Snaffle Bit Futurity Mare Wyldcat Has Speed in Her Genes, Cows in Her Heart

Most horses in the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity hail from generations of reined cow horse, cutting or reining competitors. One mare has more than that. Her name is Wyldcat, and she also has a strong dose of speed in her genes.

Ridden by trainer Isaac Johnson in the Level 1 Open, Wyldcat is a daughter of winning barrel racing stallion Jaguarr and out of So Desired (by Desires Little Rex). Her sire is by the great Dash Ta Fame and out of top flight barrel racing mare Rosas Cantina CC (by Corona Cartel). Rosas Cantina CC became familiar to many fans during her career, when EquiStat Elite $3 Million Rider Lisa Lockhart rode to more than $600,000 in barrel racing winnings at rodeos around North America.

Wyldcat’s owners and breeders, Del and Tyson Bieleny, of Mill Iron Livestock, also owned Jaguarr at the time of his death earlier this year. Though saddened by the loss of the breeding stallion, they still believe he was a special individual who possessed the mind, athleticism and trainability to excel in disciplines beyond barrel racing.

When Wyldcat arrived at Johnson’s barn, it looked like they were right.

“She just operated in a way that was interesting, and she could do things that most racehorse/barrel horses couldn’t do just naturally,” Johnson said. “When she would react to things, she would kind of crouch down, and she wanted to really kind of stop.”

Wyldcat has unique bloodlines at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity but her looks and size don’t stand out one bit. * Photo by Amy Olson

As of press time, Johnson and Wyldcat had a composite of 419.5 (208.5 rein/211 herd). The Level 1 Open concludes in the preliminaries, so they were scheduled to make their final run in the cow work on Monday afternoon as draw No. 324.

Regardless of how they finish, it will be a bittersweet run for the Bielenys. Jagaurr died unexpectedly earlier this year. Not only did they lose a horse they love, but given his age — he was born in 2017 — there won’t be many more foal crops to come.

While the ability to breed to older stallions is only limited by the amount of frozen semen in storage at the time of their death or infertility, a rule change in recent years limits the use of frozen semen for younger stallions. The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) rules mandate that semen can only be used to produce AQHA-registered foals for two years after the death of stallions born in the year 2015 or later, which includes Jaguarr.

Versatile Horses: the Speed and Cow Combo

Though they have horses that have competed at a high level in barrel racing, the Bielenys are cow people. Their Mill Iron Livestock is located in Czar, Alberta, Canada, and their horses — including Jaguarr — get plenty of experience working cattle.

In addition to So Desired, who is bred for cutting, their mare band has offspring of Peptoboonsmal and Metallic Cat — including a full sister to Call Me Mitch — to go along with their running-bred broodmares.

A young Wyldcat and her dam, So Desired (by Desires Little Rex), pictured in her native Alberta, Canada. * Photo courtesy of Del Bieleny

So Desired competed in barrels, but a fall and injury interrupted her career.

“We decided to breed her to ‘Jag,’ because it was two horses that we love,” Del Bielveny said.

Even though Jaguarr was running-bred top and bottom, he had a mind and temperament that made him an asset when it was time to ranch work. They used him to move cattle and drag calves at branding. During breaks in the work he stood tied to a fence with the geldings without fuss, and was also gentle around their children.

A winning barrel horse sired by Dash Ta Fame, Jaguarr knew how to put in a day’s work at Mill Iron Livestock in Alberta, Canada. * Photo courtesy of Del Bieleny.

“That’s truly what it is with Jaugarr and that’s what we wanted to show — just how highly trainable and versatile not only he was, but we believed his offspring could be. That was a big portion of why leaning that way and putting the mare into that kind of training and competition,” Tyson Bieleny said. “It was just to show the versatility here, so maybe don’t overlook them because of his papers.”

Natural NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Prospect

Wyldcat’s trainer, Johnson, was impressed early on with the trainability she showed while learning the ropes at his training facility in Oklahoma.

“We started going, and she picked up on it pretty quick, and the rest is history,” Johnson said. “She’s probably the most teachable horse I’ve ever been around. Things that she wasn’t maybe inclined to do physically, you could teach her how to do them, and she would learn them really good.”

While Wyldcat was naturally inclined towards reined cow horse, Johnson likes to start all his colts in a way that would be conducive towards a career in that discipline — regardless of whether they end up doing that or something else.

“I believe that all horses should be started in a way … where they can be gentle, they can be in a good frame of mind, happy about doing their job. They need to be asked things and understand that they will be asked things and be happy about it,” he said. “And so, I think going towards the cow horse anyway, with any horse I start, I want to get them all doing the same basic things, and then they can kind of specialize after that.

“Even all the barrel horses and stuff that we start, we start them all kind of in that direction … getting them to kind of track the cow around, work off their hindquarters and stuff like that.”

Wyldcat’s major prep for the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity came in August in the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Pre-Futurity. She put forth a good effort, finishing 10th in the Level 1 Open with a composite of 630 (213.5 rein/211 herd/205.5 cow).

Barrel Racing Futurity Bloodlines

Though unusual, it’s not the first time a barrel racing-bred horse has competed in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. Four years ago, two offspring of the stallion Traffic Guy (by Frenchmans Guy) showed at that year’s Futurity.

Unlike Wyldcat, whose mother hails from cutting bloodlines, the two offspring of Traffic Guy that showed in 2020 — Dark N Traffic and Martinis In Traffic — sported barrel racing bloodlines from both their sire and dam.

Reined cow horse fans probably haven’t seen the last of Wyldcat. Currently, plans call for her to compete in more cow horse events before transitioning over to barrel racing to compete in limited-age events in that discipline.

Her ability to be a versatile competitor isn’t lost on her trainer. Johnson’s philosophy is that every horse is going to be good at something. If it’s what you’re interested in, perfect. If not, then they can go on and be the best they can be in something they are good at.

“I had no expectations and I had no limitations with bringing her in,” Johnson said. “I figured she could be as good as she was going to be.”

Isaac Johnson has had faith in Wyldcat’s athleticism and trainability throughout her young career. * Photo by Amy Olson