She began barrel racing at the age of ten. At that point she had already been riding horses for three years.  At the age of seven, her parents bought her a horse. By the time she was nineteen, she was training horses, something she continues to do now.

In her thirty years' experience she has competed in many events, especially rodeo and barrel racing. Her greatest claim to fame is in winning the Appaloosa World Championship nine times.  

Her favorite horse of all time is Wimpy Star who, at 26, is now retired. This particular horse was reserve in the World Championship Barrel Futurity in 1984. Dale Youree Calls him her chicken roping horse because he has such a short neck. "We at New Creations Productions have a special place in our heart for Joy because she was one of the 1st to buy a video from us in 1993 at the first Barrel Race we ever videoed."