National saddle clubs Association





Keith William Herrin (August 20, 1924 - August 1, 2011)

Keith Herrin of Helena, Montana, is known as the Founder of the National Saddle Club Association. Keith Herrin’s Family were some of the first members of the Helena Trail Riders (Montana’s Oldest Saddle Club). They were part of HTR when it founded O-Mok-See in 1944. Keith was part of the Montana Saddle Clubs Association for many years and served as President before dreaming of expanding the great sport of O-Mok-See to the national level. He brought the idea to HTR and MSCA where he received great support. He worked tirelessly finding other horse organizations and clubs in other states to introduce them to O-Mok-See by spending hours on the phone and writing letters. He traveled to the Denver Stock show to do an information booth, writing articles in Western Horseman and working a Nationwide Pole Bending competition to introduce people to the great sport of O-Mok-See. After founding the National Saddle Clubs Association, Keith shepherded the first National Show in Billings, Montana in 1967. He was the NSCA’s First President and he held that position for 3 years. His fellow original officers awarded him with an NSCA Founder belt buckle, and he was also awarded an NSCA Charter Member plaque at the 1990 NSCA Championship show.

Keith was a rancher and feed salesman by trade and worked and volunteered at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds into his early 80s.

From the first State O-Mok-See in Montana as well as from the first Nationals, he was often the champion in Key Race. He was usually also one of the top finishers in his two favorite races Pole Bending and Barrel & Stake. Keith was the NSCA Men’s Champion in 1987 at the age of 62. He was very proud of his line of horses and his competition horses were Buddy, Wings, Traveler, Valley, Pride, and Victory. Traveler and Keith held many individual event records over the years, including each of the 5 basic races at one time or another in MSCA, and remains the current 2 Barrel Pole NSCA record holder since 1987. His ability to train horses and riders was unmatched and watching Keith run pole bending on Traveler was to get a glimpse of a true partnership between man and horse, like harmony in motion.

Keith was known as a great horseman and shared his knowledge and love of O-Mok-See wherever he was. His love for horses molded him into an advocate for great care, humane treatment, improved training methods and practices. He believed that both training horses and helping people learn to ride should be done quietly. He was proud when his horses placed in different events with different riders in multiple age groups.
Keith was the first to coin the phrase “patterned horse racing” when describing O-Mok-See. He saw the National Championships as a place where entire families could ride and compete together. He took pride in teaching others the events and especially how to do them well and correctly. Many of the event records such as Pole Bending and Key Race fell to some of the riders he took under his wing. Keith loved kids and could be found playing along with kids and their antics, freely handing out hugs and handshakes on good rides.

Keith was a man of his word, a hard worker and always in the arena with a tractor or helping set up. He always had a smile and handshake for everyone, and a word of encouragement for fellow riders. He was considered one of the top cowboys in the Helena Valley in the 1940’s, helping many troubled horses, even if it meant injuring himself from time to time. Keith was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2014.

Keith strongly believed that the future of the NSCA depended on passing the legacy down to others. He dreamed the association would spread to new states and even to other countries.

The NSCA owes a debt of gratitude to Keith for building the foundation of our organization, spreading the love of our sport and leaving a legacy of horsemanship and good-natured competition for families to enjoy. We are grateful to Keith for his vision and dedication to the establishment of the National Saddle Clubs Association, patterned horse racing and the great sport of O-Mok-See.







Shirley Herrin (October 15,1939 – October 26, 2021)


Shirley Herrin was a proud lifetime member of the Helena Trail Riders Saddle Club. Shirley was involved with the NSCA since the first National Championship show in 1966 in Billings, Montana. Shirley was not a competitor, but was always an active supporter of the organization, pioneering some of the offices, such as Assistant to the Secretary, Head Timer and Historian, as she performed these roles before they became official offices in the NSCA. She took great pride in helping in the announcers stand from the first NSCA right through her last NSCA in 2021 in Blackfoot, Idaho. Shirley could always be counted on to help with writing times, adding points and even hand-timing until electronic eyes replaced stop watches.


When she wasn’t in the announcers stand, Shirley could be found behind a camera, taking pictures, videoing her family or in a stand judging the events. She knew the value of preserving history, as she was very involved in many organizations such as Montana Capital Restoration, Montana Saddle Clubs Association, and the Cowboy Hall of Fame to name just a few. Naturally, she was very invested in documenting the history of the NSCA thru photographs, scrapbooks and memorabilia. She took great care of these keepsakes, most of which can be found in the Helena Trail Riders Club house to this day.


Shirley enjoyed watching her children and family ride, and the family legacy of Nationals was very important to her. She loved reconnecting with people from other states once a year and was a caregiver to anyone she took under her wing. Many people have fond memories of her dancing with her kids and grandkids at the awards banquets, the videos she captured of her family's rides and the scrap books she made to preserve and share the history of the NSCA.


Although Shirley loved watching her family compete, she was most proud of her husband Keith Herrin. She took pride in his accomplishments as a founder of the NSCA and worked to promote the NSCA right beside him. She was instrumental in organizing the first National Championship in Helena, Montana- helping to find sponsors for the awards.


Shirley was an integral part in the development of the NSCA, acting as a spokesperson and historian for the association as well as a loving wife, mother and friend. We are forever grateful for her dedication to, and preservation of the NSCA.






Robert “Bob” Jones


Bob rides for the Kootenai County and Shoshone County Saddle clubs in Idaho, and Many Valley Saddle Club in Montana along with many of his family members.


Bob started competing in O-Mok-See in 1985 and competed in his first Nationals in 1986 in Coeur ‘d Alene, Idaho. He was invited to participate by a friend in the Utah Gaming Association, and that was the beginning of his addiction to O-Mok-See. Bob claims that competing in O-Mok-See keeps him alive.


Bob was an officer in the NSCA for many years. He was a Vice President several times during his tenure in leadership. Bob and his family have always been very active in the NSCA both as competitors and as leaders.


Bob was 32 years old when he ran the fastest time in pole bending and he held the Western Jumping record for 10 years. He has been honored as the oldest rider every year since 2018. In 2023, he teamed up with his son, Daren, for a Devil’s Cowhide comeback at the National Championship in Pocatello, Idaho (he was 86 years old).


Bob has had several fantastic mounts over the years including Missy, Bobby, Doc, Shorty and his current mount, Chec. He recalls riding Bobby, who required special care due to navicular, when they broke the record in Western Jumping. He also treasures being able to ride with his family and enjoys putting together a team in Western Relay with them.


Bob was influential in helping to promote the NSCA in many ways. He worked with the manager of the Blackfoot Fairgrounds in Blackfoot, Idaho to get better pricing to keep the NSCA from losing money at the shows there. He recalls one year when Bill McGowan dared him to wear a tutu at the show in Buffalo, Wyoming- so they both wore tutus in the Figure 8 Stake Race.


Bob loves to compete but also enjoys watching others compete just as much. He hopes that the NSCA will continue to grow, and that people will promote the NSCA and O-Mok-See to all the states.


We commend Bob’s love of O-Mok-See and thank him for his years of service to the NSCA.





Deana (Reh) Leverett


Deana rode with Kansas Western Horseman’s Association starting locally in 1963 at the age of 7. She competed in her first NSCA Championship in 1967 in Littleton Colorado at the age of 10, and her last NSCA Championship was 2009 in Gillette Wyoming. She rode several horses during her time competing at the National Championships including Bar W, Rip, Andy and Doc. She has held several event titles over the years including 2 Barrel Flag the first time it was run in Minnesota, and Western Relay with her family, which she claims was the highlight of her participation at Nationals. She set the Pair Sack record for the 12-15 age group in 1971, when hand timers were still used for events.


Deana is best known for her 18 years of dedication as NSCA Secretary, from 1994 – 2012. However, her contributions started even before holding the office, and included helping in the announcers stand as a clerk and announcer. Deana has said that her favorite part of working with the NSCA Board and Presidents was their lack of personal agenda and focus on the betterment of the NSCA as an organization. She is known for her integrity, commitment to the rules, and for putting her duties to the NSCA first, almost always with a welcoming smile. She recalls her most challenging accomplishment was moving Nationals from Vernal, Utah to Craig, Colorado in 2005 in 3 days. Even though many officers and riders were already on their way to Utah, they were able to get everyone to Colorado and all who registered were able to attend.


In addition to placing in Western Relay with her family, her fondest memory was in 1978 in Helena, Montana, where she was the only Kansas competitor to not place in any events. A little boy went around to the other Kansas riders, gathered money and bought her a trophy to take home. This exemplifies one of her favorite parts about the NSCA, the sportsmanship and comradery of the riders and participants.


Deana has met people from all over the country because of her ties to the NSCA and she says she wouldn’t trade the experience or friendships for anything. She hopes that the organization continues to be a place for families and for all caliber of riders to come together to compete.


We are grateful to Deana for her years of dedication to the NSCA.





Boyd Pepper


Boyd grew up on a farm but loved riding the horses even when not working with them. Boyd started riding in O-Mok-Sees in 1960, and last rode in 2019 in local shows. He rode for Snohomish County Western Games Association in Washington and the Northwest Spectacular O-Mok-see Association in Idaho where he and his family were known for their involvement with many clubs in several states. He started riding at the NSCA Championship in 1980 and last rode at the National Championship in 2015. Although this soft-spoken cowboy never held an office with the NSCA, he could always be found helping in the arena, even well into his 70s, and he held several offices with local clubs over the years.


Boyd is an accomplished horseman and is known for his ability to replicate success in his horses. He had special bonds with all his horses which included Friday, Elvira, Bodie and Copper. His many awards include 7 high-point saddles in local competitions, the first of these in 1980. He placed in the top 10 overall in his age group almost every year he attended the NSCA Championship and won the NSCA Senior Men Championship saddle in Vernal, Utah in 1999.


Over the years, Boyd built a large network of fellow riders that he convinced to join O-Mok-See. He credits the NSCA Championships with helping the Washington clubs to standardize their shows.


Boyd is a retired mechanical engineer for Boeing, and a Korean War Veteran, who was granted the privilege of an Honor Flight to Washington DC to visit the Korean war memorial. He is always willing to share his knowledge and help others. Boyd and his late wife Janette were very involved with Withers & Wits 4H club for many years where they taught horsemanship to local children.


We commend Boyd for his promotion of the NSCA and the great sport of O-Mok-See.





Sue Malmstrom


Sue rides for the Billing Saddle Club. She started riding in O-Mok-See in 1957 and competed in her first National Championship in 1966 when it was held in Billings, Montana. She recalls being in the 12-15 age group and placing 2nd in Pair Sack.


Sue was a Vice President for the NSCA in 2014 and has been a State representative for many years. She has earned many titles and honors as a competitor at the National Championship. She was blessed to have had some fantastic mounts, including a pony named Panda, Nipper, Mucho, Ben, Duz, and her current partners Ducky and LS (short for Little Sh-t). She recalls her fondest memory competing was when she set the Senior Women’s Barrel and Stake record on Mucho in 1996. Sue won High Point in the Women’s age group in 1977, 1985, and 1993, and High Point in the Senior Women’s age group in 2004 and 2007. She has held records in Team Arena, Pair Sack, Pony Express 2, Half Eight, 2 Barrel Flag, and Tomahawk. She is the current record holder in Senior Women’s Barrel and Stake with a 33.975 which is the fastest time of all records in Barrel and Stake and has been held for over 26 years. She also set the record is Women’s Straight Barrels with a 24.020 in 1994, also the fastest of all Straight Barrel records, and she holds the Senior Women’s Straight Barrels record with a time of 24.078 set in 1996.


Sue has many fond memories from Nationals. The funniest moment was when she danced with Gary Campbell’s pony with its hooves on her shoulders at the banquet in Buffalo. She also recalls a dark moment in her life when her father was killed while she was at a National Championship. She still flinches when police vehicles come to the grounds, but she remembers it mostly because of the overwhelming support, members took care of her horses, her camp, brought them back home for her and even bought her a plane ticket to get home. She says it is the people in the organization who have had the biggest impact on her.


Sue is known as a fierce competitor and a skilled horsewoman. She continues to encourage young people to become involved in O-Mok-See and hopes the organization will continue to grow.


We appreciate Sue for all she has done for the NSCA.






Rorrie Toren


Rorrie was a well-known face in the O-Mok-See community for many years. He competed in his first O-Mok-See in 1965 at the age of five. The first National Championship Show he attended was in Billings, MT in 1972 when he was 12 years old. In 1976, at the age of 16, Rorrie was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident. For many, that would have been the end of their O-Mok-See journey, however, Rorrie was not to be held down by a disability. He went on to compete at the National Championship Show again in the early 1980s in Buffalo, WY and continued to ride for many years. Rorrie’s life revolved around family and horses. He competed in his last National Championship in 2017, however, he continued to ride at local and state shows until 2021. Rorrie’s favorite event was Figure 8. While he loved the competitive side of the sport, he also enjoyed the training and preparing. Ultimately, Rorie’s time in the saddle was cut short due to medical reasons, which allowed him to make an easy transition into Coach and Cheerleader for his family and friends. He watched every rider, cheered on newcomers, and offered his expertise to anyone in need. He could often be seen and heard on the sidelines, encouraging and instructing. Rorrie passed away on August 25th, 2024, 48 years after his accident. God took away his ability to walk, and 48 years later- to the day- God gave him wings. His ashes were spread at the end of the family arena at his request so he can continue to coach and cheer on his loved ones. We remember and honor Rorrie’s fighting spirit, ready encouragement and his resolute determination to succeed no matter what life handed him.






Ted L. Woods, JR.



Ted Wood, Jr. was a well-known competitor and leader in the O-Mok-See community, both locally and nationally. He was heavily involved in the National Saddle Clubs Association and served in various positions over the years. He led the NSCA as President for four years (1997-2000). During that time, he worked to help establish funding and sponsorships to ensure a more stable financial position. Ted won the Men’s highpoint saddle in 1989 when men were all in one division, and he won the Men’s 16-39 highpoint saddle in 1999. He also set records in Figure 8 and in Exchange Race (partnering with his father, Ted Wood, Sr.) Ted made many friends both in and out of the arena. He promoted O-Mok-See as a family sport to help teach young people about friendly competition and good sportsmanship. He established the Rocky Mountain Speed Horse series in Montana and encouraged new riders to get involved in the sport. In addition to his service to NSCA, Ted also served on the boards of several local clubs, as well as at the state level.






Ted L. Woods, SR.



Ted Wood, Sr. was instrumental in bringing the National Saddle Clubs Association Championship Show to Helena, MT in both 1989 and 1998- the latter being the largest show in the history of the association, to date. He served on the NSCA Board of Directors as 2nd Vice President in 1979 and was a Montana State Representative to NSCA several times. He also served as an officer of several local clubs over the years. Ted was well known for his story-telling abilities and could be found regaling an audience around a campfire or bonfire in the evenings after the competitions. He loved O-Mok-See and promoted it as a great way to bring families together and create lasting friendships. He encouraged family involvement and was very proud when he and his son, Ted Wood, Jr., set the national record in Exchange Race. Although his wife Jane, didn’t compete, she could always be found helping the kids prepare for their races, working in the office, or lane judging. As a local leader, Ted helped several local Saddle Clubs grow and flourish in the Helena area. He brought many new faces into the sport, including several who have become top competitors and leaders in their own right.



NSCA National Omoksee



National Saddle Club Association