by Victoria Howard

Writing about Jackie Kiger Butenschoen brings up many wonderful memories in me for I grew up in the same area she did and got my start in harness racing at The Meadows in Washington, PA.

Butenschoen is third generation in harness racing. Her father, Jack Kiger, is a renowned standardbred trainer and her mother Bertie (Reynolds) lived in the renowned old stone house located at the Arden Fairgrounds. Butenschoen’s grandfather George Reynolds also trained standardbreds and saddlebreds at the Arden Fairgrounds.

“Before I was born my mom lived on the Meadowlands Farm, owned by Delvin Miller and home to the legendary champion racehorse Adios [Delvin’s pride and joy],” Butenschoen said. “My father got a job working with Delvin and my family lived on the Meadowlands Farm while dad worked there. It was unbelievable and a fairytale come true for me.”

Delvin Miller was a wonderful, generous horseman who owned and put The Meadows on the map. He also owned one of the best pacing colts in the 60s — Adios — who went on to sire many great horses such as Adios Butler and Bret Hanover.

“My sister, Mib, would wait outside on the step every day for Buster [Adios’ long-time caretaker] to come by and then ride along while he jogged Adios,” Butenschoen said. “They continued jogging Adios even after his racing career ended and he went to stand stud; becoming one of the sports best sires.”

By the time Butenschoen was born, her dad was shoeing horses at The Meadows and when dad quit shoeing her brother Dick took over his shop.

“When I was 8 years old my father bought my sister Cynie and myself a riding horse,” Butenschoen said. “Every day dad went to Arden Downs I would ride Wildfire [named after the Michael Murphy song].

“Being the little snot I was, I didn’t want to ride in the field, I only wanted to trail ride, so after dad was done shoeing horses, he would walk along beside me so I could ride all over the hillside behind the fairgrounds. For a few years we had two horses so dad and I could ride together. Those were the best days ever. I was a very lucky girl.

“On his 21st birthday, after serving in World War II as a ball turret runner, my father started working for his father-in-law George Reynolds. I got my love for horses from dad, but my mother was the one obsessed with harness racing.”

Although Butenschoen’s grandfather and father were both heavily involved in harness racing it wasn’t what was drawing her.

“I never desired to follow in their footsteps for I wanted to get ‘a real job’ and to travel the world,” Butenschoen said with a laugh.

But fate had other plans for her when horseman John Butenschoen was sent over to the farm to help with the worming of Miller’s mares and their foals. That was the beginning of John and Jackie working decades side-by-side in the sport, marrying, and raising their son Tyler to carry on the family’s legacy.

“John and I have been married for 38 years this coming August, but it feels like 138 years,” Jackie said with a laugh. “When John and I got married we moved to his family farm in northern Illinois and built a training center where we trained for 22 years. The double headers at Hawthorne in January and February were brutal and not for the faint of heart.

“We stayed and raced in Illinois until our son Tyler graduated from high school. It wasn’t easy, and to be honest, there were many times we thought we wouldn’t survive in the sport, but thank God we did. We have raced our horses all over the country; mainly in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Indiana.”

The Butenschoens’ stable varies in size every year.

“Presently, we are down to 33 horses which is really like a vacation to me for I only take care of three myself,” Jackie said. “Easy peasy. But I also take care of the books, payrolls, licensing, etc.

“Our son Tyler has been such a huge help for John and I. He is doing a wonderful job and now that his father and I are getting up in years, his enthusiasm and hard work is God sent.”

Jackie is very proud of Tyler.

“I got tear eyed watching him warm up Funknwaffles in the Little Brown Jug and warm up horses on Hambletonian Day,” she said. “Watching him but wishing my parents were alive to see him is worth every blood, sweat, and tear I have felt throughout the years.

“The first year Tyler stayed in Illinois alone to race our Illinois-breds, he had a great year and won the Orange and Blue [for freshman pacing fillies] with Fox Valley Oracle [with Tyler Buter driving].

The Butenschoens have had many good horses.

“I have several favorites, such as Fox Valley Tizzy and Roz’s Man, two of our first stake horses,” Jackie said. “John claimed March Seventh, another favorite who raced in the open for years. And we can’t forget Plesac, a yearling John bought for $24,000 who earned $2,501,758.”

Today the Butenschoens train at Southern Oaks in Sorrento, FL, during the winter, where they break and condition hopeful future champions.

Their 2024 winter training roster is very strong and impressive.

They have 2-year-olds by American Ideal, JK Endofanera, Chapter Seven, Tactical Landing, Father Patrick, E L Titan, Cantab Hall, Bar Hopping, Gimpanzee, Muscle Hill, American Ideal, and McWicked.

The 3-year-olds are sired by Downbytheseaside, Walner, Courtly Choice, Father Patrick, American Ideal, Muscle Hill, Tactical Landing, Crazy Wow, E L Titan, and Captain Crunch. They also have a 4-year-old by Tactical Landing.

The 2023 winter training is wrapping up and the Butenschoen’s will soon return to Saylorsburg, PA with their horses that they stable at Wingate Farm in Wind Gap, PA.

Hard work and endless hours seem to have paid off for the Butenschoens, for they are living the good life on a little house situated on five acres in the Poconos where they enjoy watching all the wildlife: deer, turkey, fox and the occasional bear. They are thankful to be able to still do what they both love — train and race horses — and are excited to see Tyler carry on the family legacy.