But for equine protozoal myelosencephalitis, Banjo Sanjo might have been an NCHA Futurity contender like his full sister, Sandy Jo Lena, winner of the 1992 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity under Debbie Patterson. But as it happened, the 12-year-old turnback horse, owned by Chris Benedict, has helped more than one Futurity champion gain its title.
“Banjo was the first horse we had seen with EPM,” explained Patterson. “He started out great as a two-year-old, but by the end of the year, he got so bad that you could hardly lead him out of the stall without him falling down. You led him at the end of his lead rope because when he’d start stumbling, you’d have to get out of the way. It was sad. We treated him for a year and never rode him all that time.”
“Everybody thought I was crazy when I bought him, because he was sick,” said Benedict, who bought the buckskin gelding when he was four. “Now everybody likes to borrow him (as a turnback horse) because he’s so good. He’s helped a lot of people win a lot of money. He settled Sandy Bonelli’s cattle the last time she won the Futurity (2005 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity).
Banjo Sanjo, by San Jo Lena out Docs Flying Sug, was bred by Patterson, whose late father, Pat, acquired Docs Flying Sug as settlement for a boarding bill. Pat Patterson had such a difficult time getting the mare’s “paperwork” in order that her first foal, Sandy Jo Lena (1989), didn’t receive an AQHA registration number until two months before the NCHA Futurity. “Banjo,” her second foal, was born in 1995; Dos Palomino, a full brother to Sandy Jo Lena and Banjo, was born in 1999.
From just two performing cutting horse offspring, Docs Flying Sug produced a Futurity champion with winnings of $108,00 and a limited age event finalist, Dos Palomino, with earnings of $200,000.
“He was probably better than either one of his siblings, to be truthful,” said Patterson.
Although Banjo put in an appearance with Benedict at the NCHA Futurity this past December, wearing his hallmark antlers, last year, he spent most of his time on the road with Cole Benedict, Chris’ son, who was hauling for the 2006 NCHA Non-Pro World Championship and took the gelding along as his turnback horse.
As a sideline, Banjo also qualified for the AQHA World Show in both open and amateur tie-down roping, as well as earning the second-fastest time at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and the fastest time at the Pueblo Rodeo.
“I gave him to Cole and I didn’t use him all year,” noted Benedict. “I missed him. He’s a great horse. Lots of people have tried to buy him, but he’s family.”