Smart Little Pepinic (Smart Little Uno x Pepinic x Peppy San Badger), bred by Sheila Head, Bodega Bay, Calif., was foaled in 1993. He became a part of the iconic reined cow horse breeding program at the Ward Ranch, Kingsburg, Calif., when ranch founder Greg Ward purchased the brown stallion as a 2-year-old.

 According to Equi-Stat, Smart Little Pepinic’s own performance earnings totaled $87,762. John Ward piloted him to the majority of that money, both in the National Cutting Horse Association and the National Reined Cow Horse Association arenas. Smart Little Pepinic made his debut as a cutting horse, making the Open finals at the 1997 Gold Coast Winter Derby and the Abilene Spectacular Derby. 

In the reined cow horse show pen, John Ward guided Smart Little Pepinic to numerous Championships and top placings, including a NRCHA Two-Rein National Championship; the Open Two-Rein Championship at the 1999 NRCHA Futurity, NRCHA Stakes and NRCHA Hackamore Classic; 3rd place at the 2000 NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman; and the 2007 World’s Richest Stock Horse Championship.  He also won the Open Bridle Championship at the 2006 NRCHA Derby, the 2007 and 2008 Hackamore Classic and the 2007 NRCHA Stakes.

Smart Little Pepinic is known for siring talented cow horses with a particular flair for the fence work. His top-earning foal, Black Pearl, a 2005 Ward Ranch bred and -owned mare out of Sugar Babe Taffy (x Master Remedy) won the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Championship with John Ward at the reins. She earned a total $120,203 in the cow horse arena, according to Equi-Stat.