Jim Roeser (1933-1997) • Photo courtesy of the Roeser family
Recognized as one of the founders of the Idaho Reined Cow Horse Association and for his traditional vaquero horsemanship ways, the late Jim Roeser is remembered and respected by many reined cow horse participants.
A third-generation horseman, Roeser inherited his horsemanship skills from his grandfather, Bert Roeser, and father, Orval Roeser, who moved from South Dakota to Idaho in 1932. The two elder Roesers made their living marketing horses – buying horses from the Native Americans, training them and then selling them to the Army. They ran a horse marketing business known as Roeser’s Horse Market.
As a young man, Roeser made a name for himself as a professional bronc rider, qualifying for the first five National Finals Rodeos (1959-1963) in the saddle bronc riding event and once as a bareback rider. During his reined cow horse career, Roeser succeeded in winning futurity, hackamore and bridle championships in each of the Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Montana reined cow horse associations. He rode five horses to National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity Open finals qualifications, received the NRCHA Vaquero Award twice, in 1993 and 1994, and was named NRCHA Stock Horse Man of the Year in 1993. And, he is the only NRCHA Hall of Fame member, to this day, to have qualified for the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity finals and the National Finals Rodeo.
Roeser passed along his horsemanship skills to his four sons: Dan, Tim, Jon and Mark, who grew up riding colts for their dad and competing in rodeos. Two brothers chose to follow their father’s career choice of training and showing horses. Dan Roeser, of Marsing, Idaho, has lifetime cow horse earnings of more than $700,000. Jon Roeser, of Lemoore, California, has won more than $1.5 million riding cutting and reined cow horses. Tim Roeser lives on and runs the Roeser family ranch near Marsing, and Mark Roeser, of Boise, Idaho, works for Fed Ex.
A horse-related accident ended Roeser’s life in 1997 at age 63. He died in a setting where he most likely spent some of his best times – on horseback, tending to his cattle and riding high on the hills above the Marsing ranch land that he called home.
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