Page 97 - 2021 Barrel Stallion Register

Crumrine was right. Mulberry Canyon Moon had a good mind and loved her job. She performed well first for Boone and later for the Dunns, all with Crumrine training her. She also had a sparkling personality.
“She was one of those horses that was always in your pocket,” said Bendi. “Everybody who got to ride her or handle her—we definitely
all spoiled her because she was just so special. Everybody carried horse treats around. She liked to eat peppermints. She was always nibbling at your pocket and loved to be scratched on.”
Like many champions, Mulberry Canyon Moon knew she was good.
“Mulberry was kind of the diva in the barn,” said Bendi. “She’d paw in the morning, wanting to be fed first. But as far as running, she was all business. She was ready to roll, coming down that alley.”
The Dunns began flushing embryos out of her early on, both to sell and to continue building their program. Mulberry Canyon Moon’s foals went to a variety of top barrel- racing trainers, and many have inherited the traits that made her a champion.
As another indication of her ability as
a broodmare, Mulberry Canyon Moon has succeeded when bred to several different sires.
“In the beginning we were selling embryos, so that customer had the choice of what they wanted to breed to,” said Bendi. “For us personally, we just pick what we feel is a good cross conformation-wise, mind-wise, what we like, and what we’ve had success with before.”
Dash Ta Fame and A Sharp Frenchman, a son of Frenchmans Guy, have crossed well with Mulberry Canyon Moon. MCM Imasharpguy (A Sharp Frenchman-Mulberry Canyon Moon), bred by the Dunns, became a champion barrel horse and finished second as the AQHA/WPRA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year.
Bred to Tres Seis, Mulberry Canyon Moon produced MCM Imahoss for the Dunns, who now stand that stallion at Dunn Ranch.
“We like Tres Seises as barrel horses,” said Bendi, “and we’ve got a pretty cool stud that’s
as well. In partnership with Valeriano Racing Stables LLC they own both Apollitical Pence, an earner of more than $700,000, whose graded stakes wins include the 2019 Heritage Place Derby-G3; and Dexxter, winner of three Grade 1 stakes races in 2020, with earnings
of $460,012. Dunn Ranch also stands several racing sires, including One Valiant Hero.
But they will always have a soft spot in their hearts for Mulberry Canyon Moon, who left them too quickly last year at age 16. She showed signs of colic, which turned out to be a large mass that was cutting off the circulation to her small intestine.
They rushed her to Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma. Despite heroic efforts by the hospital’s personnel that included three surgeries, the Dunns had to make the decision every horse owner dreads, to humanely euthanize her.
Even now, almost a year later, the Dunns miss their “feisty” and special mare. They have several of her daughters to continue the line, as well as standing
“She got the perfect spot,” Boone said. “Bendi and Matt did things with her that I never would have the desire or the guts to
do. She made her name after the futurities, in my opinion, not prior to. And they deserve
a lot of credit for that. The Dunns are really smart people, super professional, know how to promote them, know how to take care of them. I couldn’t have found a better place for her. To see her live on through her foals is pretty cool.”
The second generation is on its way. Bendi
says that some people already have foals out of Mulberry Canyon Moon fillies, though none are yet of competition age. The Dunns also expect to start producing that second generation before long.
And the first generation isn’t finished. Bendi said that they have a Tres Seis-Mulberry Canyon Moon coming for 2021, with more foals in the future.
“She’s setting up this amazing legacy,” said Bendi.
MCM Ima Sharp Guy & Stevi Hillman with Matt & Bendi Dunn, Jolene Montgomery, Troy Crumrine and Michael Boone
They have several of Mulberry Canyon Moon’s daughters to continue the line, as well as these two stallions...
Moscato Fame
breeding 80-90 mares a year right now. So we’re excited to see how that goes.”
The Dunns have branched out into racehorses and have succeeded in that realm
MCM Imahoss
MCM Imahoss and, new for 2021, Moscato Fame (Dash Ta Fame-Mulberry Canyon Moon).
Boone complimented the Dunns for what they have accomplished with the mare.
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