SS Blacks Lil Kitty, pictured with owner Julie Jarma, is the leading money-earner out of Show Biz Kitty, and she just had a champion of her own. • Photo by Midge Ames

A Royal Family

There was a lot of promise seen in Show Biz Kitty as a 2-year-old. She was pointed toward the 2006 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity. But she suffered from a serious hock injury in 2005 that would keep her out of the show pen for good.

Many would have written her off entirely, but a few people had faith in the mare’s intelligence and bloodlines and thought she would make a good broodmare. They took a risk investing in her, and that has proven to pay off in a big way. Starkey Smith bred her in 2005, and in 2006, SS Blacks Lil Kitty (by Blue Bayou Boon) hit the ground.

Show Biz Kitty (High Brow Cat x Show Biz Sandy x Son Ofa Doc) was also bred to Blue Bayou Boon in 2007 and 2008. While those second and third foals didn’t go on to make money in cutting, SS Blacks Lil Kitty, owned by Julie Jarma, got better every year.

In 2013 when SS Blacks Lil Kitty had accumulated roughly $50,000 in the show pen, Royce Stallcup took a chance on purchasing Show Biz Kitty after seeing she had potential to produce money-earners. He also saw great promise in her daughter Show Biz Kit Kat (by Mr Peppy Freckles), a 2-year-old at the time who sold to Stallcup with Show Biz Kitty.

Stallcup knew the investment was a gamble since Show Biz Kitty had only one performing foal, but he had a strong feeling the purchase would pay off. The success of the dam has compounded and blown his initial expectations out of the water. SS Blacks Lil Kitty went on to earn $185,839 in the cutting pen, and Show Biz Kit Kat, who is now owned by Susan Hanselman, has collected nearly $50,000.

Badboonarising sold for $150,000 during the 2017 NCHA Futurity. • Photo by Kelsey Pecsek

Rollz Royce, a Dual Smart Rey stallion, hit the ground in 2014, and Badboonarising (by Once In A Blu Boon) arrived in 2015. At the 2017 NCHA Futurity sales, Badboonarising became the highest-selling 2-year-old colt when he brought a bid of $150,00 from Todd Quirk.

Although Rollz Royce had some tough luck with Beau Galyean during the NCHA Futurity Open, they made up that lost ground at The Ike Derby and Classic when they marked a 222.5 during the 4-Year-Old Open. They were second only to Blackish – SS Blacks Lil Kitty’s first foal and Show Biz Kitty’s first granddaughter – who was also owned by Jarma. Blackish was ridden by Lloyd Cox to an impressive 225, and Stallcup couldn’t be more thrilled with the way Show Biz Kitty’s offspring and grandget have made their impressions in the last couple of months.

Blackish, the first offspring of SS Blacks Lil Kitty, carried Lloyd Cox to a win at her first event. • Photo by Dawn Baxstrom

Stallcup had so much faith in Badboonarising, who is currently in training with Adan Banuelos, and Rollz Royce, that he bred his prized dam to Once In A Blu Boon and Dual Smart Rey again last year. Both foals should be arriving any day now, and he couldn’t be more excited about meeting the prospects.

“I am very fortunate to have that mare,” Stallcup said. “There is no doubt. I have had a lot of people try to call me and buy her, but I wont sell her. It is a fairytale story, really.”

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