Taris Little Vintage was a rare mare who competed at the highest levels in the show pen and went on to produce generations of winning reining horses. She’s a mare who will not soon be forgotten.
Foaled in 1991, Taris Little Vintage was bred by Atwood Quarter Horses of Millsap, Texas. Sired by Peppy San Badger and out of Taris Vintage (by Doc Tari), Taris Little Vintage was routed through reining training, eventually arriving at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity in 1994. With EquiStat Elite $1 Million Rider Dell Hendricks, Taris Little Vintage finished third in the Open, winning $44,405.
Taris Little Vintage finished her show career in 1996 with $54,315 in lifetime earnings, destined for the breeding shed.
A ‘Little’ Legacy Begins
Taris Little Vintage boasts 18 money-earning progeny who collectively earned more than $776,258, according to EquiStat.
Her first NRHA Futurity Open Champion was Hollywood Vintage, a son of Hollywood Dun It born in 1996. Hendricks rode him to the 1999 NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity, earning more than $120,000. Hollywood Vintage went on to earn an additional $30,000 in his derby years, retiring with $155,842 in earnings
In 2003, Taris Designer Genes was born, and in 2006 the daughter of Mr Boomerjac won the NRHA Futurity Open Championship with Randy Paul in the saddle. She earned a career total of $272,831 to be her mother’s leading earner. Like her mother, she proved to be a producer after her show days were over.
Rounding out Taris Little Vintage’s top three earners is Taris Modern Design, a 2000 mare by Mr Boomerjac bred by Rancho Oso Rio. Taris Modern Design and Tracer Gilson made trips to the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) Level 4 Open Derby finals in 2004 and 2005 and the NRHA Level 4 Open Derby finals with Randy Paul in 2006, eventually racking up $87,017 in earnings.
The Next Generation
As good as Taris Little Vintage was as a broodmare, her maternal line has continued to proliferate through multiple generations. Her daughters – led by Taris Designer Genes – have produced 38 winners of more than $989,000. The mare’s top-earning grandget is NRBC Level 4 Open Champion Modern Gun, a winner of $222,026 by Gunners Special Nite and out of Taris Modern Design, a full sister to Taris Designer Genes. Next of the high-achieving grandget are two progeny of Taris Designer Genes – who, so far has foaled the winners of more than $511,758: NRHA Futurity Level 4 Non-Pro Champion Icecube ($109,080, by SG Frozen Enterprize) and Best of the West Futurity Level 4 Open Champion Designed With Shine ($108,680, by Smart And Shiney).
The power of Taris Little Vintage also flows through her great-granddaughters. One of them, Electric Genes (Jacs Electric Spark x Taris Designer Genes) has already produced four earners of more than $182,587 – including NRHA Futurity Level 4 Non-Pro Reserve Champion Joes Genes (by Lil Joe Cash).
In 2013, Taris Little Vintage was the announced as the leading NRHA dam. Owner Loren Booth praised the mare for her consistency and ability to cross well on different stallions.
“At Booth Ranches, it is all about the mares. Tari is such a [good] example of this statement. Bred to different stallions, she continues to produce offspring that are competitive in today’s world of reining,” Booth told QHN in 2013. “She was a talented performer herself and a gritty mare that made it look easy. She passed those traits on, again and again. What an honor for all of us at Booth Ranches to own her, be able to spoil her at this stage in her life and to be a part of her legend.”
Taris Little Vintage was euthanized in May of 2014 at the age of 23. Generations of her descendants will no doubt continue to carry her name into the spotlight on the biggest stages in the sport of reining.