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Hes A
Peptospoonful |
By Robert Eubanks
and Katie Tims
A couple of misses on his first cow
torpedoed the Championship hopes of
Brad Vaughn, who said it was a big
letdown after making such a big
splash on Hes A Peptospoonsful while
showing at the NCHA Futurity for the
first time in 10 years and gaining
the finals for the first time.
After scoring 221.5 and 223 to lead
the go-rounds, Vaughn, who stabled
the stallion at Raymond Beadle's
place in Valley View, Texas, gave
him four days off and then worked
him on alternate days prior to the
semifinals. The stallion scored a
221.5 to lead the semifinals on Dec.
15 and was the crowd favorite
heading into the Dec. 16 finals.
The flashy red roan stallion, by
Peptoboonsmal out of Miss Smarty Rey
by Smart Little Lena, and Vaughn
worked seventh in the first group of
12 in the finals.
Although the stallion flashed some
big moves, getting down in a classic
crouch while working a black cow for
over 25 seconds, Vaughn acknowledged
that he made some misses. Then with
the crowd noise drowning out
communication with his herd holders,
he picked a bad cow that sealed his
doom. He chipped off a third cow
with four seconds remaining.
They marked a 217.5 for eighth
place, which was worth $50,726.
He said he could handle the pressure
of riding the favorite in the finals
and loved having the support of the
crowd, "But it was so loud that I
couldn't hear Shannon (Hall) or
Kathy (Daughn) in the corners." That
led to the bad second cow.
"He never had the run I knew he was
capable of making," Vaughn said. "I
was hoping to do it on Sunday. It
just wasn't meant to be, not this
time, anyway."
Hes A Peptospoonful, which stands
13.2 hands, might weigh 800 pounds
with saddle and tack, said Vaughn.
The stallion was bred by Amy Cannon,
Madisonville, Texas, and consigned
by John Harrah to a sale during the
2000 Futurity, where he was
purchased by Dave Miller, Lincoln,
Calif., on the advice of Vaughn.
"I thought he was a bargain at
$20,000 and a good investment,"
Vaughn said in the NCHA Daily
Chatter, noting that "I thought I
could cut him if nothing else and
show him on the West Coast."
In an interview with Quarter Horse
News, Vaughn said "There was just
something mystical about him."
"I didn't think he was the best
horse that ever walked," he said.
"I've had other horses that were
smarter and more physical. He just
ended up doing the whole deal."
He said the stallion likes to talk
and "gelding him crossed the boss's
mind at one time."
"I said, 'Don't you dare!' " he said
of the stallion, which talks to Brad
when he comes to the barn and is
being ridden down the barn's
alleyway. "He's a talker, but he
doesn't mean anything by it."
Following the semifinals, Miller
sold the stallion to David and
Stacie McDavid, Fort Worth, Texas,
in a deal that reportedly would have
boosted the selling price to $1.5
million had he won the Futurity.
Part of the agreement was that
Miller will retain some breedings
and Vaughn will continue to ride the
stallion, probably beginning with
the Suncoast Winter Championships in
Las Vegas, then the Bonanza Cutting
and the NCHA Super Stakes. The
stallion will stand at trainer Terry
Riddle's place in Wynnewood, Okla.,
after the Super Stakes. Semen
already was collected at Riddle's
facility before Hes A Peptospoonful
was taken to the West Coast.
David McDavid, whose disappointment
at the finals was tempered by the
knowledge that "misses happen," said
he and Stacie were overwhelmed by
the calls for breeding opportunities
that came in during the first six
days they owned the stallion.
"We plan to breed 80 mares," he
said. "We've really been surprised
by the number of calls. We already
have 40 on the list at $5,000
apiece."
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