National Reined Cow Horse Association Names Class of 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

Hosted in the Sonoma room of the South Point Hotel and Casino during the 2025 CINCH NRCHA Stallion Stakes, two horsemen who have dedicated their lives to the sport of cow horse, a horse and an individual who embodies the Vaquero Award were inducted into the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Hall of Fame. 

Friends, family, fans and fellow competitors gathered to honor and reflect on the careers of these individuals and one horse who has and will continue to leave a lasting mark on the sport.

In 1979, Kevin Stallings experienced his first reined cow horse competition and knew instantly that he wanted to explore the sport. Not only did he explore the sport, but he’s become known for his horsemanship and desire to learn everything within the world of cow horses. Stallings has competed in many cow horse competitions, including the prestigious NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman®. 

Charter Colonel (Colonel Freckles x Gay Curl x Jiggs Last), a standout stallion, was shown by Teddy Robinson, a NRCHA Hall of Fame member who accepted the honor on behalf of his horse. Together, these two made a legendary team within the performance horse industry, as Charter Colonel earned the American Quarter Horse Association(AQHA) Best of Americas title along with the NRCHA Open Bridle year-end championship four times throughout his career. 

Boyd Rice has achieved remarkable success in the performance horse industry, surpassing four million dollars in earnings. With a strong background in cutting horses, it was no surprise when he joined the NRCHA and entered his first cow horse event in 1999. In 2007, showing Oh Cay N Short (Oh Cay Quixote x Bit Of Shorty x Shorty Lena), Rice won the prestigious NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity champion title. In 2014, Rice made history when he showed Oh Cay N Short in the World Greatest Horseman® where he became the first and only rider in cow horse history to win these two titles on the same horse. 

The Vaquero Award goes to an individual for lifetime achievement within cow horse and to a member who consistently promotes the association while preserving its heritage, and Rick Drayer has accomplished this.

It takes all different horsemen to make up the cow horse industry, and the ones listed above have made the sport a better place than when they first stepped foot in it. Giving back in ways they didn't seek recognition for. The 2025 Hall of Fame inductees will be remembered for their impact and horsemanship in the many years to come, both inside and outside of the arena.