Russell grew up Ranching in Vale Oregon on the family place. In 2011 Russell with his family spent Christmas in California and that’s when Russell’s cousin Andy Holcomb who is best friends with Justin Wright suggested he should go to Justin’s to start two year olds for a few days. Justin liked what he saw in Russell, offered him a job in 2012 and Russell stayed there for eight years starting and training some of the best Cow Horses in the business. In 2020 Russell and his wife Ducki moved to N.E Oregon for a year to train for the public but in 2021 Kelby and Abbie Phillips suggested he move to Bosque Ranch with them in Weatherford Tx as where the Cow Horse industry is taking off. Russell, Ducki and their young son Kopelyn are now training for the public in Weatherford Tx.