ncha-futurity-sire-high-brow-cat
High Brow Cat looms large on the list of all-time leading NCHA Futurity sires. * Photo by Cam Essick.

Stallions: All-Time Leading NCHA Futurity Sires

The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity is the biggest prize in the sport of cutting, a place that highlights the best cutting horses and riders in the industry.

It’s also a showcase for the best sires in the sport.

The list of all-time leading NCHA Futurity sires reads like a list of who’s who in cutting, including both titans of the sport as well as younger sires whose 3-year-olds have already earned them a spot on the list.

Who will be the leading sire at this year’s Futurity, which started Thursday, remains to be seen. The show, as usual, will feature well-bred entrants sired by the best stallions in the Western performance horse world.

The past, however, often offers clues to the future. So, here’s how the list of all-time leading NCHA Futurity sires stacked up going into this year’s edition, according to Equi-Stat.

(statistics are through the 2019 show)

1. High Brow Cat

Pedigree: 88S, (High Brow Hickory x Smart Little Kitty x Smart Little Lena)
Progeny Earnings: $11,414,461
Earners: 464
Top Performers:

  • 2006 Open and Amateur Champion Oh Cay Felix ($253,157, out of Oh Cay Shorty, by Shorty Lena)
  • 2007 Open Champion High Brow CD ($250,000, out of Sweet Little CD, by CD Olena)
  • 2008 Open Champion Metallic Cat ($250,000, out of Chers Shadow, by Peptoboonsmal)

2. Dual Rey

Pedigree: 85S (Dual Pep x Nurse Rey x Wyoming Doc)
Progeny Earnings: $5,847,475
Earners: 310
Top Performers:

  • 2009 Open Champion Rockin W ($265,496, out of Boon San Kitty, by High Brow Cat)
  • 2018 Open Champion Crey Zee ($203,061, out of Eazee E, by High Brow Cat)
  • 2007 Open third-place finisher Rey Down Sally ($160,229, out of Solano Sally, by Doc’s Solano).

3. Smart Little Lena

Pedigree: 79S, (Doc O’Lena x Smart Peppy x Peppy San)
Progeny Earnings: $4,877,308
Earners: 287
Top Performers:

  • 2007 Open Reserve Champion Desires Little Rex ($197,004, out of Desire Some Freckles, by Freckles Playboy)
  • 2000 Open Reserve Champion and Non-Pro finalist Justa Smart Peanut ($192,057, out of 2000 Justaswinging Peanut, by Justa Swinging Peppy)
  • 1997 Open Champion Some Kinda Memories ($140,012, out of Some Kinda Playgirl, by Freckles Playboy)

4. Metallic Cat

Pedigree: 05S, (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal)
Progeny Earnings: $4,270,783
Earners: 299
Top Performers:

  • 2015 Open Champion and Limited Non-Pro Champion Stevie Rey Von ($214,145, out of Miss Ella Rey, by Dual Rey)
  • 2019 Open Champion Metallic Rey Mink ($197,786, out of Dual Rey Mink, by Dual Rey)
  • 2016 Open finalist Mistresssis ($118,151, out of Smart Crackin Chic, by Smart Chic Olena)

5. Smooth As A Cat

Pedigree: 99S, (High Brow Cat x Shes Pretty Smooth x Wheeling Peppy)
Progeny Earnings: $3,511,155
Earners: 245
Top Performers:

  • 2009 Open and Non-Pro finalist Aroseuchaclatter ($139,009, out of Mates Irish Rose, by Smart Mate)
  • 2009 Open third-place finisher Smooth Going Cat ($136,285, out of Dually Lil Pep by Dual Pep)
  • 2014 Open Reserve Champion Smooth Talkin Style ($109,512, out of Stylish Play Lena, by Docs Stylish Oak)

Stallions 6-15

RankSireTotal NCHA Futurity $$$
6Peptoboonsmal$3,170,824
7Peppy San Badger$3,164,192
8Dual Pep$3,148,298
9Freckles Playboy$2,131,897
10Doc’s Hickory$2,111,235
11One Time Pepto$1,876,833
12Doc O’Lena$1,617,544
13Dual Smart Rey$1,281,488
14Woody Be Tuff$1,273,435
15CD Olena$1,197,099

UPDATE: This story has been updated with the correct pedigree for Dual Rey. The pedigree was incorrect in the initial version.