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 Jeff
Tracy
is living
the life he loves, Cowboy Cook, the voice for the Pro Rodeo
Radio Network, a partnership with Huntsman Entertainment, a
Nashville-based group specializing in radio production and
syndication; and his own Horseman’s World radio program. Pro
Rodeo Radio Network is heard on over 170 radio stations and
X-M Satellite Radio.
Jeff
currently has one of the shortest commutes of anyone in the
broadcast industry, approximately 3 dozen steps from home to
work. From inside his studio’s soundproof booth, Jeff can
look out the window to see his own horses – mostly Arabian
and Quarter Horses – grazing out on the pastures adjacent to
the barn. The view reminds him of his broadcasting goals,
“We’ve got a two-fold mission,” he explains. “We’re trying
to expose as many people as we can to the world of horses,
because it brings so much to people’s lives. The other
thing we do is bring out the elements of the western
lifestyle. With all the things going on around the world
and the tragedies of the last few years, I think people are
searching inside. They’ve pursued the American dream for
material things, but there seems to be something missing in
their lives.” The answer
for some,
Jeff asserts, may lie in the traditional, down-to-earth
values of the American West. “Jeff’s a man whose boots are
firmly planted in the arena sawdust,” partner Ron Huntsman
says. “He’s got the instant credibility of someone who’s
been there as a horseman, but he’s also got access to the
top names in the equine and entertainment businesses. He’s
an expert, and he’s got the ambition to do something about
it.”
On the way
to Jeff Tracy’s farm you pass huge covered wagons built
along the riverbank where the Oregon Trail ended. The wagons
commemorate the pioneers, ordinary people who followed their
dreams and accomplished extraordinary things. The
coincidence is striking as you approach the Tracy horse
ranch and family home on the banks of Clear Creek in rural
Clackamas County, Oregon. An innovator who has blazed trails
in the horse and broadcasting industries, Jeff is much the
same sort of ordinary person whose pioneer spirit has led
him to live his dream. Your initial impressions come from
his deep voice and large stature; Jeff is definitely a man
of presence. However, his subtle smile and slight reserve
have a way of drawing you in. You get the feeling he does a
lot more thinking than talking, and that he doesn’t miss
much of what’s going on around him.
It easy to
see that family is his top priority. When Jeff was growing
up, his parents were devoted to their children – and their
horses. Instilled with a love of horses, Jeff notes that his
dad was his greatest teacher, and misses him every day since
his passing 10 years ago. Horses are actually Jeff’s second
priority. Although the small but state-of-the-art studio and
office that houses Lead’em to Water Productions, is just
steps from the ranch house, beyond is the beautiful old
horse barn where Jeff spends part of every day. Jeff used to
commute to Portland; then realized he commuted farther than
anyone, which is why he built the studio at the ranch, which
allows him seamlessly blend both worlds.
In addition
to experience with horses, Jeff has considerable experience
in the radio and entertainment industry. While attending
Cal-Poly with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, he
started working at a local radio station, which resulted in
an “accidental” career move. A friend, who had an evening
program on the station, let Jeff “play around the production
room”, and he picked it up quickly. “One night my friend was
sick and couldn’t do his program. He asked me to cover for
him so I did. They kept me on.” Jeff became their morning
show deejay and later moved into the business end of things
as a sales manager. He’s also worked in commercials, film
and announced horse shows.
These days,
Jeff’s added to his workload. Capitalizing on his love of
cooking, sparked by Graham Kerr, who hosted the Galloping
Gourmet television show when Jeff was a kid. He has unveiled
a line of spices marketed under the brand name
5/C
Spices (Clear Creek Cowboy Cooking Company). His life
long passion of cowboy cooking led him to create a
combination of spices that weren’t readily available on
store shelves. Several years of experimentation to get the
flavors he really wanted has resulted in a collection of
spices to enhance the true western flavor of the dishes he
has created. As
the Cowboy Cook, Jeff entertains television audiences
with his ready wit as he shares his distinctive western
creations. Television station KATU in Portland has noted,
“Need a great guest who can talk, cook and have fun at the
same time? Look no further than The Cowboy Cook, Jeff
Tracy! Jeff has always provided us with easy-to-understand
recipes that appeal to viewers, can be completed in the time
constraints of live television and involve our hosts in a
fun, interactive environment, all that translates to great
TV!”
With his
multiple business ventures, Jeff remains committed to
promoting the western way of life. Reaching out to everyone
living or longing for the western lifestyle, which can mean
so many different things to so many different people. For
some it’s living on a horse ranch. For others it’s simply a
state of mind.
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Listen to
announcer, Jeff Tracy
