Myers Performance Horses
St. Onge, South Dakota
FrenchmansGuy.com
605-641-4283
In the 30 years since they first stood South Dakota native Frenchman’s Guy, Bill Myers and his family have added blistering speed to their stallions and mares, plus retained the potent traits of their famous palomino.
On top, the line boasts Sun Frost—that magic combination for roping of Doc’s Jack Frost and Driftwood Ike. On the bottom, Frenchmans Guy’s dam is out of AQHA Hall-of-Famer Casey’s Ladylove that was raised by Frances Loiseau, hence the iconic “French” in the name. Incidentally, Kristie Peterson’s four-time world champion barrel horse, Bozo, was also by Sun Frost and out of a Casey’s Ladylove daughter. That kind of notoriety helped Frenchman’s Guy’s stud fee go from $300 in the early 1990s to $6,000.
“He could have been just as famous as a rope-horse sire,” said Myers. “Frenchman’s Guy just became so popular in barrel racing so early that people didn’t rope on as many of his colts. But we’ve roped on a lot of babies and there have been some really good ones that didn’t get a lot of press.”
Limited frozen semen is available from Frenchmans Guy and his late son, A Smooth Guy, out of a Dry Doc/Jet Smooth daughter. A Smooth Guy looked to have been on his way to even more wild success than his sire, but an injury ended his life four years ago. Also available are two live palomino sons of Frenchman’s Guy. Ima Special Kindaguy is out of the Triple A producer Melt Away by Special Leader (speed index 103). And Mr Sassy Frenchman, a stud that earned roughly $45,000 himself in barrel, breakaway and heading futurities, is out of Jess Sass Me (speed index 107) by Mr Jess Perry. Those two stand alongside Myers’ pure racing-bred stallions: Cowboys Cartel by Corona Cartel and Lucky Wonder Horse by First Down Dash.
“I think any rodeo event needs a great-moving horse with a great mind,” Myers said. “And conformation is a factor some people leave out when they breed horses, but we try to be really strong in that in our program. We’re pretty strict on bone, substance, straight legs—just overall balance.”
Historically, many rope horses have come from straight cutting- or reining-bred stallions, but with the coming explosion of rope-horse futurities using hard-running steers, it pays to include a little racing blood.
“In these horses of ours, you get that speed but don’t lose that good common sense and cow,” Myers said.
The quickness, rate and grit of Frenchman’s Guy was evident at the latest NFR. On the cloverleaf, Molly Otto was riding an own daughter, while Ivy Saebens and Stevi Hillman were riding granddaughters and Amanda Welsh was on a great-grandson. But it was in the bulldogging where Frenchman’s Guy really showed his trait for quick-footedness. Tyler Waguespack won a gold buckle and went 3.3 seconds on one steer aboard Guy’s Best Effort by Frenchmans Guy out of a Special Effort daughter. “Casper” was actually ridden by three bulldoggers to some $300,000 that week, Myers said.
“They leave the box flat and can fly,” he said. “Plus, they’re cowy and know how to rate, so they’re real easy to train as rope horses. Mentally, they can handle the pressure.”
NFR header Clint Summers has a horse by A Smooth Guy that’s ready to season at rodeos, while Lane Ivy has earned some $100,000 rodeoing on a head horse by Cowboys Cartel out of a full sister to A Smooth Guy. In fact, Myers ropes on all his studs.
“We showed Mr Sassy Frenchman in rope horse futurities and then took him to breakaway ropings,” he said. “He’s got a lot of cow and a super amount of speed. Ima Special Kindaguy is also super-fast and we’ve won money on him team roping.”
Frenchmans Guy and A Smooth Guy are paid up in Riata Buckle and Royal Crown futurities, and the extra bonus is that their progeny historically sell super-high at auction. They’re a good financial investment. The line is one of very few that have stayed popular for three decades—and there’s no magic cross because Frenchmans Guy produced winners with a great variety of mares. At the end of the day, this line makes heavy-boned, good-minded, fast horses with lots of natural collection, Myers said.
“All our studs are part cow and part run, so you’re getting the best of both worlds and not giving up things like common sense, low hocks and good bone,” he added. “These are horses that stay sound and last a long time.”
