The first time I met Casey Deary he was young, very ambitious, a 15 year old Texan, with a big cowboy hat and jeans tucked into his boots, almost-a-man. He had an honest reputation, an eagerness to become a better horseman, desire to work hard with his horse and dedication to work hard for other people. He was the only one in his family, the middle of three brothers, that rode horses; a real maverick, going against the grain but after the desires of his heart.

Casey never fell into peer pressure traps or tried to fit the mold of the regular high school boy from East Texas. His mother has always claimed he moves to the beat of a different drum.

At the age of 16, Casey was involved in a life threatening horse accident that changed his life; it also changed the shape of his face with 8 reconstructive surgeries, 6 of his front teeth bashed out of his face and neck, back, spine damage. Casey was jolted from a spooked colt, yet one foot hung in the stirrup while the terrified animal ran and bucked slamming Casey’s face against the pipe fence in an arena in Terrell, TX. Casey’s friend Alan Chappell frantically transported him to the hospital in time for the doctors to stabilize Casey and begin treatment.

Casey’s equine endeavors did not end there, they were just beginning. Investing in low-cost unbroken horses, then training and improving followed by reselling; allowed the young entrepreneur to purchase his own tack, truck, horse trailer and higher quality reining horses. Casey worked for James Davidson at Dick Pieper’s Ranch in Purcell, OK during the summer months as a teen and the day he graduated from Forney High School in Forney, TX Casey moved to Haverty Ranch where he learned from NRHA Hall of Fame horse trainer Clint Haverty. In 1999 Casey showed his first horse in the NRHA Futurity. During this era he was undergoing the greatest, most challenging and most rewarding times he had ever experienced in his young life. You see his body had recovered from the tragic horse accident but the 8 reconstructive surgeries on his face were spread out over a period of 3 years. He lived without the most important 6 front teeth for those 3 years. Instead of hiding, being humiliated, or embarrassed, Casey literally came out of his shell, he once told me, and made the most of his situation. He did have an unforgettable face! Casey displayed a humble confidence in himself despite what he looked like in the mirror or what the world was telling him, something I greatly admired about him. During this period of his life he was also reunited with the love of his life. He wanted to be the man of her dreams, a success in her eyes, and a success in the equestrian world as well. When a man finds his calling, has joined up with Jesus Christ as his Savior and has identified his dreams, he will not stop until he completes the task.

Casey’s responsibilities grew as a Haverty Ranch employee and the pressure placed on him then to become a better horseman was demanding but necessary. A man can grow and improve under pressure or cave in and quit. Casey has and still is rising to numerous difficult tasks making him into the lively, humorous, joyful, determined man of integrity that he is today.

Roughly 3 years of Haverty Ranch employment taught Casey a wide range of skills; training colts and show horses, coaching non pros, breeding management, stallion promotion, business management, ranch maintenance, horse soundness and much, much more. College graduation was a goal and Casey needed 2 more years at university level for his business management degree; he had been a full time student at the local junior college while working for Haverty Ranch. This brought him to Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, TX, for education in the classroom and Jae Bar Fletch Ranch for more work experience. Casey also started taking outside horses for training. Casey worked on the Jae Bar Fletch Ranch (4000 acres) and the Shoe Bar Ranch (6000 acres) owned by Mr. Earnest Cannon and managed by Loyd Harper. Casey went from an extremely busy training facility at Haverty Ranch with high demands, long work days, and numerous horse shows on the calendar to the wide open spaces of Shoe Bar and the Fletch. He was alone, his house on Shoe Bar was in the middle of 6000 acres. The dirt driveway to the house on Shoe Bar was two and a half miles long, it was quiet there, there were no city lights. Life was simple, he was in love, his jobs were do-able, college was never a challenge for him but he hated it and only wanted to work outside on the ranch on the back of a horse.

The training business grew during that time as well, Hilldale Farm sent several Nu Chex to Cash colts and fillies for him to train. Casey was coaching a few non-pros and had a small string of show horses for himself to ride. Then Turbo came. Turbo was a horse that Casey had ridden as a two year old while working for Haverty Ranch. Hesa Turbo Chic was not sound, he was timid and he was capable of a plus one in every reining maneuver. Casey was determined to get Turbo sound and take him to the show pen. This road to soundness with Turbo was an eye opening experience and many discoveries were made about the fundamentals of how a horse travels, feels under pressure, how his joints function, chiropractic needs, and how the horse’s mouth and teeth are affected in training.

Hesa Turbo Chic was owned by Robby and Dani Robertson of Reata Ridge Ranch. Robby had complete and total trust and confidence in Casey. He believed in him and shaped Casey’s life forever. Robby became an important mentor and business partner for Casey and still is to this day.

Life unfolded with amazing blessings and adversities. Casey was married May 25, 2002, he was 21 years old. Soon after, he graduated from Tarleton State University with a degree in business management. Robby Robertson recruited Casey to come to his ranch in Weatherford, TX that summer. The business exploded. Scripture tells us that when you pray for God’s will to be done in your life and you submit to His authority, God will give you the desires of your heart. God first, family second, business third was the pattern Casey was establishing and learning from his own father Tim Deary, Robby Robertson, Loyd Harper, Allen Stillwell, Pastor John Anderson and a few other influential men. The road was not easy, there were financial struggles and lots of ups and downs but he never let negatives bog him down. Failing or backing down was never a choice, he just learned from mistakes, set and reached new goals and moved on.

Through the early years in Weatherford the barn filled up, the horses improved, new clients came, then success at the horse show for Casey and his clients began. Casey won the 2002 Limited Open class at the NRHA Futurity on Hesa Turbo Chic, there were several victories in the Texas Reining Horse Association shows in Katy, TX , APHA Senior Reining World Championship in 2004 on Color Collector, and then Casey found a horse that took him to the next level… Little Bay Starlight. Casey found Little Bay Starlight in Richard Sutton’s barn in 2004. Little Bay Starlight is by Grays Starlight out of a Little Bay Olena, who is by Doc Olena; we called him “Romeo”. He was 5 years old when we found him and had only 30 days of riding on him. Romeo had a large bog on his hock from a hock surgery where a chip was removed as a yearling. When we had him x-rayed for the pre-purchase he was clean and our chiropractor Merv Williams said the bog was only cosmetic. Robby Robertson bought Romeo, then we immediately went to work; he was adjusted by Merv, our veterinarian Frank Fluitt injected necessary joints and the bog that was the size of a grapefruit on the left hock, shrunk down to the size of a golf ball in a matter of 10 minutes. We also had our equine dentist Randy Riddinger (founder of Equine Dental Associates) examine his mouth and float teeth. THEN Romeo felt capable of great things and was ready to train. Casey put 5 months of training on Romeo then qualified the never-been-shown-before gorgeous bay stallion for the AQHA World show Sr. Reining in one ride, he made the Limited and Intermediate Open finals at the NRHA Derby placing 4^th in Limited Open and 5^th in the Intermediate Open; at the 2004 Denver Summer Slide Show Romeo was Intermediate and Limited Open Champion; at the 2004 AQHA World Show Sr. Reining Romeo was 5^th; 2004 NRHA Futurity show ancillary class he was Intermediate and Limited Open Champion. Following that show, Casey received a call from a man we had never met before and he purchased Romeo for more than 6 times the original purchase price Robby had paid only a year and a half before. Of course Robby took the offer and Casey delivered the horse, he cried. He says it is still the greatest horse he has ever ridden and he also says, “if only I had that horse now, who knows what we could have accomplished”.

There were and still are a few very influential horse trainers and friends that would give Casey tips at the shows. This lead to riding at other facilities and spending more time with Steve Archer, Bill Horn, Jordan Larson, Shawn Flarida, Cody Sapergia, Craig Schmersal, Mike Moser and many others. Casey admires fellow horse trainers and friends with horse show success, it takes a willing and modest student to admit to defeat and have the desire to learn from other champions. After each horse show Casey would review what was successful and what did not work; what really was helpful to clients and how could we make that better. Does the client want to have fun, just look good in the arena, or win in the finals? Each client had goals to reach, helping them achieve victory was the major focus and still is for him today. Open, honest communication from the very start was a win win system.

Times changed, the price of hay, fuel and ferriers went up, horses were bought and sold and a baby was on the way. Casey was going to be a father. Knowing a baby was coming in 9 months was probably the most motivating thing Casey had ever faced. Steps of faith were taken, God provided when money was spread so thin. New clients came and so did Jacs Little Sunrise, the beautiful palomino that was also in need of a little tender loving care. He had an injured neck and a few other issues but Casey saw his potential and knew he only needed the routine soundness assessment; vet exam, chiropractor, equine dentist, and a new set of shoes. This horse went from literally flipping his head up and running off in the circles because of his pain in his neck… to scoring a 224 in the Open first go round of the NRBC 2004. Casey also made the finals in the Limited Open at the NRHA Derby and then he was sold for another offer the owners could not refuse.

Shortly after big, healthy, baby boy Samuel Wyatt Deary was born July 12, 2005, an Australian man named Jason Wordsworth came to work for Deary Performance Horses. He brought along with him a 3 yr. old roan horse that was far from show-ready, but unique and very special. He was challenging and made Casey into a better trainer. With opportunities arising, Robby Robertson presented Casey an excellent offer to purchase the ranch that he has been renting for 3 years. Sold! The business expanded.

This little roan horse belonging to Jason Wordsworth was so green, he was not even ready to show at the South West Reining Futurity in Ardmore, OK in late October, only 1 month before the big NRHA Futurity. Then to make matters more difficult the entry for the NRHA Futurity was sent in after deadline and Casey was draw -1 the first day of the 2005 NRHA Futurity. This little horse named Ciscos Roan Ranger prevailed, they qualified for the Open finals and won the Limited Open Championship! They were Reserve in the Intermediate Open (by only .5 point) and tied for 8^th in the Open division. This was a huge night, a night with over $63,000.00 of prize money. Amazing! In 2005 Casey finished the year as the #11 rider for the NRHA Professionals. Another goal achieved.
 

Over the next few years Casey had great success with Dazzling Top Gun winner of APHA World and Reserve Championships in the Senior Reining. Another extraordinary horse was Gunners Indian that Casey won the Open go rounds on at the NRBC in 2007. Furthermore, Casey was introduced to some fantastic clients in Mexico wherein he began traveling regularly for clinics. In 2007 a TCU student named George Lawrence contacted Casey about boarding his little Magnum Chic Dream mare at the ranch. This was the beginning of an incredible endeavor of achievements for George and Casey. This Chicsdundreamin is her name, they call her Lexi. Casey trained the mare and prepared her for George to show at the 2008 NRBC; prior to the NRBC George schooled her at a practice show, his lifetime earnings roughly $80.00. George and Lexi became the 2008 NRBC Limited Non Pro Champions, Reserve Champions in the Intermediate Non Pro and top 10 in the Non Pro division. George won over $26,000.00 that week. It was astonishing and just the beginning of an amazing career for that mare. Casey was Reserve Champion on Lexi in the Open class at the 2008 NRHA Futurity; and they decided they should both show the mare. Casey and George both earned numerous championships at the Wimpys Little Step Derby, Reining by the Bay, and High Roller Reining Classic in 2009. Again at the 2009 NRBC George put another blue ribbon around Lexi’s neck as she claimed the Intermediate Non Pro Championship and 3rd in the Non Pro division. George and Casey have earned over $82,000.00 on the 2005 sorrel mare, This Chicsdundreamin; she is sired by Magnum Chic Dream and out of Hermosa Dunit, by Hollywood Dunit.

 In the middle of the 2008 spring time, the second baby boy was born into the Deary family. Daniel Owen Deary came quickly on the morning of March 19, 2008 and adjusted very well into the horse show life-style attending his first NRBC at only 2 weeks old.

In addition to Lexi, George also invested in Starlights Sugarwhiz. This 2006 mare sired by Little Bay Starlight (Romeo) and out of Lil Sugar Whiz, by Topsail Whiz, was an Open finalists at the 2009 NRHA Derby, 2009 NRBC and 2009 winner of Reining by the Bay Intermediate Open Championship and was top 5 in the Open. Casey trained Starlights Sugarwhiz from the very start and has won over $31,000.00 on her as a 4 year old. Starlights Sugarwhiz suffered a serious injury as a 3yr. old at the Tulsa Ariat Futurity after kicking her leg through a stall then receiving over 20 stitches in the hock. Casey and George are very optimistic for the future of Lexi, Starlights Sugarwhiz and their babies. Furthermore, Casey made the Intermediate Open finals aboard Nu One Gun at the 2009 NRHA Futurity; enabling him to finish the 2009 year as the #11 rider NRHA Professionals. Another goal accomplished.

Life is full with family, business demands, horses, traveling and new endeavors. A quality horse is never over looked and sound horses, sound training, sound advice are always a persuit for Deary Performance Horses. This has been and will be an amazing ride, I am thankful to be apart. I am the one cheering in the stands the loudest for Casey Deary; I am the biggest fan and I am the girl that he fell in love with when he was 15. I am the wife of Casey Deary and the mother to Samuel Wyatt and Daniel Owen. Casey is the man of my dreams and a success in my eyes. Thank you God for my lot in life, it is well with my soul. I am Nicole Deary a woman on a mission, the super glue holding family and business together no matter what we face. Thank you Casey for our past, I am thrilled to be apart of your life and I am excited about what the future holds. Many thanks to our family, friends, clients, business partners, employees and most importantly our Father in Heaven, we are nothing without you.