Page 96 - 2021 Barrel Stallion Register
P. 96

                 Mulberry
Canyon Moon
Mulberry Canyon Moon, 2-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier became the foundation mare for Dunn Ranch.
(shown ridden by Troy Crumrine)
  The star barrel-racing mare who built Matt and Bendi Dunn’s Ranch
by Tracy Gantz
One horse can build a ranch, though in the past that horse was usually a top-performing colt who became a champion sire.
Let’s hear it for equal rights. The star barrel- racing mare Mulberry Canyon Moon built Matt and Bendi Dunn’s Dunn Ranch in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Though sadly the Dunns lost her last year, Mulberry Canyon Moon’s legacy will likely continue for generations, as her sons and daughters keep her talent and memory alive.
“She was the start of everything,” said Bendi. “We built this program from the ground up. Now we own about 150 head of horses. Without her there wouldn’t be this breeding facility that we now own and operate. We wouldn’t have had all of these experiences and the people we’ve gotten to meet. Without her and all of the people who helped us with her, nothing would have ever been possible.”
Bendi and Matt live in Missouri and own ranches in Oklahoma. Bendi grew up around barrel racing and rodeos, and when they bought Mulberry Canyon Moon, they were looking for a good barrel racer who could in turn produce good barrel horses.
Bred by Jim Rod and Pamela Gerhart in Texas, Mulberry Canyon Moon was a 2003 daughter of Marthas Six Moons-De Streaker, by Osage Streaker. She had already won well over $100,000 when the Dunns purchased her in March of her 5-year-old season from Michael Boone of Tyrone, Pennsylvania.
“She was the best horse going that year,” said Bendi. “She was our first big purchase.”
Troy Crumrine had trained Mulberry Canyon Moon for Boone, and the Dunns kept her in training with him. In most of her performances, Crumrine or Angie Meadors rode her. She competed for several more years, earning a total of more than $300,000. Mulberry Canyon Moon won three rounds at the NFR and qualified to The American.
“She was just special,” said Bendi. “She was a really tough, gritty horse. When you see her run, she was just all try, all heart—just an amazing,
He bought Mulberry Canyon Moon as a green-broke 2 year old in Texas from Pamela Gerhart because he liked her breeding.
“I had done well with Marthas Six Moons
in the past,” said Boone. “I had that Marthas Smoothover horse that won at Ft. Smith and won $105,000. I recognized the bottom side breeding from another old-time horse that Angie Meadors rode. It’s kind of ironic that she ended up riding Mulberry Canyon Moon as her career progressed.”
Crumrine was training for Boone, and he played a crucial role in the purchase.
“It just so happened that Troy was staying in Texas at the time,” Boone said. “He offered to run over and take a look at her, and he liked her. If he didn’t make the effort to go over and look
at her, I would never have bought the horse. It just goes to show how the people who do really well are willing to go the extra mile, and he did. It was a good ways from his place, but he made the effort to go look at a horse I didn’t even own.”
What Boone didn’t know is that he bought a filly who would put him on the ground, not once but several times.
“She was really hard to get started,” said
never ran off, and eventually Boone was able to channel her energy, something Crumrine built upon when he took over.
“I could tell she had a lot of ability and used her rear end really well,” said Boone. “But at that time I had two 2 year olds, and I ranked her #2. I liked the other one better. That horse didn’t pan out and she did.”
About the time he was breaking Mulberry Canyon Moon, Boone attended one of Crumrine’s clinics. He saw Crumrine use draw reins effectively, and Boone tried them on her.
“It was really when I put the draw reins on that horse that she was a different horse almost immediately,” Boone said. “That gave me just enough collection that I didn’t have before. It took her from just being a good horse to being a really good horse.”
Boone sent Mulberry Canyon Moon to Crumrine, figuring he wouldn’t hear from the trainer unless there was a problem. So when he saw Crumrine’s number come up on his phone just one day later, he assumed the worst.
“I was thinking that I didn’t want to pick this up and ruin my day,” said Boone. “He
 amazing mare.”
While Mulberry Canyon Moon’s toughness
and try made her a great barrel racer, initially she directed her energies to keeping a rider off her back. It almost derailed her career, as Boone recalls.
Boone. “She bucked me off quite a few times, which is pretty unusual because I don’t like to get bucked off. She was real gritty and super quick.”
Boone once hit the ground so hard he lost both of his boots. But Mulberry Canyon Moon
obviously doesn’t like that horse. I picked it up, and he said, ‘Michael, this is one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden, and certainly the best horse I’ve ever ridden for you. We’re going to make a lot of money on this horse.’ ”
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