Dear James Watts, I would like to take the time to thank you for your funding of the Mississippi State Equine Association Endowed Scholarship. I would also like to extend my appreciation of being awarded as a recipient.
Hey all, time is getting near and things are coming together nicely. We have the roster of riders, so if you have a horse you think will work please contact Tom McBeath or Shon Gage. This year we will have 8 riders instead of the usual 16. Also, due to some scheduling issues we will have the pig roast at the equine center on Thursday night and the Cajun cooking on Friday night. I have a couple of folks bring some sides and deserts for Thursday night, but with the number of folks we have if someone else would like to bring a side and/or desert for Thursday night just let me know.
We will be at the equine center on Tuesday April 22, 2024 probably around 10:00am to begin setting up. If you are around and can help, it would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t know about t-shirts this year. SO, wear yours from prior years if you have one.
I am so looking forward to seeing y’all and thank you so much for your support.
Pictured with Alex Speak, current senior at Miss State Univ. (from Arkansas), is James Watts, executive director of MSEA, James Rasberry, MSEA president, and Dr. Michael Newman, a Veterinary School professor and representing the prestigious MSU Vet School.
Representing MSEA and Miss State, are Will Staggers, Lori Irvin, James Watts, executive director of MSEA, James Rasberry, MSEA president, Narsis Whigham, Dr. Michael Newman, and Lacey Gordon.
Dear Mr. James Watts:
I am honored to be selected as a recipient of the Mississippi State Equine Association Endowed Scholarship. Thank you for your genrosity in providing this award. Originally from Arkansas, I am entering into my senior year studying Animal and Dairy Sciences. With my acceptance into the Early Entry Veterinary Program, I plan to also enter Vet School next summer at MSU to complete a DVM.
Cara Beth Calhoun (right) was the winner of the high point year end saddle sponsored by MSEA. Josi Johnson (left) was the reserve champion for the Senior Barrel Racing Champion.
Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, OK. 1600 kids participated Pictured is Josie, Queen from Mid-south Little Britches
Mid-South Little Britches Finals, May 2023 in Brandon, MS. Pictured from left to right, James Rasberry, James Watts, and Little Britches President, Judd Sanborn. Numerous awards were given to the winners.
MSEA commits to support the Therapeutic Riding Program at MSU over a 5 year period. Pictured are James Watts, James Rasberry, Lacey Gordon - Assistant Director of Development CALS, MAFES, Extension, Cassie Brunson - MSU Extension Equine Assisted Therapy Program Coordinator, and Lori Irvin - MSU Extension Equine Assisted Services, Veterans Horsemanship Program Coordinator. Not pictured, but involved, is Will Staggers - Director of Development CALS, MAFES, Extension.
Josi Johnson competed at the Little Britches National Finals Rodeo in Guthrie OK July 4 thru 10. She brought home a Reserve Champion Buckle and money in the Senior Girls Trail class from the 1st Go. Josi also competed in Barrels and Poles during Finals. She and her horse were ranked 4th in the nation in Barrels with National Little Britches Rodeo Association prior to Finals.she is from Decatur an president of the ffa in newton county
National Little Britches Rodeo Finals
Josi Johnson representing MS at the National Little Britches Finals in Guthrie, OK
National Little Britches Rodeo Finals
Josi Johnson receiving a Sponsorship Check from James Rasberry, President of The Mississippi State Equine Association to help cover expenses while Josi and her horse Champ compete at National Little Britches Rodeo Finals in Guthrie OK July 4-10, 2022. Josi is from Decatur MS
YOUTH SORTING CHAMPIONS
Abigayle Hampton-Fortner, Cali Brookshire
YOUTH CHAMPIONS
Abigayle Hampton-Fortner, London Dickson, Sophee Evans
James Rasberry, president of ms state equine association, presenting a check for 1000 to Cassie Brunson in support of the the therapeutic riding program at ms state university we are proud to be able to support this program each year the proceeds of the saddle up tag sales allow us to do this.
My Name is Maelee Wade, I’m 14 years old and in the 9th grade. This is my first year as a regular member of the Southeastern Professional Cowboy association. The rodeo season runs March to October and in that time I won or placed at multiple rodeos that secured my spot to the finals that were held January 31 & February 1st at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia MS. The first go of the finals I split 1st place, the second go I won 3rd and ended up 2nd in the average. I also ended the year as the Breakaway Roping Rookie of the year. Thank you so much for your support for the Breakaway Roping and the SPRA! Buckle was sponsored by MSEA.
A great personality and an outstanding SEC champion coach, Vic Schaffer is welcomed to the Mississippi Therapeutic Riding center "fund raiser" sale. MSEA president James Rasberry and Executive Director James Watts were on hand to welcome the coach and wish him and his team well in 2020.
This is Adam Alexander who won a saddle by exhibiting in western pleasure judged classes; Jr. Western Pleasure, Sr. Western Pleasure, 2 &3 Year Old Western Pleasure, Walk Trot 18 &Over. A combination of his placing awarded him High Point winner in Men's Division at the Mississippi State Horse Show in September, 2019. He is from Kosciusko, MS
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James Rasberry, President of MSEA, presented a donation to Professor Clay Cavender of the Equestrian Riding team at Mississippi State University in the amount of $1,000. This donation helps with the expenses for traveling and related fees. Our goal is to support equine events everywhere we can help. All of the proceeds of the sales of the SaddleUp car tags are returned to the equine industry.
MSEA donated license plates 2 and 7 for the fundraiser for the Therapeutic Riding Program at Mississippi State University. Pictured are Thomas and Terri Nusz, along with MSEA President, James Rasberry and MSEA Executive Director, James Watts. Proceeds went directly to the program. The tags sold for a combined $2,050. MSEA thanks them very much for their support.
Also at the fundraiser, President of MSEA, James Rasberry is with Carter Clark, a student at Mississippi State University who volunteers with the program and also the granddaughter of James Rasberry, and Cassie Brunson, Director of the riding program.
Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM CDT
The Mill at MSU - The Mill Conference Center
Hosted by MSU Equine Assisted Therapy Programs
The core focus of the Therapeutic Riding program as well as the Veteran's Horsemanship program is to create an environment for positive healing and empowerment.
State Board Member James Rasberry of Kosciusko has competed in team penning events for many years. Imagine his pride when his team was named Reserve Champions (second place) in the 2017 U.S. Team Penning Association's (USTPA) world finals in Texas this fall.
The Mississippi State Equine Association is again sponsoring the auction of Mississippi’s Safe Horse Sale in at the Kirk Fordice Equine Center in Jackson, MS. . Stephanie Billingsley is Chairman of the project, and “welcomes” all equestrians to attend the sale (with trailers) from 9am - 4pm on Saturday, May 19th, 2018.
Reserve World Champions At USTPA 2017 National World Championship Show at Fort Worth, Texas
“Rooster” Rasberry always got up too early. That’s what his mother said, and that’s why she nicknamed him when he was about two or three years old.
Maybe that’s why James S. Rasberry is an accomplished builder… and builder of many things. James is the President of the Mississippi State Equine Association and for lots of reasons.
He was on his father’s framing crew when he was l5 years old, and was trimming homes in his native Attala County when he was 20. Three years later, James was still getting up early, feeding the horses and starting his own construction company. By 1985 “Rooster” Rasberry was the youngest President ever elected from the 2,000-member Home Builders Association of Mississippi.
During that time two of his three daughters started riding competitively. It was a weekend ritual to load horses “early” and travel anywhere in Mississippi for a horse show, and get back home at 2 or 3 a.m. While the girls were barrel racing and riding western pleasure, Rasberry introduced himself to a sport that was new to the State of Mississippi in the early 1990’s. Team penning was a new craze that had just reached Mississippi, and he said, “it spread like wildfire.”
James Watts says he was “probably promoting an economic development program” when asked what did you do prior to the creation of the Mississippi State Equine Association.
James calls himself a public relations guru and insists he was trained by some of Mississippi’s greatest. “I’m not saying I was one of them, but I worked for num-erous public relations giants in Mississippi,” he said.
As one of the founders of the MSEA, James started his career as a copy boy for the STATE TIMES, a competitive daily for Mississippi news in 1959. It was part time and he worked for owner and publisher Dumas Milner, editor Paul Tiblett and sports editor Jimmie McDowell. After a full summer at the corner of South State and Lamar Streets in Jackson, “I decided I had some experience” so maybe the CLARION-LEDGER might be interested in me.
Governor Haley Barbour formally approved the sale of Mississippi's first "equine appreciation" vehicle license plate at ceremonies in his Capitol office on Friday.
Pictured with the Governor signing S.B. 2090 are representatives of the sponsoring Mississippi State Equine Association. From the left are James Rasberry of Kosciusko, MSEA President; Dr. Terry Kiser, Head of Animal and Dairy Sciences, MSU; George Phillips, Mississippi Commissioner of Public Safety; David Ashcraft of Madison; Murl Brunson of Terry; Dr. Preston Buff, Equine Specialist, MSU; Ruth Hinton of Natchez; and James Watts of Brandon, who serves as MSEA's Executive Director. A banner depicting the new tag, which can be seen on MSEA's website www.mssaddleup.org, is draped across the table in front of the Governor.
© 2025 Mississippi State Equine Association
