Solo Select; T7 Ranches Donates NCHA Hall Of Fame Stallion Meteles Cat to Texas A&M University

NCHA Hall of Fame Stallion and $3 million sire Meteles Cat will join Texas A&M University’s equine program where he will provide students with unparalleled opportunities to gain hands-on experience in stallion management, breeding, reproduction and equine marketing while strengthening the University’s breeding program as a legendary stallion.

Previously, Solo Select Horses donated the stallion Crimson Bet to Texas A&M, where he became a valuable teaching horse before his untimely passing.

"After A&M lost Crimson Bet, we wanted to continue supporting the university in a meaningful way,” Solo’s Melanie Smith said. “Meteles Cat is such a kind horse to be around, and he'll be a wonderful one for students to learn with. This is our way of giving back to the university that's training tomorrow's equine workforce.”

Meteles Cat brings an impressive record to Texas A&M. During his standout career he amassed more than $437,000, made 48 finals, claimed 14 championship and eight reserve titles, and was crowned a two-time AQHA World Champion before securing his spot in the NCHA Hall of Fame. Today, he is also a proven sire whose offspring have surpassed $3 million in earnings across cutting, reined cow horse, and roping, proving his versatility and influence on the Western performance horse industry.

Steve Canon, the manager of Livestock Operations at Texas A&M, said Meteles Cat will strengthen the university's breeding program in multiple ways. "Receiving a stallion the caliber of Meteles Cat is a blessing on several fronts," he said. "Not only will our students have the opportunity to handle an industry-leading performance horse, but to have a horse like Meteles Cat lead our stallion roster, it will help with additional exposure for the department and program, add a new genetic line to our future broodmare band, help ensure quality colts for educational opportunities and sales, and add revenue through the breeding operation."

Meteles Cat represents generations of horsemanship. Bred, raised, trained, and shown entirely by the Hedlund family, he is a homegrown success story. His dam, Teles Lies, earned more than $96,000 under Rock Hedlund, who also trained both her dam and granddam.

Few universities have the opportunity to offer students hands-on experience with a stallion of Meteles Cat’s caliber, making his presence an invaluable educational resource. In addition to daily stallion management and reproductive responsibilities, students will gain firsthand experience in breeding operations, client relations, marketing and promotion, which are all skills that are increasingly becoming essential in today’s equine industry.

Looking ahead, Canon believes Meteles Cat's legacy will extend far beyond his own accomplishments.

"When we think about the legacy of Meteles Cat, our hope is that he continues to make his impact on the industry as a sire, but that he also has the opportunity to impact students in such a way that they too become industry leaders through the confidence and skills he helps them attain," Melanie Smith, Co-Owner & Co-Founder of Solo Select Horses, said.

More than a donation, Meteles Cat represents an investment in the future of the horse industry. By placing an elite stallion in the hands of tomorrow's veterinarians, breeding managers, reproduction specialists and equine marketers, Solo Select Horses hopes to help shape the next generation of industry leaders. While his accomplishments have already earned him a place in cutting horse history, his greatest impact may still be ahead as he helps educate the people who will carry the industry forward. Meteles Cat will be available to the public via shipped semen. Interested parties can contact Krissy Schroeder, Horse Center Manager at Texas A&M.