Pat Cowan and Runnin’ Gun …1984 "Our dad up on an outstanding 1971 buckskin bull brother to Sun Frost". Continued from page 28...
Jack Frost. Runnin Gun became a ranch and rodeo horse for the late Pat Cowan a South Dakota rancher and horseman. Pat Cowan was a close friend of Stanley Johnston. Randy Johnston recalls the relationship between his father and Pat Cowan this way, “Pat Cowan was a great cowboy and horseman. He was my friend and my Dad’s greatest friend. They contested at rodeos for many years and they both raised good horses. Pat bought horses from my Dad and his horses crossed good with Pat’s horses.” Runnin Gunn was the first of six foals sired by Doc’s Jack Frost and out of Prissy Cline and all six were horse colts. Runnin Gun was followed by Skyjack who has no AQHA show or race record. Deputy Doc was next on her produce list. This 1973 gelding earned 37 open performance points and 121 youth performance points. He was ROM in the open and youth divisions with a Superior in Youth Western Pleasure. The next gelding in this cross was Four T Winks who has one AQHA performance point. The next gelding in this group was Quick Draw Cline and he went to join his brother Runnin Gunn on the Cowan Ranch. These two Doc’s Jack Frost/ Prissy Cline foals became noted rodeo horses for the Cowan family. They were the key to Sun Frost becoming a sire for Pat Cowan. Sun Frost was the next foal born to Doc’s Jack Frost and Prissy Cline. Sun Frost was purchased by the Cowan Ranch after the success they had with his full brothers Runnin Gunn and Quick Draw Cline making him a stallion prospect for the Cowan’s. This is how an old Cowan Brothers Sale Catalog described the role of Prissy Cline’s geldings in the Page 32
Todd Cowan dogging on Quick Draw Cline, 1976 Buckskin, 1983 SDRA/NRCA Bulldogging Horse of the Year …Tigh Cowan hazing on Runnin Gun, 1971 Buckskin, a top all-around athlete.
purchase of Sun Frost. “Runnin Gunn and another full brother, Quick Draw Cline were premier arena and ranch horses. The great mind, speed and ability they possessed were the foundation for our eventual decision to select Sun Frost as a breeding stallion.” Pat Cowan trained Sun Frost to be a cutting horse when the colt was a two-year-old. Sun Frost was shown by Cowan’s son Tigh in a high school regional cutting as a “two year old.” They won and then went on to show in the State High School Rodeo. This appears to be the extent of Sun Frost’s show career and he became the senior sire for the Cowan Ranch.
Pat Cowan and Sun Frost perform in the cutting pen …a truly versatile athlete! Photos on this page Courtesy of The Cowan Family
When we look at the AQHA sire record of Sun Frost you can see the versatility of this line of horses. His foals have primarily been shown outside the AQHA but his performers in the AQHA have
Continued on page 36...
THE WORKING HORSE • WINTER 2012 STALLION ISSUE