For Immediate Release – September 4, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – After a slow start to the 2020 show season, it was unclear if any sires or dams would cross milestones this year. As COVID-19 restrictions were reduced in certain regions of the U.S. earlier this summer, shows resumed and entry numbers skyrocketed. As a result, sires and dams are making moves up the NRHA million-dollar ranks. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is pleased to announce two top NRHA sires have recently crossed major milestones.
Gunner
Commonly known as Gunner by the Western performance horse industry, the influential sire is registered as Colonels Smoking Gun with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and Colonels Smokinggun with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). Gunner recently made history when he became only the second NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire, just on the heels of Topsail Whiz who reached this accomplishment in 2018.
This legendary sire is by Colonelfourfreckle and out of Katie Gun. Before becoming a top sire for Tioga, Texas, owners Tim and Colleen McQuay of McQuay Stables Inc., Gunner saw his name in lights in the show pen. He was the 1996 NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Champion, the 1998 NRBC Open Reserve Champion, and the 2001 United States Equestrian Team (USET) Festival of Champions National Reining Champion.
First becoming an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in 2007, the snowball effect took over for Gunner in 2010 when he earned his two-million-dollar title. His offspring have annually earned a million dollars, subsequently moving Gunner to a new milestone each year.
Although Gunner boasts $173,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE) of his own, he’s also the sire of more than 1,500 reiners. Many of Gunner’s offspring join him in the NRHA Hall of Fame and in the ranks as million-dollar sires themselves.
Gunner’s top-earning offspring are:
• Tinker With Guns (out of Tinker Nic): $344,117 NRHA LTE
• Gunners Tinseltown (out of Miss Tinseltown): $305,307 NRHA LTE
• Americasnextgunmodel (out of Cee Dun It Do It): $289,486 NRHA LTE
• Gunners Special Nite (out of Mifs Doll): $219,737 NRHA LTE
• Gunnatrashya (out of Natrasha): $218,046 NRHA LTE
Walla Walla Whiz
Walla Walla Whiz’s reputation precedes him in the simple fact that he’s by NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Topsail Whiz and out of Shiney Walla Wanda. Walla Walla Whiz is building his own legacy as he recently became an NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire. He crossed his first million-dollar milestone in 2015.
The 2003 stallion boasts an impressive show record that puts his NRHA LTE just over $187,000. Ridden by NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, Walla Walla Whiz raked in several top-notch finishes in a short amount of time. His show career started when he was 3 years old and wrapped by 2008.
Some of the most noteworthy placings Walla Walla Whiz earned include being crowned the 2007 NRHA Level (L)4 Open Derby Champion, the 2006 Tulsa Reining Classic L4 Open Futurity Champion, and taking third place in the 2007 National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) L4 Open Derby.
Owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, Walla Walla Whiz is the sire of more than 600 NRHA offspring. He’s still standing in Weatherford, Texas, at Oswood Stallion Station alongside many other influential NRHA sires.
Walla Walla Whiz’s top-earning offspring are:
• Shesouttayourleague (out of Wimpys Little Chic): $252,470 NRHA LTE
• Isnt She Perfect (out of Miss Silver Gun): $170,109 NRHA LTE
• Americas Supermodel (out of Americasnextgunmodel): $135,755 NRHA LTE
• Made In Walla (out of Hollywood Made): $133,077 NRHA LTE
• ARC Walla Dun Did It (out of Dainty Dunit): $114,180 NRHA LTE
Congratulations to Walla Walla Whiz and Gunner on these outstanding achievements!