Jackie Hale Bio

Jackie Hale grew up in Central Alabama showing American Saddlebreds at local shows,
with her parents acting as trainers, truck drivers and grooms. She attended
Birmingham-Southern College and obtained a degree in English and Mass
Communications, with a minor in Political Science.

Jackie’s early professional career was in the Public Relations and Marketing industries.
In 1996 she married James Hale and they began a successful ASB training operation,
James Hale Stables, in Columbiana, AL. Over the course of the next 25 years, JHS
offered training and instruction, a booming consignment sales program, and had a small
breeding operation. Jackie served on the American Saddlebred Horse Association
Board of Directors and worked for the United Professional Horseman’s Association,
managing their website and producing their annual awards show.

In 2012, the Hales formed Southern Saddlebred, Inc and they have served as Show
Chairman for the Spring Fling and Fall Finale horse shows. Today, the Spring Fling
show is held annually in April at the Cooper Steel Arena in Shelbyville, TN. Being “in
the trenches” as a horse show organizer has afforded Jackie a unique perspective of
the challenges and expectations placed on horse shows in our industry.

In 2019, she and Shane Darnell co-founded Equine Sports Council in an effort to
provide an alternative governing body for horse shows with standard rules and
guidelines.

James Hale Stables still operates a small breeding program and they enjoy bringing
along a few nice prospects every year. The Hales converted a portion of their stable
into a dog boarding kennel and now operate Canine Country Club alongside their first
love, the horses.