A Lasting Legacy: Remembering RL Best Of Sudden

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148 – September/October, 2025

By Megan Sacia Ulrich

Few stallions have left a legacy on the pleasure horse industry like that of RL Best of Sudden. “Bo,” a brown stallion owned by Ken and Marilyn Masterson, currently holds the title of the AQHA All-Time Leading Western Pleasure Sire, and the All-Time Western All-Around Sire. Throughout his storied life, his get racked up $6,390,796 in earnings and 184,273 points. Because of complications resulting from surgery for the removal of a strangulating lipoma in June, Bo had to be humanely euthanized–an outcome that no one at Masterson Farms, nor the industry itself, was prepared for.

Bo left his mark in so many ways. At home on Masterson Farms, he loved relaxing in his paddock, especially enjoying the shade of a big tree in the corner where he could look out and over the farm and its other horses. He enjoyed his daily grooming sessions and, since he was a bit of a jokester, he loved having something in his mouth–often his own lead rope. A stunningly handsome gentleman, his image graces the front of Tribute feed bags.

Outside the farm, Bo’s impact can be seen far and wide in the western pleasure industry. His get have earned 129 AQHA World and Reserve World Championships, 609 Superior awards, and 1,424 Register Of Merit awards. This record is all the more remarkable because in 2017 his breeding book was closed for three years (other than for frozen semen) in order to protect an injured stifle.

Click here to read the complete article
148 – September/October, 2025