The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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2 The WRANGLER, Horse and Rodeo News • September 5-19, 2021 Wri en by Hope Raley On August 13, 2021 barrel racing's leading sire Frenchmans Guy was peacefully laid to rest at his home at Myers Performance Horses in St. Onge, South Dakota. He was 34. Surrounded by all who loved him, Guy took his final breath before passing thru the gates of Heaven where I am sure he was welcomed by other leading barrel horses that had passed before him including his three-quarter brother French Flash Hawk "Bozo". Imagine the trails those two are blazing together in the clouds! Foaled on June 1 st , 1987, Guy was by Sun Frost and out of Frenchmans Lady by Laughing Boy. The stocky li le stud colt was a partnership between Pat Cowan and Francis Loiseau and was ul mately sold to Bill and Deb Myers as a weanling for $2,500. Not long a er Guy was purchased by the Myers', an accident would completely change the trajectory of not only his life, but Myer's lives as well. When Guy was a yearling, he lost his right eye when he tried to bail out of his stall while the oldest Myers boy, Chad, was cleaning it. At the me Bill and Deb were devastated as they had planned to geld the yearling, train him and sell him. However, God had other plans. That accident would land Guy a forever home at the Myers'. With only one eye, Bill and Deb weren't sure what the future held for Guy as a barrel horse, but they would soon find out. A er Bill took him to some futuri es in the northern plain's states, Deb started running the stallion a er her barrel horse- a sister of Guy's- started having some soundness issues. The first couple of runs as a team were a li le rocky but it didn't take long for Deb and Guy to become a force to be reckoned with on the cloverleaf pa ern. Guy competed beside his three-quarter brother French Flash Hawk "Bozo" and Bozo had a lot to do with kickstar ng Guy's career as a barrel stallion. Once Bozo and Guy both started having success in the arena, the demand for Guy as a stallion grew which le li le me for compe on. Over the years Guy has taken the Myers' for the ride of a life me, securing his spot years ago as one of the greatest barrel horse sires of all me. He has been on every leading barrel horse sire list since 2000 as well as one of the industry's leading paternal and maternal sires. He has had countless futurity and derby champions including Sx Frenchmans Vanila- the leading futurity horse in 2001- and Guy Famous Girl- the leading futurity horse in 2011. His leading futurity horse of 2020 Teasin Dat Guy is currently si ng in the top 10 in the WPRA World Standings with Molly O o and looks to make their first trip to the NFR this December. Guy has also sired numerous NFR qualifiers and performers including Frenchmans Jester- who was also a BFA Futurity Champion- with Jordon Briggs and Guy's richest offspring, Morning Traffic owned by Michelle Darling, who has earnings in excess of over $320,000. The list of offspring that have won is a mile long with winnings in every division and on every level. That kind of record speaks for itself. What was so appealing about Guy to everyone who ever met him or rode a colt sired by him was Farewell to a Legend Ode to Frenchmans Guy Ode to Frenchmans Guy R I P R I P Frenchmans Guy Frenchmans Guy June 1, 1987- August 13, 2021 the kindness and willingness that you got from them. A trait like that is worth its weight in gold. Guy was buried on the ranch, overlooking the empire that he built and watching over those he loved and cared for. Although he is gone, his legacy will live on forever through his offspring and their offspring. Ride the high country, See thru God's eyes. Ride the desert, Feel God's strength. Ride the prairies, Hear God's voice.