Pro Callee Miller

What would be the theme song for your life?

Probably AC/DC’s “Who Made Who.” I’m always questioning what comes first and what’s going to happen next!

If you could ride any cow horse, living or deceased, in the show pen, which horse would you pick and why?

It would probably be Travelin Jonez. Just listening to Chris [Dawson] and his stories about that horse, he seems like the horse that I started out on. It would be awesome to feel the power and cow sense he had. That horse always seemed like he was a high energy horse, and I love high energy horses. Trying to get high energy directed into a positive way has always been a challenge that I love about a horse. He looked like he was a lot of fun down the fence.

FOALS HAVE EARNED MORE THAN $14,000,000! AN NCHA & NRCHA LEADING SIRE SINCE 2010! AN NRCHA, NCHA & AQHA WORLD CHAMPION SIRE!

LTE: $61,447

(WR This Cats Smart x Sunshine Ingredient, by Mr Sun O Lena) Open Reserve Champion

Owned & Bred by Burnett Ranches LLC Shown by Kelby L. Phillips

(High Brow Cat - The Smart Look, by Smart Little Lena)

LTE: $236,514 Congratulations to Top Performers at the NRCHA Stakes

SMART SHINEY PLAYBOY

LTE: $108,235 (Sinful Playgirl, by Freckles Playboy) Open - 4th

Owned by Clinton Marshall • Shown by Nicholas S. Dowers Bred by Cowan Select Horses, LLC CAT WALKS INTO A BAR SMART LADIES SPARKLE

LTE: $40,661 (Shiners Diamond Lady, by Shining Spark) Open Two-Rein Spectacular - 4th

Owned by Myra J Koch • Shown by Matt J. Koch Bred by Wagonhound Land &, Livestock SINFULLY SMART CAT WR THIS CATS SPORTY

LTE: $10,759 (Shiney N Sporty, by Shining Spark) Youth Cow Horse Co-Reserve Champion & Youth Bridle Spectacular - 3rd

Owned by Jay & Wendy McLaughlin • Shown by Cutter W. McLaughlin • Bred by Salt Fork Cattle Co.

LTE: $30,410 (Sue C Shiner, by Shining Spark) Limited Non-Pro Spectacular Champion, Limited Non-Pro - 5th & Youth Bridle Spectacular - 5th

Owned by Landri Lisac • Shown by Lannie-Jo Lisac and Landri Lisac • Bred by Garth & Amanda Gardiner

LTE: $61,616 (Sinful Style, by Docs Stylish Oak) Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular Reserve Champion & Open Bridle Spectacular - 8th

Owned by Karen B. Olson • Shown by Wade J. Reaney Bred by Cowan Select Horses, LLC WR HOTSHOT SHINE SMARTER

LTE: $186,572 (Shiney Tari, by Shining Spark) Open Bridle Spectacular Reserve Champion

Owned by Linda A. Mars • Shown by Sarah L. Dawson Bred by Carol Rose and Richard M. Bell SMOKIN SMART CAT

ANNIES SMART CAT

LTE: $47,767 (Sunspot Flo, by Mr Peponita Flo) LTE: $75,524 (She Smokes Smart, by Senors Lil Brudder)

LTE: $47,598 (Shiney Nu Annie, by Shining Spark)

Open Two-Rein Spectacular - 6th Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular - 4th

Open Top 15

Owned by Rocking BS Ranch • Shown by Lance B. Johnston Bred by Wagonhound Land &, Livestock

Owned by Cayley Wilson Perform Hrs Inc. • Shown by Cayley R. Wilson • Bred by Matthews Cutting Horses, LLC

Owned & Bred by David & Barbara Archer Shown by Lyn Anderson

SHINE SMARTER SINFULLY SMART CAT SMART SHINEY PLAYBOY

Also Congratulations to GRACEFUL SMART CAT LTE: $72,398 (Gracielights, by CD Lights)

CRCHA Paso Robles Spring Derby Open Champion NRCHA Open Stakes - 8th

Owned & Bred by Wagonhound Land & Livestock • Shown by Justin T. Wright

Pictured right ©Doubleshot Darlin Photography

Fee: $3,500 + Chute Fee

Transported Cooled & Frozen Semen Available

Owned by