Wenda Johnson and Dream's First Flash 

The Story Behind The Glory

3/2/17 Jolene had the pleasure of talking to Wenda Johnson about her amazing ride on Dreams First Flash and the unusual way it all came about.
 

Dreams First Flash has become a household name in the world of barrel racing largely in part to Wenda Johnson from Paducah Tx.   She has literally taken this horse from the backyard to the pay window.

Wenda credits Luis Hernandez for providing a consistent exercise and training regimen for Flash.  Luis is a  Paso Fino trainer and the barn manager at Tres Mesa Horses in Fort Worth, TX.   Mark Singeltary owns Tres Mesa Horses and Dreams First Flash.  Mark knew he was special when he purchased Flash as a yearling.  He was determined to provide an opportunity for Flash to meet his potential.

In late Spring of 2016, Wenda was completing her last semester of clinical rotations to gain her Family Nurse Practitioner degree and licensure.   She stayed with the Singletary family and offered to ride a horse or two for Mark in exchange for board while she finished up school.  Mark mentioned we have a horse (Dreams First Flash) we "think" could be a barrel horse.  From the moment Wenda stepped on him, she immediately recognized the talent and suggested Mark send him to a futurity trainer who could do him justice.  Mark insisted that Wenda was the one he wanted for the job and it proved to be a very wise decision.
 
Wenda and Flash not only did remarkably well at the first barrel race they entered but set an arena record in Wichita Falls the second time he was ran.  Since then they won the Jud Little Barrel Bash Futurity in Ardmore OK Sept 2016 and qualifying for the American Semi Finals, Winning the JB Futurity both runs of the Elite Extravaganza in Nov 2016. They started out 2017 winning the Ultimate Texas Barrel Classic and most recently the team won the Patriot Shoot Out in Fort Worth (Feb 2017).
 
Wenda's focus for Flash is to provide a foundation at the barrel races that will lead to a long successful career for Flash.  Wenda describes herself as not having a real competitive nature, but enjoys the process of riding and developing young horses. She loves horses and is happy to just to have the opportunity to ride horses whether it be on the ranch, in the pasture, or the arena.
 
According to Wenda,  Flash is always happy to see her, and gets excited to load up in the trailer and go to a race.
 
Personal Info
Wenda is married and has the complete support of her husband.  Together they have two young girls
 
When she is not barrel racing she is enjoying time with her family, church, ridding horses, and enjoying the outdoors.

 ~ photo credit Charles E. Brooks