It was pretty easy to see Clay and Jake Smith’s success coming from decades back. The only curveball here might be calling them Clay and Jake instead of Jake and Clay—two names that roll off the tongue in that order with the greatest of ease, last names optional, as in seven-time Champs of the World Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper.
Clay, 10, heading for Jake, 8.
This first shot of 10-year-old Clay O’Brien Smith was taken in 2002 at Allen Bach’s place in Millsap, Texas. That next one’s of him spinning one for little brother Billy Jake Smith, who was 8 at the time. Yes, the name on Hall of Fame header Jake Barnes’ birth certificate is Billy Jake Barnes.
Dad Mark Smith is a horse trainer and Mom Tammy’s a school teacher in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. They named their sons after some of our most admired all-time greats (their third-son caboose is Britt Wayne, and back in the day he was famous for taking off his shirt at ropings and rodeos, and doing the wave with his bare belly).
Clay and Jake are now both world-class headers. Clay, 34, won the world in 2018 and ’19, and is closing in on $2.5 million in career earnings. He’s roped at 11-straight NFRs, 2015-2025. He and his wife, Taylor, named their first-born Jade O’Brien Smith. He’ll be 8 later this month, and there’s little mystery about the origin of his name in this era of Jade Corkill excellence.
From humble beginnings, Jake worked his way to world-class header and heeler status.
Jake Smith’s 32 now, has won about $708,000 and headed at the last two NFRs for Douglas Rich. Jake and Clay have both heeled a lot in their lives, too. Seven years after these treasures were snapped of Clay on Rooster and Jake pulling pipes on Yellow Dog, they won $141,000 together at the 2009 USTRC Finals.
What a great day of roping that was at Big Al’s, and we had all kinds of fun playing softball in the pasture and roping goats after the steers were unwrapped. Charles Pogue, Camish Jennings, Jeff Medlin, Steve Purcella, Rusty Wright, Britt Bockius and David Key were there that day, too. Who knew what was coming for those cute little Smith boys back then, but they have definitely arrived.
