Popeye K was bred in Ashton, Ontario at Ashland farm. Popeye K is by the great Voltaire, who has produced several offspring that compete at the international level or are excellent sires themselves, including Finesse, Helios, Play it Again, Altair, and Concorde. The dam of Popeye K includes the great show jumper and sire Ramiro Z, who was the leading sire of jumpers in the world throughout much of the 1990s, and who produced the likes of Ratina Z, Zamira, and Donau.

Popeye K began his training in 1999, before attempting his Canadian Warmblood testing in September 2001 during which he finished Reserve Champion. In 2002, Popeye K was shipped down to Ocala, Florida to begin his show career, where he competed in the Pre-Green Hunters. The following year he was sent to Virginia to train with the great hunter rider Tommy Serio, before continuing his show career.

Popeye K has had great success in the show ring. He was named the Horse of the Year Green Conformation Hunter by the United States Equestrian Federation in 2004, and in 2005 was named Show Hunter of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse magazine. In both 2005 and 2006 he was named the Reserve Horse of the Year by the USEF and the Regular Conformation Hunter of the Year by the Show Hunter Hall of Fame. 

In 2005, 2006 and 2007, he was named the Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champion in the Regular Conformation Hunter division. He is known for his jumping ability and great temperament and has produced several hundreds of foals that are now competing in the sport successfully.

• 2018 #9 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2017 #2 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2016 #4 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2015 #5 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2014 #2 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2013 #2 USEF Leading Hunter Sire
• 2012 #3 USEF Leading Hunter Sire