Rusty Brown Shines On Jennifer Jungkunz!

For 44 years Rusty Brown Jewelry has celebrated the hard work, dedication and passion of cowgirls and equestrians by making heirloom quality jewelry. Founded by farrier Rusty Brown in 1977, the company has been honored to know some of the strongest and most successful women in the horse world, including owner, Erin Baayen. Rusty Brown Jewelry wants to showcase these amazing women by shining a spotlight on them. Today Rusty Brown Shines On Jennifer Jungkunz for her incredible horsemanship and dedication to family.

Jennifer Jungkunz has been an equestrian for as long as she can remember. For her, riding is a family affair. Her mom and sister had her on a horse before she could walk, and have supported and encouraged her passion for horses and competing from there. She cites this incredible family dynamic as a key to her success. Her mom bought her first horse at the ripe old age of 5 and continued to support her through the many years of showing and competing. Her sister Kathy continues to be her mentor after many years together in the horse world. Jungkunz started out as a gymkhana rider and has dabbled in many different arenas including mounted shooting, team penning and sorting and trail riding. But her heart lies in the barrel racing arena. She loves the chance to compete against the clock, and the opportunity to challenge herself to be better every run. It was her trainer, Jamie Harris, that helped improve her riding, and taught her the proper placements that resulted in her success in the barrel racing arena. What keeps a life-long equestrian invested in the sport? The horses of course! The bond and connection she forms with each horse that she has owned or ridden has inspired her and keeps her excited and invested in the sport.

An Esthetician and Spa owner, Jungkunz is not a trainer by occupation. Working full time, raising and being part of an amazing family and keeping 3 horses happy and healthy is a challenge, but she wouldn’t change it for anything. She admits that one of her biggest challenges as a rider is confidence in her training and riding. But it is the support of her family, and a little help from her favorite quote that give her the confidence to do what she loves. Ray Hunt said “A Horse doesn’t want to get hurt, no more that you or I. You’re going to have to do something to make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy. But you should never do anything to hurt him on purpose.” That incredible lesson in horsemanship rings true to how she cares for her horses. Of all her many accomplishments as a rider, she is most proud of the work and training she has put in to make her horses happy, healthy and well rounded. She loves that they are game to try just about any discipline and are happy to go from any race to ponying around her 4-year-old son. She works to always prioritize the horses’ well-being. And while it is not about the awards, it is her focus on supporting her horses that has won her countless awards, including arena records with Boo in Poles and Speed Ball and a match race win for Ruger.

As horse people we all know it is a sport that is just as much of a mental game as a physical one. Jungkunz strong sense of self has helped her to grow and be successful in the sport. She is able to be understanding of mistakes, and not take them personally. She uses those challenges to then keep working to be better than she was the day before. Her work ethic, strong family values and incredible horsemanship are what inspire Rusty Brown Jewelry to Shine On Jennifer Jungkunz!