A Man And His Mules

Jumpers gear up for Pea Ridge tradition

Mule trainer Les Clancy’s nephew Ryan Pope takes Lucky over the jump for her first time.
Mule trainer Les Clancy’s nephew Ryan Pope takes Lucky over the jump for her first time.

"Back.

"Back.

FAQ

Pea Ridge Mule Jump

WHEN — 9 a.m. Saturday, with 1 p.m. professional jump

WHERE — Weston Street in Pea Ridge

COST — $2-$5

INFO — pearidemulejump.com

"Back.

"Hey!"

So instructs Les Clancy, standing 30 feet away at the end of the rope connected to Sadie's halter.

Sadie watches Clancy, her ears upright, attuned to his words and posture.

She won the 2015 Pea Ridge Mule Jump, clearing 64.5 inches, although Clancy says she's easily cleared 69 inches. And she and her fellow mules from Ozark, Mo., will return to Northwest Arkansas this weekend to compete in the 28th annual event.

There will also be mules from Arkansas and Kansas vying in halter, barrel racing, pole bending in addition to the jumping.

Standing in the center of the 151-year-old barn built from black walnut, surrounded by bridles, halters, bits, saddles, blankets, all-terrain vehicles, Josey's Moon Shadow stands under the watchful eyes of Sadie and Cool Hand Luke, veteran jumping mules. All the animals watch Clancy, waiting for attention or instruction.

"Jumping is just about having fun," Clancy says, explaining that he rides his mules, takes them on elk hunts and uses them for packing, to pull wagons and to round up cattle.

Luke, 19 years old and 15 hands tall, doesn't jump as much as he used to due to a bit of arthritis that set in after getting kicked by a horse a couple of years ago, Clancy says. "I don't jump him really hard."

Josey, the strawberry roan, is "in the stage of learning about life. She'll be at Pea Ridge next year," he adds. "She's got the build; she's got the attitude."

But, as any mule owner knows, a mule can be contrary. Clancy says he learned the hard way about a mule's stubborn streak when he was invited to a jump in Forth Worth.

"I was hoping to take a first and a second; I had 'em both in shape. We were ready. The crowd was excited. They really hyped us up.

"Luke was up first. He would not even jump over his own shadow. He would not jump, he literally would not jump," Clancy says with a wry grin.

"If anybody knows anything about a mule, they're not going to do anything they don't want to. I looked like a little fool."

Then, Sadie was up. Clancy says it was as though Sadie and Luke had talked and she said to him: "Hey, I got this one."

"She won it with flying colors," he says.

The mules have graced the cover of Mules & More magazine and been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Clancy says.

"No matter where I go, people have not so much heard of me as Luke; Luke is more famous than I am," Clancy says. "He goes to elementary schools, he jumped over first base at a Cardinals' ball game, he's been in a bar, and he's been invited to ride through the Titanic in Branson.

Clancy, a retired first sergeant from the Missouri National Guard after 26 years, five months and one day of active service, spends more time with the farm and mules than he did before.

"Luke is a corporal in the U.S. Army," Clancy adds, showing the formal certificate promoting Luke, who is branded with sergeant's bars on one side and US on the other.

"Sadie has pretty much ruled this past year. As for Luke, I quit kind of pushing Luke," Clancy says. He says landing on hard packed ground is hard on the mule's joints.

NAN What's Up on 10/07/2016

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