12/02/2025
MARY JO MILNER β HER FINAL NCHA WORLD FINALS
At 85 years young, Mary Jo Milner rode into the NCHA World Finals arena one last time β not for attention, not for applause, but for the same reason she always has: a genuine love for the horse, the sport, and the people who make it special.
Mary Joβs career has spanned decades, generations, and countless great horses. Sheβs competed through the highs and lows, through changing times and changing cattle, always with the same quiet determination and steady presence that have made her a pillar of the cutting horse community. Few riders have earned as much respect from their peers, not just for winning, but for the grace, sportsmanship, and consistency she brought to every run.
This final World Finals isnβt a farewell to competition as much as it is a celebration of a life intertwined with this sport β a reminder of what passion and perseverance look like over a lifetime. Mary Jo has shown us all that age is no barrier to heart, feel, and try.
Her legacy wonβt be measured only in titles, but in the friendships, memories, and inspiration sheβs given to so many riders coming up behind her.
A remarkable career.
A remarkable woman.
And a finish worthy of the journey.
