James Robert "JR" Grady III grew up in the town of Racine in Southern Ohio.

JR is a 2008 graduate of Racine Southern High School. He was awarded two Varsity Letters while playing on the Varsity Football Team. Received the Ohio High School Athletic Association Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award in recognition of exemplary sportsmanship during the 2007-08 school year. He also earned the State of Ohio Board of Education Award of Merit in 2008 for academic achievement and was awarded a plaque for being the hardest worker in the Class of 2008.

In 2003 a Trooper and graduated from the Summer Camps in 2005. In 2006, he started working as a summer Assistant Instructor working with the Rough Riding Program. In the fall of 2008, he became a full time employee with the Horsemanship Department, and in 2009, he became the Head Coach of the Rough Riding Team. He has been trained by the following professionals: 2009, Ricky Suarez, a Bareback Specialist; 2010, Tommie Turvey, an Equine Extreme Horse Trainer; 2011, Sylvia Zerbini, an Equine Liberty Trainer.