My Boots Are Royal & Boyd Rice 4-Time NRCHA Stallion Stakes Champs

My Boots Are Royal always had talent. According to trainer Boyd Rice, all it took was an equipment change and some time for the stallion to show it.

Boy, did he.

The 2018 stallion and EquiStat Elite $6 Million Rider earned not one, but four championships at the 2024 National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Stallion Stakes. They won the Open Bridle and Open Bridle Spectacular titles on Friday, adding them to the Open Two-Rein and Open Two-Rein Spectacular wins they had earlier in the week.

It was a career haul for the horse bred by Kit and the late Charlie Moncrief. Sired by Royal Fletch, who Moncrief Quarter Horses supported at stud, the stallion is out of one of Kit Moncrief’s mares, My Boots Are Tuff.

Rice, who’s ridden the stallion his entire career, knew the win meant a lot to Kit Moncrief. It also was satisfying, because the trainer also knew the horse had always had talent. The stars just never had aligned for that big win.

“Any win is unbelievable, and this horse has been ready to win the whole time,” Rice said. “I just never could quite get him showed.”

Working Things Out

My Boots Are Royal showed potential throughout his futurity and derby years, but never broke through with a big win. Things changed, though, once Rice had the chance to show him in the two-rein and in the bridle. A little bit of diversification also seemed to help.

“He just started kind of coming on there at the house. And, then, in January or so — maybe in December — I started roping on him every day,” said Rice, noting the stallion is quite good at roping, though he’s never competed. “I think that kind of helped him, too.”

As for the future, My Boots Are Royal’s short-term goal is probably to go to a schooling show and then on to the NRCHA Western Derby in Scottsdale, Arizona. Longer-term goals could include trying to qualify for the Cow Horse Challenge at The Run For A Million. Last year, the event held in August at the South Point Equestrian Center, the same venue as the NRCHA Stallion Stakes, paid $55,000 to the winner.

My Boots Are Royal’s Pedigree

My Boots Are Royal comes by his talent naturally. His sire, the late Royal Fletch, won the 2000 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity and is an EquiStat Elite $2 Million Sire. His mother, My Boots Are Tuff, earned multiple American Quarter Horse Association Versatility Ranch Horse World championships and was an NRCHA Limited Open Hackamore World Champion.

While My Boots Are Royal has not competed in ranch events like his mother, he won the American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Challenge in January at the Fort Worth Stock Show.

The combined $27,100 that My Boots Are Royal banked from his four NRCHA Stallion Stakes championships this week pushed his total lifetime earnings to more than $51,938, according to EquiStat. That makes him the leading earner for his dam, whose five money-winners have earned a combined $143,010.

Open Bridle Spectacular Reserve Champions

Two horse-and-rider duos tied for the NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Spectacular Co-Reserve Championship. Each marked a composite of 569 and earned $8,849 for their owners:

• Very Funny Valentine and Shane Steffen: The 2015 mare (Very Smart Remedy x Gunnabemyvalentine x Gunna Smoke) is owned by Shane and Beth Steffen. The mare was bred by Joyce Pearson, of Hailey, Idaho.
• Smart Chic An Tari and Sarah Dawson: The 2017 mare (Smart Chic Olena x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark) is owned by her breeder, Aaron Ranch.

Boyd Rice on My Boots Are Royal in the Two Rein. * Photo by Primo Morales