Empty Stalls

Two top reined cow horse producers passed on to greener pastures.

The reined cow horse industry lost Million Dollar Sire Mister Dual Pep and also Stay Outta My Shorts, the dam of the 2019 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion, this year.

With NRCHA earners of more than $1,420,000, 1993 sorrel stallion Mister Dual Pep (Peppy San Badger x Miss Dual Doc x Doc’s Remedy) leaves a lasting legacy in reined cow horses. Bred by Greg and Laura Ward of Tulare, California, the full brother to Dual Pep was shown to more than $43,000 in lifetime earnings by Greg. However, his impact in not only reined cow horse but reining and cutting was most felt in the breeding barn.

At the time of his death in August, Mister Dual Pep had 240 competing reined cow horses, with the top money earning offspring Mister Smart Remedy (out of Ima Smart Remedy), a 2001 stallion that has $119,443.20 in NRCHA earnings.

He transferred hands through the years, but his final home was with Wayne and Melissa Hanson at Hanson Quarter Horses in Creston, Iowa. The Hansons enjoyed the personable stallion in his golden years, even watching daughter Emily Gravlin show him in high school rodeo events when the stallion was 23 years old.

“It was a fluke we even bought him,” said Michelle Hanson. “We really had no idea [the impact] he has had. He [was] quirky but he’s one of the coolest

COURTESY OF MICHELLE HANSON Even in his 20s, Mister Dual Pep was a competitor, as see here with NRCHA professional Luke Jones.

horses we have ever Here Comes The Boon, Stay Outta My known. Even at 22 or Shorts’ 2016 foal by 23 years old, he had Once In A Blu Boon, to be ridden down helped her earn the for two hours before 2019 NRCHA Dam of the Year title. going in the cutting pen! To have him and love on him, and the older he got the more lovey he was when he realized he was finally in a home. We loved him, a lot.”

Mister Dual Pep’s ashes were laid to rest at the Hanson’s in Iowa. At the time of his death, “Mister” was the 14th highest earning sire in the NRCHA.

The Brown family lost Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion producing and NRCHA Dam of the Year Stay Outta My Shorts this year. The mare, by Shorty Lena and out of Oaklynn (by Doc’s Oak) was 24 years old. Owned by Rob A. Brown, Myles Brown made the purchase for the family in 2015 when Stay Outta My Shorts was in foal to Once In A Blu Boon. The resulting

PRIMO MORALES

foal, 2016 stallion Here Comes The Boon, would see the Brown’s breed an NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion with Lance Johnston aboard the roan in 2019.

Here Comes The Boon has amassed $224,217.26 (as of September 27, 2021) in earnings; BBR Short On Time, a 2003 mare also out of Stay Outta My Shorts, helped put the mare’s total NRCHA produce earnings at $226,748.96. The Brown family has a foal they hope to watch in the show pen from their bay mare.

The NRCHA offers condolences to Mister Dual Pep’s and Stay Outta My Short’s connections.