The Mares Behind What Comes Next

Vintage Ambrosia is the most proven show mare in our broodmare band, but her story is bigger than a dollar amount.

She earned her place through the full progression of a reined cow horse career. As a three-year-old, she was the 2019 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Limited Open Reserve Champion. She went on to place in the Limited Open at the 2020 NRCHA Hackamore Classic, then returned in 2021 to win the NRCHA Eastern Derby Limited Open, finish co-reserve in the Intermediate Open, and place in the Open.

Ambrosia kept going after her futurity and derby years. Under Lazy 4T ownership, she continued into two-rein and open-bridle competition, earning a 2024 two-rein spectacular championship and reserve championship before remaining active in Open Bridle competition in 2025.

In 2025, Ambrosia received the NRCHA Supreme Reined Cow Horse Award. That recognition matters to us because it reflects the full journey—from limited-age events through hackamore, two-rein, and bridle. Her sire, One Fine Vintage, brings One Time Pepto and Shining Spark into the pedigree, while her dam is Miss Fancy Juice, by Smart Like Juice. Most importantly, Ambrosia has shown those qualities herself.

SJR Spooks Tess brings together bloodlines that have shaped both reining and reined cow horse. She is by Smart Spook, an NRHA Hall of Fame stallion and Nine Million Dollar Sire, and out of Shiners Sulena, a daughter of Shining Spark.

Tess also has a performance history of her own. She was an NSHA Open Futurity finalist in 2015. A decade later, the 2025 NRCHA standings listed her in Limited Open Bridle for Lazy 4 T Ranch, showing that she remained part of the work rather than becoming only a name on a broodmare page.

Her maternal family is an important part of why she belongs here. Shiners Sulena earned 54 AQHA points and produced Whizs Katrina, an earner of more than $101,000, and Spooks Mariah, an earner of more than $28,000. Those records belong to Tess's family—not to Tess herself—but they show a mare line that has repeatedly produced horses capable of performing.

Tess gives us stop, trainability, cow sense, and a strong reining foundation. Just as important, she has been part of our family program and one of the horses Tate has shown.

She came to us as Siestas Fancy Rey Me. As she became part of Lazy 4T Ranch and the future we were building, she became LFourT Bet Shesa Rey.

That name change is personal to us. It marks the point where she stopped being only a promising young mare we had purchased and became one of the mares we chose to carry our program forward.

Her sire, Bet Hesa Cat, is by High Brow Cat and out of Bet Yer Blue Boons. NRCHA recognizes him as a Three Million Dollar Sire, and he earned $267,465 in NCHA competition. Her dam, KR Fancy Rey Me, earned approximately $29,000 and is by Dual Rey and out of Fancy Zack.

What we see in this mare is a concentration of proven cow-horse and cutting families. She is still at the beginning of her own story, and we are not going to claim accomplishments she has not earned. Her value to our program is the strength of the family behind her and what we believe she may carry into the next generation.

Not every mare in a thoughtful breeding program needs to bring the same thing. Helluva Chexy Girl gives us a different branch of performance genetics and helps keep us from simply repeating one fashionable cross.

Her sire, Helluva Chex, earned $89,038 and 116 AQHA points. His record includes major non-pro reining derby wins, an NRHA Open Futurity final, Superior Reining, and an Amateur Performance ROM. Her dam, Lockyourgun, is by the 1973 stallion One Gun and built a strong production record of her own.

One Gun earned $16,352 and 49 AQHA points, was an AQHA Reserve World Champion Junior Cutting Horse, and earned an NCHA Bronze Award. Through that family, Helluva Chexy Girl brings together reining, cutting, cow horse, and roping influences.

Her own show record is more modest than Ambrosia's, and we do not need to make it into something it is not. Her value is the depth and versatility of her family and the different genetic tool she gives us. She has already been part of our breeding story, including her foal by Gunner On Ice.