Open Box Rafter Annual Production Sale will be held on September 9th at the Central States Fair Soule Building. The Hunt Family is nationally known for their breeding program in the horse world. The Open Box Rafter Ranch (named in reference to their brand) has been located in Faith, South Dakota since 1940. According to Hunts, "Our respect and gratitude run deep toward our ancestors who have impacted our lives by giving us the tools and the freedom to ranch and raise good horses! Their character, integrity, ranch and land stewardship and "eye" for good stock have been an example."
Their success has stemmed from the use of two powerful stallions; Sonny Sugar and PC Sun Socks.
About Sonny Sugar:
An own son of the immortal Sugar Bars, Sonny Sugar was an outstanding stallion with lots of class and presence; he stood 15.3 at 1400 lbs. in his prime. Sonny earned several halter points with limited showing including a Grand Championship. A western pleasure points earner, he was later used for cutting, reining and roping. Until his recent death at age 25, he was still quick, active and sound.
His sire, Sugar Bars, is one of the all-time leading sires and grandsires of top, all-around horses including AAA, AQHA Champions. Dam, Glitter Mount, 14 halter points, is a full sister to AQHA Champion Gaye Mount, dam of AQHA Champion Doc's Chardonnay and World Snaffle Bit Futurity finalist Doc's Cinch Bet. Grandsire Music Mount sired 10 AQHA Champions and 20 ROMs. Grandsire Sonny Kimble, three-quarter brother to King P-234 by Zantanon, was a top rope horse and all-around sire.
Sonny Sugar is a proven stallion that has sired multiple Performance Register of Merit Earners, including Glitters Dancer, ROM Arena and a Denver Stock Show Champion and Wyoming Reining Futurity winner. He also sired Sugarbred Leo, winner of $23,000 in cutting and AQHA World Show qualifier, as well as other ROM performers and winners in the rodeo arena. He has produced nearly 70% duns, red duns, and grullas. With demand for the classic, versatile "Sugar Bars" kind of all-around horse continuing to grow, Sonny Sugar progeny will be among the youngest Sugar Bars grandsons and granddaughters to be found anywhere.
About PC Sun Socks:
PC SUN SOCKS was a powerfully built, dark golden palomino with a proven performance pedigree. He's a product of the Pat Cowan program purchased in that family's 1984 Loop and Cut Sale. Offspring of Sun Frost, an own Doc's Jack Frost son out of a Driftwood Ike mare, rank among this region's best in barrel futurity, cutting and arena competition.
His dam, Frenchmans Sox, is a reknowned Frances Loiseau mare sired by Laughing Boy, a Lightning Bar son, that has proven to be one of this area's great performance sires.
PC SUN SOCKS is a paternal brother to Kristie Peterson's 1994 PRCA World Champion Barrel Horse, French Flash Hawk "Bozo", also a product of the Cowan-Loiseau efforts.
Sun Socks is an outstanding ranch horse... smart with strength and stamina, he's made the big circle working cattle in our tough Cheyenne River breaks. He really stamps his colts like himself- cowy, athletic and smart. For breeders, trainers and ranchers, Sun Socks horses will be a sound investment with a lot of future.