VERA EARL RANCH & PERFORMANCE HORSES

In 2022, Ian Tomlinson of the VERA EARL RANCH (VE) brought on Bailey and Karter Bearup to manage the horse operation encouraging them to bring their fresh ideas along with their training and colt starting experience. “What made them a good fit for us is they were up-and-coming performance horse trainers, but they had not been out on their own yet, and we had an up-and-coming horse program”.

Jumping in with both feet, Bailey and Karter focused on managing the current VE horse operations that included working the ranch and assisting ranch cowboys when needed.  Slowly and at the right time, they expanded the program to include cowhorse, cutting, and roping competitions. Today the VE program trains horses for the ranch and for the arena. “Ranch work gives our horses a good mental foundation, whether or not they go into the show pen or not,” says Karter. “Riding them outside is like sculpting or molding them, and then you polish them in the arena.”

The VE breeding program has approximately 25 broodmares with bloodlines tracing to Smart Little Lena, Peppy San Badger, Playin Stylish and Peptoboonsmal. Stallions consist of BLU MASTERPIECE, FULL METAL METALLIC and home-bred VE ARIZONA OUTLAW along with additional bloodlines of Hired Gun, Brother Jackson, Shiney Outlaw, Scooter Kat and the Animal. In 2025, mares VE ONE HIRED GUN and SMOOTH CAT VOO both started their own lineage lines.

Still in its infancy, the performance horse side of the operations has forged forward breaking new ground. With NRCHA and NCHA champion/reserve champion titles already under the belt and a RUN FOR MILLION YOUTH qualification with Addison Tomlinson and SMOOTH CAT VOO in 2025, the VE TEAM sees no boundary to contain them.

‘The best is yet to be discovered!! Hard work pays off and luck favors the brave.” - Ian Tomlinson

Welcome to Vera Earl Ranch & Performance Horses!