The first horse shows of the year are always the coldest and possibly the most stimulating. With the prospects ending last year, it will be stimulating to find out whether the horse's maturity and strength will bring him even more consistent success. That could be the case for Breykin Bad.
The now 5-year-old battled illness in 2023 and would recover to win The Cattlemen's 4-year-old Open Championship. He also reached the finals of the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes and the NCHA Summer Spectacular.
According to EquiStat, the son of 2015 NCHA Open Futurity champion Stevie Rey Von won $138,829 in 2023 and 2024. His dam Sweet Abra (by Abrakadabracre) was the second highest Western Performance dam from January 1, 2019 to July 10, 2024. According to the 2025 QHN Stallion Register, Breykin Bad is one of her highest earners.
In Abilene there is only one preliminary round to qualify for the finals. Galyean and Breykin Bad struggled to tear some of the cattle apart in the preliminary round, but had better luck in the final.
“We were just grateful to be there [in the finals]and I was just lucky enough to get tidy cuts with him,” Galyean said. “That was pretty much the difference between the final and the go-round, we were just able to get our cows in order and let the horse go to work.”
Beau Galyean and Breykin Bad at the Abilene Spectacular. *Photo by EM Photography
For Galyeans and his efforts in Abilene, the duo will take home $15,000 for owner/breeder Fults Ranch LTD. With a score of 225, they beat the horses for the reserve championship by three points.
“Because the horse is so outstanding if you execute it smoothly and are lucky enough to choose the right cows to facilitate you present your horse. “He is such an outstanding horse that he will score high,” Galyean said.
He wanted to thank his wife, Ashley, for preparing the horse and taking care of him. The Fults also deserve thanks for entrusting Galyean with such an outstanding stallion. Going forward, Galyean plans to show Breykin Bad at many shows this spring and over the next two years.
Abilene second
Welsey Galyean, riding Nineteen 42 (Hottish x Lil Rattler x Dual Rey), scored a 222 and shared with Tarin Rice on Quintan (Im Countin Checks x Quintan Blue x Mecom Blue). Both winning couples will receive $9,750 for their efforts.
Although the Reserve Champion horses are a year apart in age and have very different fathers, they still have an intriguing thing in common. Their mothers. While Lil Rattler has 11 powerful offspring and Quintan Blue has 17, both mothers are worth $1.4 million. Their track record was legendary, but both are producing the next generation of great horses.
