Tracer Gilson

Tracer started riding a pony around age 4. By age 9 , he was in the show pen running patterns in any youth class he could enter. Tracer and his Dad, Tim, did their own training but would get help from Mike Flarida from time to time on weekends and a few weeks every summer. Tracer's life long dream to be a horse trainer became a reality. At the age 19, he left college, where he was studying pre-med, to pursue a career in training. He spent the next three years working for Ed Fear and by 2001, Tracer had moved to Arizona where he began working as an apprentice to Randy Paul. In 2006, Tracer and his wife, Tricia, started their own business-Gilson Performance Horses.

Tracer's success story in the horse industry is one that any young aspiring trainer would be proud to tell. In 1999, in a team effort with Ed Fear, Tracer helped pick up the title NRHA Novice Horse World Champion along with a Reserve Championship in the Wisconsin North Central Futurity. Hard work has kept Tracer's name in the top NRHA Open ranks and his efforts have not gone un-noticed. While working for Randy Paul, Tracer won the 2002 NRBC Intermediate Open Championship. He also broadened his skills to include the Working Cowhorse events and in 2003 Tracer won the Reserve Champion Open Hackamore Sweepstakes and was Champion in the Intermediate and Limited Hackamore Sweepstakes. In 2004 Tracer won the MEC Spectacular Derby Championship.

The year 2006 was successful first year for Gilson Performance Horses. At the 2006 NRBC Tracer was an Open finalist in the Derby and was top 10 in the $10,000 Added Open Class. He also coached his Non-Pro rider to a Top Finalist spot in the Non-Pro Derby and to a Reserve Championship in the Intermediate Non-Pro Derby as well as a championship in the $5,000 Added Non-Pro Class.

Most recently Tracer was a 2009 NRBC Derby Open Int. 3rd place, 2009 NRHA Derby Open & Intermediate Finalist, 2009 Reining By The Bay Open Derby Top 15 and Intermediate Open Derby Top 5, as well as Futurity Open Top 5 and Intermediate Open Reserve Champion. In 2009 Tracer was also High Roller Reining Classic Derby Open Top 10 and Intermediate Open Top5 as well as Open Futurity Top 10 and Intermediate Open Top 5. Open 2008 NRHA Intermediate Open Futurity Finalist and the 2009 Sun Country Circuit Jr. and Sr. Reining Reserve Championships.  He also competed in the 2006 NRHA Derby where he was a Top 15 Finalist in the Open Derby. His Non-pro riders were also successful, with one rider winning the 2006 NRHA Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro Derby Championship as well as the $4,000 Added non-pro class. Another rider was an NRHA Limited Non Pro Finalist. Today, Tracer's life time earnings exceed $320,000.

Tracer and his wife, Tricia along with daughter Lilly Rae and the twins, Sean and Shea, reside in Phoenix, Arizona.