Shine Chic Shine Crosses NRHA Million Dollar Sire Threshold

For Immediate Release – January 12, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – During the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships (NAAC) Show, Shine Chic Shine became one of the association’s newest Million Dollar Sires. Owned by Amabile & Strusiner of Grandview, Texas, Shine Chic Shine is by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Smart Chic Olena and out of the NRHA’s first Million Dollar Dam, Ebony Shines.

Shine Chic Shine, bred by Manntana LLC, was purchased through the NRHA Select Yearling Sale. “His full brother that year (Shiners Chic) was showing in the Futurity and doing fantastic. That horse is still showing now at 15 years old, and is still amazing, so that was a good tell,” John Amabile explained. “I also really liked his (Shine Chic Shine’s) breeding and confirmation.”

He had impressive looks and lineage, and the next step was to pair him with a great trainer, NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame Inductee Shawn Flarida. Shine Chic Shine was set for success. In 2010, the flashy palomino stallion took a commanding lead in the first go at the NRHA Futurity. The stallion and the NRHA’s top earning rider Flarida seemed poised to win it all, but a bit of bad luck kept them out of Championship contention.

“During the Finals, he slipped over by the gate and fell out of lead,” Amabile recalled.

Although disappointing, Shine Chic Shine and Flarida rebounded impressively, winning the 2011 National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) in spectacular fashion. During the Finals, the pair marked a 229.5 to tie for the lead with Todd Sommers and Whiz It A Chic. With so much money up for grabs, the riders decided to run-off, and Flarida and Shine Chic Shine upped their performance to a 231 to take the win.

“He was awesome for me,” Flarida recalled. “Personality-wise, he was kind of a clown and enjoyed life, but when it was time to be serious, he came to the party.”

Shine Chic Shine was only shown at six events, but in that time amassed more than $150,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE). “Shawn Flarida was instrumental in his success, and a did a great job with him,” Amabile said. “We retired Shine early because we wanted to get him to the breeding shed, and we were very protective of him.”

Shine Chic Shine’s first foals arrived in 2012. His top earner is PS Mega Shine Chic with $219,655 in NRHA LTE, including an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship in 2020, as well as the Run For a Million Shootout Championship.

Shine Chic Shine also sired Shine Colt Shine, who, with Flarida at the reins, took the NRHA Futurity Reserve Championship in 2019. Shine Colt Shine was the 2018 Markel Insurance Prospect Sale high seller, and to date has won $113,248. Flarida noted that Shine Colt Shine, like many of his siblings, share similarities with their sire. “Shine Chic Shine’s sons and daughters are doing really well. Every one of his babies can run and stop a country mile,” he shared.

Beginning in 2021, Shine Chic Shine will be standing at Toyon Ranch, a move about which Amabile is excited. “They have some of the best mares, and they’re going to be breeding some to Shine. They have a great program, too, and I know this will make reaching the next million dollars a lot easier,” Amabile shared.

Three Sires Reach New NRHA Multi-Million Dollar Milestones

For Immediate Release – January 8, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – Thanks to a record-setting event, three National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) sires reached new million-dollar milestones. Wimpys Little Step is now the third sire in reining history to become an NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire and both Gunners Special Nite and Gunnatrashya joined the elite NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire club.

Wimpys Little Step

It was less than two years ago that Wimpys Little Step became an eleven-million-dollar sire just behind Topsail Whiz and Gunner. Out of NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire and Hall of Famer Nu Chex To Cash, Wimpys Little Step was bred by NRHA Million Dollar Owner Hilldale Farm. The 21-year-old stallion is out of Leolita Step and standing for owner Silver Spurs Equine, LLC in Purcell, Oklahoma.

Wimpys Little Step boasts a short but decorated show career with NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame Inductee Shawn Flarida. The pair won the All-American Quarter Horse Congress Open Level (L) 4 Futurity followed almost immediately by the 2002 NRHA Open L4 Futurity Championship. Wimpys Little Step has $185,756 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).

During the 2020 NRHA Futurity, Wimpys Little Step had three offspring make the open finals and four in the non pro finals. Combined, the seven entries earned over $67,000, and Wimpys Little Step sailed across the $12 million mark.

Step N Past Ya (out of ARC Sail Past Ya) was his top earner in the Non Pro L4 finals under the guidance of Gina-Marie Schumacher. With a score of 218, the duo earned a cool $19,573.

Earning $15,388 in the Open L3 finals and another $8,718 in the Open L2 finals was Blonde Addy Tude (out of Miss Lil Addy Tude). At the reins was NRHA Professional Patrick Flaherty piloting for owner Tim Ruckman.

Wimpys Little Step’s top offspring include:

  • NRHA Million Dollar Dam and Hall of Famer Wimpys Little Chic (out of NRHA Hall of Fame Inductee Collena Chic Olena): $516,555 NRHA LTE
  • RC Fancy Step (out of Sonita Wilson): $364,454 NRHA LTE
  • Wimpys Little Buddy (out of All Thats Dun): $285,358 NRHA LTE
  • Wimpyneedsacocktail (out of Seven S Mimosa): $280,379 NRHA LTE
  • CFR Centenario Wimpy (out of Miss Hollywood Whiz): $173,740 NRHA LTE

Photo by John Brasseaux

Gunners Special Nite

Gunners Special Nite is making quick work of reaching new NRHA Million Dollar milestones. In the last four years, he’s climbed the ladder of success from one to now four million. As one of the newest NRHA Four Million Dollar Sires, ‘Bailey’ reached this achievement before the 2020 NRHA Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show began.

Just after reaching $3 Million in September 2019, Bailey’s offspring wasted no time chipping away at $4 million. In the 2019 NRHA Open Futurity Finals, Guns And Dynamite (out of Chic Olena Starbuck) was reserve champion in levels 4-2 with NRHA Million Dollar Rider Cade McCutcheon in the saddle.

Gunners Special Nite has always paired well with the name McCutcheon. In 2010, NRHA Million Dollar Rider and Owner Tom McCutcheon reined the 2004 stallion to an individual and team gold medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG) for team USA. The McCutcheon family continues riding horses out of this show-stopping stallion.

Bailey’s offspring kept up their winning streak from the fall at the 2020 NRHA Futurity. NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Mandy McCutcheon rode Shining At Nite (out of A Shining Sidekick) to the Non Pro L4 Futurity Championship. Thanks to the generosity of the NRHA Futurity Challenge Donors, McCutcheon added $60,000 to her NRHA LTE and that of Gunners Special Nite.

Bred by Kim and Deborah Sloan and raised by Tim and Colleen McQuay, Bailey was later purchased by Turnabout Farm, Inc. He is now standing at Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses in Aubrey, Texas.

Turnabout Farm, Inc. is quickly becoming a household name when it comes to breeding top reining horses. The Aubrey, Texas, based operation was the leading breeder in 2018 and 2019 according to Equistat. They also listed Turnabout Farm as a “Reining Up-&-Comer” in early 2020.

Gunners Special Nite’s top offspring include:

  • Modern Gun (out of Taris Modern Design): $221,043 NRHA LTE
  • Guns And Dynamite (out of Chic Olena Starbuck): $180,606 NRHA LTE
  • Baileys Not Painted (out of Darlins Not Painted): $140,984 NRHA LTE
  • Lenas Shining Gun (out of SL Lenas Chick): $106,184 NRHA LTE
  • Special Made Whiskey (out of Starlight Acres): $93,916 NRHA LTE

Photo by John Brasseaux

Gunnatrashya

With 35 foals in the 2020 NRHA Open Futurity alone, it was nearly impossible for Gunnatrashya to miss the $4 million dollar mark. When the dust settled, the 2006 stallion far surpassed that milestone after Gunnabebigtime (out of Big Time Jazzy) earned the Open L4 Reserve Champion title. NRHA Million Dollar Rider Brian Bell piloted the stallion to a 224.5 to earn $118,982.

Bred by Katarina Dorminy, Gunnatrashya now stands at Oswood Stallion Station in Weatherford, Texas, for Arcese Quarter Horses USA. He’s by NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire and Hall of Fame Inductee Gunner and out of Natrasha.

As a 3-year-old, Gunnatrashya found significant success in the show pen. Under the direction of NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame Inductee Shawn Flarida, Gunnatrashya was the 2009 All-American Quarter Horse Open L4 Futurity Champion and immediately followed that up with the NRHA Open L4 Futurity Championship.

The pair came back to the Jim Norick Arena in June to win the NRHA Open L4 Derby title. Gunnatrashya harbors $218,046 in NRHA LTE to date.

Gunnatrashya has produced several futurity and derby champions during his breeding tenure. At the 2019 NRHA Open L4 Futurity Finals, one of Gunnatrashya’s colts helped Cade McCutcheon become an NRHA Million Dollar Rider. Super Marioo (out of HA Chic A Tune) topped the Open L4 and L3 finals to add $172,358 to his NRHA LTE and pushed Cade over the $1 million mark.

Gunnatrashya’s top offspring include:

  • ARC Gunnabeabigstar (out of NRHA Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic): $298,999 NRHA LTE
  • Super Marioo (out of HA Chic A Tune): $254,528 NRHA LTE
  • Inferno Sixty Six (out of NRHA Million Dollar Dam and Hall of Fame Inductee Snip O Gun): $205,690 NRHA LTE
  • ARC Gunna Mark Ya (out of Shiney Miss Marker): $163,877 NRHA LTE
  • Gunnabebigtime (out of Big Time Jazzy): $134,714 NRHA LTE

Photo by Cam Essick

Congratulations to Wimpys Little Step, Gunners Special Nite, and Gunnatrashya on their outstanding accomplishments!

NRHA Sire & Dam Auction Closes Soon

At the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity, Arcese Quarter Horses was one of several owners who benefitted from the Association’s Sire & Dam Program. They collected more than $7,200 in Sire & Dam incentives as the owner of Gunnatrashya, sire of Gunnabebigtime who was ridden by Brian Bell to the Open Level (L) 4 Reserve Championship.

Overflowing with benefits for stallion, mare, and offspring owners, the Sire & Dam Program Online Auction is a win-win for all involved. This auction features 70 of the top stallions in the industry, but the opportunity to purchase a breeding ends on January 10.

The Sire & Dam Auction is a valuable asset for mare owners, who can purchase breedings to an impressive lineup of stallions, often at reduced rates. Resulting offspring from the program have quite a bit of added value before they even hit the ground. Some of those benefits include:

  • No nomination to the NRHA Futurity and Derby required; resulting foals are automatically eligible.
  • Reduced entry fees (up to 50%) for the NRHA Futurity and Derby, as well as later entry deadlines.
  • Sire & Dam offspring eligibility remains with the foal even after it is sold.

“We are so excited to be able to offer these incentives to those who purchase a breeding through the Sire & Dam stallion auction,” said NRHA Sire & Dam Program Director Haley Carmen. “The added value and benefits to the resulting foals are unparalleled in the industry.”

Stallion owners donate a breeding to the Sire & Dam Auction and reap the benefit of enhanced promotion through program advertising. They also become eligible for NRHA Futurity & Derby Sire incentives, including cash awards. There is still time to enroll a stallion in the Sire & Dam Auction, and anyone interested in doing so should contact Haley Carmen at hcarmen@nrha.com.

The online auction began on November 16, 2020, and ends on January 10, 2021 at noon, CDT. To view and bid on participating stallions, visit the Sire & Dam Auction page at reiningauction.com. You must be registered to place a bid, and that can easily be completed by clicking the “My Account” tab.

There may be additional fees for the mare owner, and mare owners are encouraged to contact the participating stallion owners and agents to ask about such fees prior to purchasing the breeding through the Sire & Dam Auction. Winning bidders will be notified by email after the auction closes on January 10.

To see the stallions still available, go to nrha.com/stallions, and visit the Sire & Dam Auction at reiningauction.com.

For more information on the program, including how to purchase a breeding, visit the Sire & Dam page or contact Haley Carmen at hcarmen@nrha.com.

Nominations – Online Tips & Troubleshooting

Videos:

Nominating Online Part 1 (including how to nominate a horse that is not yet registered)
Nominating a Foal with Breed Papers


Deadline Reminder:

  • Nominations completed online must be completed and paid for by January 10 to be considered on time.
  • For mailed nominations, since the deadline falls on a Sunday, any nominations received in the mail on Monday, January 11 will be considered received by the deadline. Sending via trackable mail is highly recommended.
  • Nominations received between the first deadline and January 31 will be charged a late fee.

How do I complete a nomination online?

Click on HORSES on the left-hand side of the ReinerSuite Dashboard, and then CREATE.

  • If the HORSES link is not on your account, then your membership is inactive. You can renew by clicking on ACCOUNT and under Membership click RENEW. The HORSES link will appear once the membership has been paid!

I do not have my breed registration papers back. Am I still able to nominate?

Yes! When completing the nomination online, select NOMINATE A HORSE, on the next screen select ADD REGISTRATION PAPERS AT A LATER TIME. This will put the name as pending and will not require the registration information.

  • If that option is not available, return to the previous screen and make sure CREATE COMPETITION LICENSE is not selected.

I entered a foal date and cannot correct it. What do I do?

Please continue with your nomination. When NRHA receives the breed papers, we can make the correction.


I am receiving an error message to complete all pedigree fields.

  • Be sure to click on the magnifying glass icon at the end of the text box to search for the horse. This icon appears where horse and member names can be added so that you can search for the correct one.

I am receiving an error message to add a nomination, nomination date and nominator.

Be sure to click on the magnifying glass at the end of the text box to search for the nominator.


I began my nomination but did not complete it and now the name says it has already been used.

  • The in-progress nomination will be under your list of horses. To find it, click on HORSES on the left-hand side and then FINDER and MY HORSES. Select the horse and under Actions select RESTART HORSE WIZARD.