Roanmeo Rises to Occasion in Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby

The red roan stallion Roanmeo is a familiar face in the finals at major National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) events. And, in Fort Worth, Texas, he earned the biggest win of his career in the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions.

With EquiStat Elite $3 Million Rider Justin Wright aboard, the stallion marked a winning composite of 664 (220.5 herd/218.5 rein/225 cow) in the event that concluded Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Will Rogers Memorial Center.

The victory earned a first-place check of $55,000 for owner S C Ranch Co Inc, of Paauilo, Hawaii.

Roanmeo had plenty of competition in Fort Worth. The Derby Open division had 218 horses in the draw and offered a total purse of $293,500.

“Just being able to go and run at that type of money is incredible for our sport,” Wright said. “And, watching this derby grow over the years and what it’s evolved into is really neat.”

Roanmeo’s composite of 664 was 3.5 points to the good of Open Reserve champions Venom Boonsmal and Sarah Dawson. The EquiStat Elite $2 Million Rider and the 2024 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Champion (Peptoboonsmal x A Black Widow x High Brow Cat) marked a composite of 662.5 (219 herd/220.5 rein/223 cow). They earned $41,000 for owner-breeder Aaron Ranch.

Roanmeo won money as a 3-year-old, earning the Open Co-Reserve Championship at the California Reined Cow Horse Association (CRCHA) Futurity and sixth in that year’s National Stock Horse Association Futurity. He competed in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, but things didn’t go his way and he didn’t make the Open finals.

“I can’t even remember what happened. I think I had a cow fall down on the fence or something,” Wright said. “[He] just was unlucky, but he’s always wanted to be a show horse.”

The horse’s best success, has come during his derby years.

As a 4-year-old in 2023, Roanmeo won the Derby Open at the Paso Robles Spring Classic and was third in the class at the NSHA Futurity show. He also fifth in the Derby Open at the CRCHA Futurity and the Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity.

This year, of course, he kicked off his 5-year-old derby year with a win in the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby.

Over the years, Roanmeo showed Wright he has a lot of grit. Of the three events in reined cow horse, the athletic stallion has always excelled at his fence work.

“I told somebody there the other day that having that confidence in the fence work is special, knowing that you can go mark a big score on one,” he said. “He’s got a lot of run, he’s real strong and he just doesn’t feel like a cow’s gonna get away from you.”

Even though he excels in reined cow horse, Roanmeo comes from a family of cutters. His sire, Hottish, is an EquiStat Elite $19 Million Sire and National Cutting Horse Association Summer Spectacular Derby Open Champion Hottish. His dam also has deep cutting roots.

Bred by Katherine Goodfriend, Roanmeo is one of two money-earning offspring his dam, cutting mare Trouble N Roan (by Metallic Cat), has on her EquiStat produce record. Her other earner is Roanmeo’s full sibling, Kats Comin N Hot, a 2020 mare who has won more than $19,011 in cutting.

His second dam, Dainty Playgirl (by Freckles Playboy), won the 1998 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open and is the dam of winners of more than $740,718.

Wright said the Roanmeo’s future is up to his owners, Charles and Vanessa Stevens. The couple competes in reined cow horse events themselves, and also breed horses.

“We’re gonna go all this year with him and just play it by ear. I know that they have a little broodmare band, and they’ve bred some mares to him last year, and are going to continue doing that this year,” said Wright, noting the horse is strong, healthy and will hopefully be a bridle horse someday. “And, we’ll just kind of see how it plays out and how far they want to go, but I think he’s a horse that is going to be around for a while.”