Booger Chief lived a successful but burdened life as a show horse. Born on May 7, 1958, the stallion was by Flying Sargeant and out of Furry’s Babe McCue (AQHA) and bred by Jerold Johnson of Gardner, Kansas.
As a weanling, Booger Chief stood as reserve champion weanling colt at the National Show. During his first two years, Booger Chief amassed an impressive show record before suffering an injury that threatened his career. Fortunately, he healed and returned to the pen in 1961 to win the champion 3-year-old stallion title at the National Western Livestock Show.
Later that year, Booger Chief started training as a reining and western pleasure performer. He earned three championships in junior reining, the 1963 National champion performance horse title and reserve World champion performance title and multiple titles in stock horse shows throughout the country. In 1963 he won trail, steer daubing and the Camas Prairie stump race at the National Show. He followed up by winning the Nez Perce stake race at the World Show that same year. In 1965, he became the reserve National champion in heading and heeling.
Booger Chief sired 39 registered Appaloosa foals, including show horses that competed before the national points system existed. He also passed his speed to Appaloosa racehorses.
Tragedy struck in 1967 at a show in Fort Worth, Texas, when an unknown assailant allegedly drugged 9-year-old Booger Chief. The stallion died of severe complications and the Appaloosa industry lost a promising young sire.
