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!