TULARE – Master Remedy, a gifted performer and extraordinary sire with the kindest of natures, died Feb. 14 of age-related, natural causes. He was 33.

The 1980 stallion was one of only four horses to sire three National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champions, an elite group which also includes King Fritz, Nu Cash and Smart Chic Olena.

Master Remedy’s genetics were deeply intertwined with the legendary Ward Ranch cow horse program. His dam, Wininic, was by Sugar Vandy and out of the famous Ward Ranch foundation mare, Fillinic. Master Remedy’s sire, Docs Remedy, was a son of Doc Bar.

The bay stallion’s competitive career focused exclusively on the cutting arena, where he earned more than $194,000, according to Equi-Stat. He also became a superior sire of versatile performers, with 69 foals who earned $756,295 in reined cow horse, cutting and reining money.

“He was absolutely incredible,” John Ward said. John and his late father, Ward Ranch founder and NRCHA Hall of Fame Horseman Greg Ward, both showed Master Remedy during his decade-long show career.

“He had so much talent. To lope him around, it felt like you were loping on a cloud. As a performer, he was great. He had a breeding problem which wouldn’t be much of a problem today – it would be easier to manage than it was back in the ’80s. He has a limited foal crop, but he sired three NRCHA Open Futurity Champions and a Non-Pro Futurity Champion, and he was the sire of Sugar Babe Taffy, who is the dam of Black Pearl, the mare I won the Snaffle Bit Futurity on in 2008,” John said.

Master Remedy’s first Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion foal was Otoe Master, a 1987 stallion out of Sizzlin Otoe, a daughter of Tommy Otoe. Otoe Master, owned by Kibby Maxwell, won the 1990 Futurity Open Championship with Jon Roeser in the saddle.

The following year, 1991, another Master Remedy foal won the coveted NRCHA Futurity – this time it was the 1988 gelding Master Checks, out of Bueno Chex Kaweah, a Bueno Chex daughter. Master Checks was shown by Ted Robinson for owner Dee Fitzgerald. The gelding earned $30,000 for the title, and went on to win a career $65,201, making him the top-earning Master Remedy foal, according to Equi-Stat.

In 1994, two Master Remedy babies reached the winner’s circle at Reno. John Ward won his first NRCHA Futurity Championship aboard Masteroani, a 1991 stallion out of the Docs Fri Dee Bar mare Just Docs Socks. Another Master Remedy foal, Master Rani Chex, out of the the Bueno Chex mare Bueno Chex Rani, carried owner/rider Jody Gearhart to the Futurity Non-Pro Championship.

Master Remedy’s own show career began with an impressive 5th place finish at the 1983 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity with Greg Ward in the saddle.

“I was turning back for Dad,” John said, recalling Master Remedy’s electrifying performance. “That horse captivated people, because when he stepped into a cow, he started crouching, and I don’t mean just crouching a little bit. This horse could really get low. The cow’s standing there, and he’s standing there, and all of a sudden, he just starts to drop. I still have the tape of that NCHA Futurity run. As he starts dropping and getting lower, the crowd starts screaming louder.”

Master Remedy was part of some unforgettable early-career moments for John. When the young horseman was in his early twenties, he showed Master Remedy at the 1986 NCHA Classic, winning the go-rounds and placing 5th in the Open.

“I was just a kid, and to drive back there to Texas and mark a 224 in both go-rounds, and be the high-scoring horse going into the finals – it was incredible. In the finals, I had a cow run out and mess up my run, but still ended up 5th on him,” John said. “He was really something else.”

Outside the show arena, Master Remedy’s awesome athletic power was always ruled by his gracious heart, a quality not often found in a stallion.

“He was really majestic. He had the biggest, prettiest eye. He was physical – unbelievable, really. He was a contortionist. But for a stud, he was really gentle. He was such a nice horse, and fun to be around. He had such class, but he was so kind,” John said.

Master Remedy extended that gentle quality to even the smallest, most fragile residents of Ward Ranch.

“This might sound like a dumb, backyard story,” John said, smiling. “There are chickens on the ranch. One time, a hen with chicks went into his stall, and I saw him nose those chicks out of his stall. I saw it happen, and the kids working for me saw it happen. He was just a really kind horse.”

The Master Remedy legacy will be continued through his exceptional granddaughter, Black Pearl (Smart Little Pepinic x Sugar Babe Taffy x Master Remedy), John’s 2008 NRCHA Futurity Champion, who is producing future Ward Ranch winners.

This release was written by Stephanie Duquette.