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 both Greg Ward and his son, John Ward, showed him to earnings of more than $194,000, according to Equi-Stat. The versatile sire has 69 foals who earned $756,295 in reined cow horse, cutting and reining money.
Master Remedy died Feb. 14, 2013, at age 33, of age-related natural causes. In an interview shortly after his death, John Ward remembered the stallion as a brilliant athlete.
“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,” he said.
Master Remedy’s own show career began with a 5th place finish at the 1983 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity with Greg Ward in the saddle.
“I was turning back for Dad,” Ward 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.”
Outside the show arena, Master Remedy’s awesome athletic power was ruled by his gracious heart, a quality not found in every stallion.
“He was 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, and he was so kind,” Ward said.
