Most little boys grow up playing cowboys, especially when they grow up on a ranch. So, when actor Booboo Stewart was offered the role of a native loner in the newest Neo-Western thriller movie, Let Him Go, it was a full-circle moment.

You may have seen Stewart battling mythological creatures as part of the Twilight saga and X-Men: Days of Future Past. In Let Him Go, Stewart plays Peter Dragswolf, a lone young man who is a survivor of the Indian Residential Schools, a real program established in the United States with the aim to assimilate Native American children into American culture. The main characters, George and Margaret Blackledge, played by Academy Award winners Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, are out to find their only grandchild and widowed daughter-in-law and rescue them both from a dangerous family living off-grid in the Dakotas. Stewart’s character befriends the Blackledges, even though he’s wary of companionship.

“(Peter’s) past is one of extreme hardships,” explains Stewart. “Because of all he’s been through, he’s excluded himself and lives on the outskirts of town.”

Stewart did a lot of research into the residential schools, which were active from the late 1800s to the 1980s in order to get in touch with his character and to understand his isolated lifestyle. Working alongside horses wasn’t much of a stretch for the actor, thanks to a childhood spent on his family’s ranch.

The 26-year-old actor was born Nils Allen Stewart, Jr., in California. His dad, Nils Allen Stewart, Sr., is a professional stuntman, and his younger sister, Trent Heaven “Fivel”, is also an actress. Stewart teamed up with Fivel and another sister, Maegan, to form the Disney hip-hop/pop group TSC (The Stewart Clan). The family, along with mom Renee, spends a lot of time together on the ranch still.

“It’s such a blessing to have grown up playing in the dirt…” he says. “Having the ranch to get away from the city life makes a great balance.”

One particular horse has a special place in Booboo’s heart. “His name is RimRock,” says Stewart. “He’s definitely one of the sweetest horses.”

Stewart continues to talk about how the Paint gelding is a truly gentle horse, sharing the pair’s special connection. “He has taught me so much about patience and how to communicate without words.”

Stewart was honing his horsemanship he used for the movie Let Him Go for years, growing up on horseback when he wasn’t in the studio. “I definitely showed the most horsemanship in this film than I have before,” says Stewart. “But I feel like I have so much more to show. I’d love to have the opportunity to ride throughout an entire film and do a military or Western film.”

The experience of working alongside a pair of screenplay legends like Costner and Lane can make any young actor’s knees shake. “I definitely had a lot of nerves going into the shoot,” Stewart admits. “They are such legends.”

Stewart took the opportunity of working with the pair to soak up as much knowledge and experience he could, spending time between movie shoots for Let Him Go getting to know Costner and watching the cast perform when he wasn’t on camera.

“Costner is amazing,” says Stewart. “He’s so kind, extremely generous and listens to everyone. He’s someone I really admire.”

Stewart is already back on set working on more projects, but he appreciates having the family ranch to find refuge when the hours are long. “Getting out on the trail is like pressing a reset button—it’s just so relaxing,” he says.

When asked if he had a dream horse he’d love to own, Stewart laughs and shows his devotion to RimRock. “I really love my guy,” he says. “I’d feel bad talking about another horse behind his back.”

 

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The new NRHA Reiner of the Year Award was developed by the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Fame Committee. The new award is supported by the Reining Horse Foundation (RHF). This new accolade allows NRHA to honor a person/entity who enacts a measurable, positive influence on the industry.

Taylor Sheridan is the inaugural recipient of the NRHA Reiner of the Year award. The NRHA Board of Directors voted to approve both this award and the candidate for recognition.

Sheridan, a horse enthusiast since childhood, started reining after his Hollywood acting and directing career took off. He elevated his commitment to reining by producing “The Last Cowboy,” a reality-based TV program on Paramount Network. The show tied into August’s Run for a Million event in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Last Cowboy

“The Last Cowboy” put reining center stage by sharing the journey of eight reining pros as they prepared elite horses for the Million Dollar Invitational, the main event during the Run for a Million. Both the television series and the event in Las Vegas brought reiners together in a unique way and exposed a new audience to reining.

“The Last Cowboy” highlighted the many positive aspects of the sport, from the family atmosphere to the care riders invest in their horses to maintain their welfare. It also brought some of NRHA’s largest events to the attention of an expanded audience.

The enduring positive energy, new relationships and fresh perspective that Sheridan has brought to the sport of reining qualified him as the ideal recipient of this prestigious award.

“Taylor is a man of great vision and determination,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock. “His tenacity and persistence helped drive the production [of The Last Cowboy and the Run for a Million] faster and farther than anyone else could have. We’re so happy to announce that he’s our Reiner of the Year.”

NRHA Reiner of the Year Award Ceremony

Sheridan will be recognized alongside this year’s class of NRHA Hall of Fame inductees during the NRHA Futurity at Sliders’ Night Out, presented by Toyon Ranch on December 4, at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. On this special night, RHF will recognize new and previous NRHA Hall of Fame inductees, as well as the Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. It’s a great time to celebrate the sport’s legacy and bright future. For details on how to host a Hall of Fame table or become a major event donor, contact RHF Executive Director Leslie Baker at lbaker@nrha.com or (405) 946-7400.

About the NRHA

Founded in 1966, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to promoting and encouraging the development of and public interest in the sport of reining. The focus is on developing and maintaining suitable standards of performance and judging and in providing a fun-filled, family-oriented atmosphere.

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