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From Cowboys Cartel to Pepto Bluelena

From Cowboys Cartel to Pepto Bluelena

Jan 23, 2025

By Keri Whitney

Riata Stallion, Cowboys Cartel passed away from colic on October 15, 2024. The stallion by Corona Cartel has been in the Stallion Incentive program since 2022, when Myers Performance Horses originally owned him. Brothers, Zane, and Travis Kiehne purchased Cowboys Cartel from Myers.

"It was kind of funny how we ended up buying Cowboys Cartel," Zane said. "Bill Myers called and wanted to buy a Metallic Cat son I own. Bill mentioned he was considering selling Cowboys Cartel, he priced him and Travis and I ended up buying him."

The Kiehne's didn't own Cowboys Cartel very long. They raised some colts by him in 2024, with a few more expected to hit the ground in 2025, including babies out of mares by Pepto Bluelena, also owned by the Kiehne's.  

This year, Pepto Bluelena will be making his debut as a 2025 Riata Stallion, replacing Cowboys Cartel. At age 20, he still periodically can be seen in the heel box or at a breakaway event, with Travis' daughter, Hailey at the helm.

The Kiehnes purchased Pepto Bluelena in 2005, when the blue roan was just a yearling. Travis had been searching for an own son of Peptoboonsmal, found the colt in a horse sale in Texas and purchased him. Pepto Bluelena was trained by Ned Kiehne and shown in a few AQHA shows, where he earned ROM Tie Down and Superior Heeling. In 2009 as a five-year-old, the last year he was shown, Pepto Bluelena was crowned the 2009 AQHA Jr World Champion Heel Horse with Jody Ramer roping on him.     

"In 2010 we started breeding Pepto Bluelena," Travis said. "All the blue stud's colts are easy to train. They're no baloney. They fit all kinds of people, all levels of ropers.  You can take a low numbered roper or a high numbered roper and put on them. They adjust." Pepto Bluelena himself has been ridden in breakaway, tie down roping and heeling at all levels of rodeos from high school rodeos, college rodeos, jack pots, amateur rodeos and many PRCA rodeos. He was even ridden 2 years at the Cinch Timed Event Championships.

Pepto Bluelena has put some amazing horses in the arena including Junior Nogueira's buckskin gelding Kiehnes Frosty Pepto, better known as "Timon" and Bob Fiest Invitational and two-timed Cinch Timed Events Champion, Tres De Plata "Pretzel".

"I kept hearing about this horse that Junior Nogueira had, called Timon," Travis said. "When I finally saw his picture, I recognized his brand. I realized he was a horse we'd raised, that I called Frosty. Originally, Frosty [Timon] was sold to a buyer in Brazile. The colt made it to US Customs in Pilot Point, Texas and ended up sitting in a stall for 5 months. They couldn't get him across to Brazile. I ended up buying him back. I resold him to a lady, who eventually traded him for a red roan we had. Frosty was then sold to a guy in Arizona as a calf horse. Next thing I know, Junior has him."

The Kiehne's pulled 16 embryos out of Timon's Dam, Kiehnes Pretty Smart, who is also related to Ike, an all-time favorite horse of Clay O'Brien Cooper. Currently the Kiehnes have 2 yearlings that are full brothers to Junior's horse, and plan on having a few more full siblings, each year. 

"I will admit I didn't know much about the Riata," Zane said. "But I decided since Cowboys Cartel was a Riata Stallion when he was purchased, we'd leave him in. This year, Pepto Bluelena has taken his slot. I believe the Riata program was designed for stallions like Pepto Bluelena because not only is he a top rope horse, he produces outstanding rope horses. If the goal is to breed to the best rope horses and raise the best rope horses possible, Pepto Bluelena's genetics are the ones you want passed on. He consistently sires good minded, athletic, easy to train horses, that can run hard and throws lots of color.  We are excited to have him part of the Riata Stallion Incentive Program."

The Kiehnes have several horses for sale. From weanlings to using and made horses, to breakaway, rope and barrel prospects.  

Learn more about Pepto Bluelena here!