SmartLittlePepinic JWard

Smart Little Pepinic Becomes NRCHA Million-Dollar Sire

SmartLittlePepinic JWardSmart Little Pepinic and John Ward • Photo by Primo MoralesSmart Little Pepinic has become the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s (NRCHA) newest Million-Dollar Sire. The 1993 stallion became a part of the iconic reined cow horse breeding program at the Ward Ranch in Kingsburg, Calif., when ranch founder Greg Ward purchased him as a 2-year-old. John Ward piloted him to the majority of his Equi-Statearnings, totaling $87,762, both in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and NRCHA arenas.

Smart Little Pepinic (Smart Little Uno x Pepinic x Peppy San Badger), bred by Sheila Head, Bodega Bay, Calif., made his debut as a cutting horse, making the Open finals at the 1997 Gold Coast Winter Derby and the Abilene Spectacular Derby.

In the reined cow horse show pen, Ward guided him to numerous Championships and top placings, including an NRCHA Two-Rein National Championship; the Open Two-Rein Championship at the 1999 NRCHA Futurity, NRCHA Stakes and NRCHA Hackamore Classic; 3rd place at the 2000 NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman; and the 2007 World’s Richest Stock Horse Championship. He also won the Open Bridle Championship at the 2006 NRCHA Derby, the 2007 and 2008 Hackamore Classic and the 2007 NRCHA Stakes.

Smart Little Pepinic is known for siring talented cow horses with a particular flair for the fence work. His top-earning foal, Black Pearl, a 2005 Ward Ranch bred-and-owned mare out of Sugar Babe Taffy (x Master Remedy) won the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Championship with Ward at the reins. She earned a total $120,203 in the cow horse arena, according to Equi-Stat.

Other leading cow horses by Smart Little Pepinic include Kiss Me A Little (LTE $101,616); Smartlookinboots (LTE $62,930); and Miss Smokin It (LTE $61,601).

Smart Little Pepinic will be recognized at the 2014 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity with a Carol Owens bronze trophy to commemorate his NRCHA Million-Dollar Sire status. He is the 13th horse to reach that milestone.