Still showing, with the 2024 World’s Greatest Horseman and The American Performance Horseman on his calendar, and his first foals just started competing, earning berths at the finals at prestigious events such as the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity makes Scooter Kat an early-in-life legend as a performer and a budding junior sire.
Smart and Fast Make a Winning Combo
A 2015 sorrel stallion by Kit Kat Sugar and out of Scooters Daisy Dukes, by Dual Smart Rey, Scooter Kat’s legions of fans love this stallion for his excellent conformation, flashy good looks, undeniable show-pen prowess, and immeasurable cow sense. In fact, Scooter Kat left the 2023 Run for a Million as the highest-earning reined cow horse of all time, with $513,000+ in lifetime earnings, all with NRCHA pro Justin Wright at the reins. His smart mind keeps him out of trouble, and his fast feet keep him right with the cows he chases down the fence and send him to huge marks in the reined work, too.
“From Day One, Justin and Scooter have been magical,” shared owner Eric Freitas. “I don’t think anyone else besides Justin has shown that horse. They’re on the same page, and they click together.”
While the stallion’s legacy continues to grow in the show pen, it’s his future in the breeding barn that has people talking.
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The Future is Bright
“I grew up in a family that bred and raised a lot of horses,” Wright shared. “Since I was a kid, I’ve watched studs you expected to do something not produce and vice versa. There was no rhyme or reason why it worked or didn’t. So going into this journey with Scooter Kat, I was conservative. But once we got our hands on the first crop of babies, we started seeing that he could be incredible as a sire.”
What makes Scooter Kat’s offspring special? Many of the same traits that make their sire a standout partner for Wright and competitor in the arena.
“He has a great mind, which contributes to all of his success,” Wright said. “He loves being a show horse and working, and he’s truly a great horse to be around. I’ve never been around a horse that has his desire to do everything right. He’s also very talented, possibly the most talented horse I’ve ridden. His conformation is great, and that allows a horse to be balanced, lope naturally, and stay in position.”
Looking Forward
In the 2020 foal crop that showed at the Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2023, Wright noticed the same qualities.
“We limited his breeding the first year to just a few mares,” Wright shared. “All of those babies have been a pleasure to train and show. The percentage that made it into the show pen and won money in their first year is really incredible. The current crop of 2-year-olds is larger, and we’re hearing from other trainers how excited they are with how those horses are coming along.”
Those foals aren’t only bound for the cow horse pen; you’ll also see them in the cutting pen and the roping arena. Owners of roping mares make a good part of Scooter Kat’s 2024 breeding book, as do cutting-bred mares. Wright notes that many cutting trainers with Scooter Kat colts in training are keeping them and looking forward to showing them in the 2024 futurities.
“It’s like a dream coming true right in front of our eyes,” Wright concluded.
