On Thursday, Sept. 28, Dual Smart Rey passed away. The EquiStat Elite $13 Million Sire and earner of $330,436 left a lasting impact on the cutting and reined cow horse industry.
The 2002 sorrel stallion was by Dual Rey and out of EquiStat Elite $1 Million Dam The Smart Look (by Smart Little Lena). He was bred by Wiens Ranch Company Inc of Sedalia, Colorado. Strawn Valley Ranch, of Fort Worth, Texas owned him from the time he was at his dam’s hip, until he passed.
His half-brothers, WR This Cats Smart (by High Brow Cat) and Sannman (by Metallic Cat) also found great success in the cutting pen as well as the breeding shed.
During his show career Dual Smart Rey, better known as “Lloyd,” made the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open semi-finals, but cut a bad cow that ended that show for him. He and EquiStat Elite $10 Million Rider Phil Rapp went on to be the 2006 NCHA Super Stakes 4-Year-Old Open Champion, 2006 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Junior Cutting World Champion and the 2006 Bonanza Cutting 4-Year-Old Open Champion.
“It was a great privilege to be able to train and show Dual Smart Rey, or as we called him, Lloyd,” Rapp said. “He was a fantastic horse, he was very kind to have around the barn and he was always a crowd favorite when we were showing him, he had a captivating way about him.”
Then, after his huge success during his derby year, he sustained an injury and wasn’t able to show as a 6-year-old. Strawn Valley Ranch (Don and Marty Horton) dispersed their herd to focus on other business ventures, but Dual Smart Rey was kept by Michelle and Reagan Horton to continue his breeding career.
“We knew he was going to be special from the first time we laid eyes on him and he proved himself so in the show ring. Though injury cut short his career in the show pen, he continued to prove himself special in the number of outstanding foals that he sired. He produced champions in cutting, reining and reined cow horse and is recognized as one of the greatest stallions of all time,” owners Reagan and Michelle Horton said in a statement. “Every once in a while a truly special horse comes along and we were lucky to have been able to be ride along with him. He will truly be missed.”
“Job well done, we’ll see you on the other side,” Don and Marty Horton said at his passing.
Cutting Offspring Success
In the breeding shed, Dual Smart Rey‘s offspring amassed more than $13 Million in earnings.
“He truly was a one-of-a-kind horse. He was one of the earlier stallions standing at [Brazos Valley Stallion Station]. His presence served a catalyst in putting our stallion roster on the map, being our first proven stallion. He has been in our barn for close to 10 years. With that said, the barn feels quite empty without him,” said Lisa Szwejbka, Brazos Valley Stallion Station General Manager.
According to EquiStat, Dual Smart Rey has 424 offspring competing in cutting events with earnings of almost $12 Million. His top earners include Hiss N Vinegar (2022 Brazos Bash Open 7-Year-Old), Rollz Royce (2019 NCHA Summer Spectacular Open Classic Champion, 2019 NCHA Super Stakes Open Classic Champion), and Dual Smart Kitty (2013 NCHA Open Futurity Champion).
“The death of Dual Smart Rey marks the passing of a great sire of Western performance horses. He leaves a large hole in breeders abilities to access his superior genetics as an outcross,” said Frank Merrill, past general manager of Brazos Valley Stallion Station.
Hit Tha Flo is following in his sire’s hoofprints. The 2016 bay stallion out of Miss Woody Two Shoes (by High Brow Cat) was the 2020 Bonanza Derby Open Champion and now stands at Brazos Valley Stallion Station as well.
Another standout “Lloyd” offspring, Lil Maddy Rey earned $219,513 in the cutting pen and is the dam of 2022 NCHA Futurity Open Champion Phil N Dangerous. Lil Maddy Rey also began her training under Rapp before finding success with Lindy Thorn. Lil Maddy Rey is an outstanding example of Lloyd’s influence as a great maternal grandsire.
“The breeding of that stallion gave life to what we operate today. He was there in the beginning and has truly contributed so much to the success of our operation at [Brazos Valley Stallion Station],” said stallion station owner Jeremy Barwick.
As the stallion roster at BVSS continues to grow, Dual Smart Rey’s contribution to the station’s legacy will not be forgotten.
Reined Cow Horse Sire Success
Dual Smart Rey has 93 offspring that have earned over $1 million in reined cow horse events, with his top earner being Duals Lucky Charm, a gelding out of TRR Miss Pepcid Olena (by Pepcid).
EquiStat Elite $1 Million Rider Kelby Phillips rode Duals Lucky Charm to earnings of $288,061, according to EquiStat. Not only were they National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champions, they won the National Stock Horse Association Futurity Open, were the 2018 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Reserve Championship and earned the 2020 Worlds Greatest Horseman Reserve Championship. Overall, Duals Lucky Charm and Phillips seemed to make the finals at nearly every premier event they attended.
Dual Smart Rey joined the short list of 25 sires that have reached $1 million in official NRCHA earnings in 2021 solidifying his prestige as a reined cow horse sire as well.
Though his passing creates a void for many, his offspring and those who loved Lloyd will carry on his legacy.
“The Horton Family has brought “Lloyd” home to his final resting place at Strawn Valley Ranch. While Strawn Valley Ranch still stands proudly, we operate respectfully under Ray Shell Ranch LLC. With Michelle Horton being the driving force and Reagan Horton being the backbone of the business, we will continue on with the legacy that the Horton Family and Dual Smart Rey began many years ago, and I will continue to love my Dual Smart Rey for another two decades. Rest well old friend,” Kathleen Braden, Ray Shell Ranch Breeding Manager, wrote in a statement.
