Month: September 2024

National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Famer and All-Time Leading Sire, Gunner, has reached yet another historic milestone as the only NRHA $15 Million Sire.

Born in 1993, Gunner is the product of a stellar pedigree. He was sired by Colonelfourfreckle and out of the great mare Katie Gun. Bred by Eric Storey, Gunner is dual registered with the American Quarter Horse Association and the American Paint Horse Association. His distinctive white coat and blue eyes made him instantly recognizable, but it was his athleticism and temperament that set him apart. Owned by McQuay Stables Inc. since 2005, Gunner was previously owned by Paul and Pam Rohus, followed by Debra Sloan.

Gunner’s career in the show pen was nothing short of extraordinary. With $173,728 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE), he consistently demonstrated his talent at the highest levels of competition. In 1996, Gunner earned the Reserve Champion title in the NRHA Level (L) 4 Open Futurity with NRHA Hall of Famer Clint Haverty. He went on to claim victory at the International Reining Championship during the United States Equestrian Team Festival of Champions with the late Bryant Pace in the saddle, along with other impressive finishes across the United States under the guidance of Haverty, Pace, and former owner Sloan. Gunner passed away on July 8, 2013, at age 20, but his memory and legacy continued.

Beyond his show successes, Gunner became a true ambassador for the sport, even becoming a Breyer Horse special edition model, immortalizing his likeness for reining fans around the world.

While Gunner’s show career was impressive, his legacy as a sire is truly historic. With nearly 1,000 NRHA money-earning offspring to his name, Gunner’s progeny have consistently excelled in the show pen. 24 of those progeny have more than $100,000 in NRHA LTE, including Down Right Amazing, NRHA’s All-Time Leading Horse.

In 2023, Down Right Amazing helped push Gunner past the $14 million mark by winning the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel L4 Open Championship. Bred and nominated by Curtis Performance Horses LLC, the 2017 stallion owned by DAG Ventures LLC has earned $949,134 in NRHA LTE and helped usher his sire to NRHA $15 Million Sire status. “Amazing’s” most recent titles include the 2024 National Reining Breeders Classic L4 Open Championship and the Individual Reining and Team Champion titles at the 2024 The American Performance Horseman.

Gunner’s offspring continue to dominate the sport, and his influence reaches beyond the show pen as he shapes the future of reining through his exceptional bloodline. In addition to his top-earning offspring mentioned below, Gunner has produced some of the top sires in reining, such as NRHA Hall of Famer Gunnatrashya and NRHA $7 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite.

Gunner’s top-earning offspring include:

• Down Right Amazing (out of Shesouttayourleague), bred and nominated by Curtis Performance Horses LLC, owned by DAG Ventures LLC, $949,134 NRHA LTE
• All Bettss Are Off (out of Wimpys Little Chic), bred and nominated by NRHA All-Time Leading Owner Arcese Quarter Horses USA, owned by NRHA $2 Million Owner Rancho Oso Rio LLC, $506,091 NRHA LTE
• Tinker With Guns (out of Tinker Nic), bred by Rancho Oso Rio LLC, owned by NRHA $2 Million Owner Silver Spurs Equine, $344,118 NRHA LTE
• Gunners Tinseltown (out of Miss Tinseltown), bred, nominated, and owned by NRHA Million Dollar Owner David Silva, Sr., $305,307 NRHA LTE
• Americasnextgunmodel (out of Cee Dun It Do It), bred and nominated by David Silva, Sr., owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, $289,486 NRHA LTE

Gunner’s contributions to reining are unparalleled, and crossing the $15 million threshold is yet another milestone in his extraordinary legacy. From his impressive show career to the achievements of his remarkable offspring, Gunner’s impact will be felt for generations to come as he continues to shape the sport one champion at a time.

Less than 18 months after signing his professional card, Luca Fappani has flown to the top of the ranks and is now an NRHA Million Dollar Rider.

Possessing a surname synonymous with reining excellence, Fappani grew up with a front row seat to the journeys of two reining greats. His mother, Tish, is consistently at the top of non pro competition at major events and is an NRHA Million Dollar Owner, and his father, Andrea, is an NRHA Hall of Fame Inductee and the association’s All Time Leading Rider with nearly $9 million in lifetime earnings (LTE). Their tutelage fostered a love of reining that grew within their son over the years.

“This accomplishment means a lot to me. It is what most every reining fan dreams of as they grow in the sport,” said Luca. “I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by the men in the [NRHA] Million Dollar Rider club, so to now join them in that is a huge accomplishment and symbolic moment for me. I am thankful that this success was in God’s plan for me, and I am beyond thankful for the great horses, owners, family, teammates, and mentors that got me here.”

Luca began his reining career in 2015 at the DRHA Summer Spectacular and earned his first paycheck the following year at the Wild Card Reining Challenge in the Youth 13 & Under class. From there, he continued to show in youth and non pro competition through 2021, earning top finishes in shows across North America.

His show career continued to flourish once Luca began his professional reining endeavor. He officially signed his NRHA Professional Card in 2023 and made the move to Texas to begin working under NRHA $4 Million Rider Casey Deary. Since then, he has garnered more than $600,000 in NRHA LTE.

Luca’s push over the million-dollar mark came during the Million Dollar Competition at the 2024 The Run For A Million. He and the Misty Valley Performance Horses LLC-bred stallion Mr Abracadabra (Gunnatrashya x Nu Magic Cash) ran in the pen as the 14th draw and came out with a 228.5, capturing the reserve championship. The duo earned $100,000 for owner Justine Leedom and etched Luca’s name in the NRHA history books with the outstanding performance.

Other top-earning finishes include:

• 2024 100X Cowtown Classic L4 Open 3rd place aboard Playing With Da Boys, earning $50,000 in NRHA LTE
• 2023 National Reining Breeders Classic L3 Open Champion aboard Dream On Whiz, earning $40,000 in NRHA LTE
• 2023 NRHA L2 Open Futurity Co-Champion/3rd place L3 Open/9th place L4 Open aboard Playing With Da Boys earning $99,052 in NRHA LTE
• 2023 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel L3 Open Derby Champion aboard Dream On Whiz earning $33,250 in NRHA LTE
• 100X Reining Classic L2 Open Stakes Champion aboard Gunna Chic Dream, earning $32,000 in NRHA LTE

Read the November issue of NRHA Reiner for more on Luca’s journey to becoming an NRHA Million Dollar Rider.

Success in the show pen at the 2024 The Run For A Million (TRFAM) created additional National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) million-dollar milestones to celebrate.

Jason Vanlandingham made history as the first rider to win TRFAM’s Million Dollar Competition in back-to-back years, earning a place on the prestigious list of NRHA $4 Million Riders exactly one year after crossing the $3 million mark at the same event. Vandlandingham is now the fifth NRHA Professional to reach this milestone.

He earned the 2024 Championship on Gunnabebigtime (Gunnatrashya x Big Time Jazzy), which also propelled the stallion’s sire to $13 million in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE). NRHA Hall of Famer Gunnatrashya is now the third NRHA $13 Million Sire, achieving it within the same year as his previous million-dollar milestone. The 2006 stallion was bred by Katarina Dorminy and is owned by NRHA $3 Million Owner Arcese Quarter Horses USA.

Vanlandingham’s top wins pushing him over the NRHA $4 Million Dollar Rider mark:

• 2024 TRFAM Million Dollar Competition Champion earning $500,000 aboard Gunnabeabigtime, bred and owned by Tami Nelson
• 2024 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel Level (L) 4 Open 4th place, Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes Champion and Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Open Derby Champions earning $61,584 aboard Plus Me Im Shiny, bred by Upstream Inc., nominated by Layla Choat, owned by 2Star Investments LLC
• 2023 NRHA L4 Open Futurity 5th place earning $72,252 aboard Slide Me Sum Shine, bred and nominated by Daniel Beale, owned by Michael Garnett
• 2023 Southwest Reining Horse Association L4 Open Futurity Champion earning $20,500 aboard Slide Me Sum Shine, bred and nominated by Daniel Beale, owned by Michael Garnett

Gunnatrashya’s top earning offspring include:

• Gunnabebigtime (out of Big Time Jazzy), bred, nominated, and owned by Tami Nelson, $862,903 NRHA LTE
• Gunna Stop (out of Stop Little Sister), bred and nominated by NRHA Corporate Partner Toyon Ranch LLC, owned by Amber Gokey, $672,762 NRHA LTE
• Andiamoe (out of Wimpys Little Chic), bred, nominated, and owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, $438,139 NRHA LTE
• Ten Thirty (out of Dainty Little Step), bred and nominated by Brooke Wharton, owned by Rancho El Fortin, $418,788 NRHA LTE
• Super Marioo (out of HA Chic A Tune), bred and nominated by Hillis Akin Family Partnership, owned by Tom and Mandy McCutcheon, $338,891 NRHA LTE

Reining is experiencing significant growth in both added money and participation, as evidenced by how quickly these two athletes have reached major milestones. The increasing prize pools and rising number of competitors are pushing the sport to new levels, allowing top riders to achieve career-defining earnings faster than ever before. This surge reflects the growing popularity and support for reining, creating more opportunities for athletes to excel and reach new heights in their careers.

Winning big in Las Vegas took on a new meaning for the National Reining Horse Association’s (NRHA) newest Million Dollar Owner, Tami Nelson.

When the dust settled at the 2024 The Run For A Million, Nelson’s stallion, Gunnabebigtime, and NRHA $4 Million Rider Jason Vanlandingham took home the championship worth $500,000. This propelled Vanlandingham past the $4 million milestone, Gunnnatrashya past the $13 million milestone, and ushered Nelson into the NRHA Million Dollar Owner ranks.

Gunnabebigtime is by NRHA Hall of Famer Gunnatrashya and out of Big Time Jazzy, a mare that Nelson owns. The 7-year-old stallion now has over $862,903 in NRHA LTE, including this year’s The Run For A Million Championship, the 2023 The Run For A Million $100K Shootout Reserve Championship, the 2023 NRHA Level (L) 4 Open Derby Reserve Championship, and the 2020 NRHA L4 Open Futurity Reserve Championship.

Nelson and Big Time Jazzy had their own success in the show pen, including the 2015 NRHA Futurity L2 Non Pro Reserve Championship and Top 5 in the L3 and L4. Out of the mare’s $51,617 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE), $48,519 came with Nelson at the reins.

“I feel like this has not even soaked in, really,” said Nelson. “We have been breeding horses for over 20 years, so we think they are all special. We raised Gunnabebigtime’s mother and her [Big Time Jazzy’s] mother. It has been an amazing line, and he is so special.”

Nelson’s dream after earning a Master of Science in Equine Reproduction was to work on a big breeding farm. She ended up in the Texas Panhandle, where she and her husband raised their family with no large horse breeding operations in sight.

“When I met my husband, I raised cutters, and he raised cattle,” she said. “We had friends who brought us to the NRHA Futurity for the Open finals, and I watched it and thought, ‘That looks easy!’ Everyone knows the feeling, and it is so much harder than they make it look. Once I started reining, I didn’t want to do anything else.”

After Nelson had success on her first non pro mare, the family decided to start raising horses instead of trying to purchase additional mounts.

“The horses are amazing athletes and give us so much. I just love them – they are the ones who get all the credit for this accomplishment.”

Significant performers owned by Nelson:

• Gunnabebigtime (Gunnatrashya x Big Time Jazzy), bred, owned, and nominated by Tami Nelson, $862,903 NRHA LTE
• Big Time Jazzy (Shine Big Time x Skippin Whiz), bred, owned, and nominated by Tami Nelson, $51,617 NRHA LTE
• Plus Me Big Time (Shine Big Time x Skip The Hick O Lea), owned and bred by Tami Nelson and Jan Fleet, $50,800 NRHA LTE
• Mr Masota Star (Wimpys Little Step x Cee Another Masota), bred and nominated by Carol and Geroge Bell, now owned by Andrea Weekley, $99,384 NRHA LTE
• Crackerjac Sailor (Cee Blair Sailor x Crome Plated Jackie), bred by David Connor, now owned by Wagman Ranch Inc., $13,027 NRHA LTE