The National Reining Horse Association congratulates Spooks Gotta Whiz on crossing the $11 million sire milestone. Less than six months after reaching the $10 million mark, the legendary stallion achieved this elite status at the 2025 National Reining Breeders Classic, reinforcing his legacy as one of the sport’s most influential sires.
The 2007 stallion was bred by NRHA Hall of Famer Clint Haverty and is owned by Michell Anne Kimball. Sired by NRHA $3 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Prettywhizprettydoes, “Baby” has been a dominant presence in the reining industry both in and out of the arena. His remarkable impact on the sport was recognized in 2022 with induction into the NRHA Hall of Fame.
During his show career, Baby amassed NRHA lifetime earnings of $345,138. He is one of a select few to win the NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity, the NRHA Level 4 Open Derby, and the National Reining Breeders Classic. Internationally, he represented the United States at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, where he earned two gold medals. Most recently, the stallion returned to the spotlight with an exhibition ride at the 2024 The Run for a Million at 17 years old, showcasing the longevity of both his talent and character.
As a sire, Spooks Gotta Whiz continues to build a legacy of excellence. With 547 NRHA money-earning offspring to date, his progeny consistently perform at the highest levels of the sport. At the 2025 NRBC, standout offspring Smoky Mountain Rein (out of Sprats Electricspark) captured the Level 4 Non Pro Classic Championship. Shown by NRHA Million Dollar Rider Kim Muehlstaetter and owned by Kim and her husband, Martin, the horse earned $50,000 and helped propel Spooks Gotta Whiz across the $11 million threshold.
Baby’s top-earning offspring include:
Mic Dropp (out of Dun Dry Whiz); owned by NRHA Million Dollar Owners Tim Anderson and breeder/nominator Clark Reining Horses LLC; $352,224 NRHA LTE
Alpha Jac Sparrow (out of Chexanicki); bred and nominated by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC; owned by Fritz Leeman; $313,941 NRHA LTE
Picture Perrfect (out of Isnt She Perfect); bred and nominated by Amy Medows; owned by Ronald Anderson; $224,389 NRHA LTE
Spooks Gotta Spark (out of Dolittle Lena); bred and nominated by Bobby Lewis; owned by Kevin Truax; $215,585 NRHA LTE
Spook Lil Whiz (out of Lil Dreamer); bred and owned by Renata Lemann; nominated by Eduardo Salgado; $211,343 NRHA LTE
Spooks Gotta Whiz’s growing influence and exceptional lineage have firmly positioned him among the most elite sires in the reining world. NRHA congratulates his owner, breeder, and all who have contributed to his remarkable journey.
The NRHA Executive Committee and Board of Directors are responsible for managing the business of the Association and for representing the best interests of its members and the Association as a whole. Each year, NRHA opens nominations and hosts elections for a variety of leadership positions.
Each year, the NRHA election nomination process allows affiliates and members to submit candidates for consideration in the upcoming vote. For the 2026–2027 term, two candidates were nominated for the NRHA Board of Directors seat representing North America’s East Central region. Additionally, two candidates were nominated for the Director-At-Large position, elected through a worldwide vote. The candidate receiving the most votes in each race will serve on the board from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027.
Voting for the 2025 election will begin Sept. 2 at noon CDT and ends Sept. 16 at noon CDT. Be sure to mark your calendars and ensure your NRHA membership is current to vote! Individuals with a General membership (excluding partnerships, businesses and joint memberships) have voting privileges; however, youth and association members do not have voting rights.
My passion for reining runs deep. Together with my wife Melanie, we operate Petroll Reining Horses, LLC, a full-service training/breeding operation for clients from all over the world. I’m fortunate to be able to make a living in this industry, and NRHA is a big part of that. I have been in the horse business for over 25 years. Serving in different functions over the years is my way of giving back to the industry. The membership is very diverse. Understanding the different needs of members is very important. The way NRHA is governed is exemplary across the horse industry. It is also an ongoing process, and I gladly do my part. Over the years I have been elected to serve multiple terms on the NRHA Board of Directors. I also have served for nearly two decades on NRHA Advisory Committees representing the membership. Those committees include the Judges, Stewards (Vice-Chair), Non Pro (Vice-Chair), Aged Events and Eligibility. I have also volunteered my time for NRHA Task Forces with topics such as the NRHA Derby, judging and animal welfare. As a NRHA Professional, I have won numerous titles and have made every major event level 4 open finals.
Karen Shedlauskas – Reddick, Florida
I’ve been a member of NRHA since 1992, when I began my reining journey as a rookie competitor. I’ve been an active competitor since and have enjoyed the many facets of the NRHA experience. My show experience spans everything from weekend shows to all of the major events. In addition, I’ve been very active with my local affiliates beginning with the Eastern Pennsylvania Reining Horse Association, where I served as a board member for many years, as well as Vice President. Most recently, I served four years as President of the Florida Reining Horse Association, which annually produces the highly successful Florida Reining Classic and has produced the Southeast ARC for the last five years.
From 1995 through 2015, I was a regular contributor to the NRHA Reiner magazine, covering everything from events to NRHA history. I also managed the NRHA Sire & Dam Program for three years revitalizing the program after many years of dismal participation. For many years I was privileged to work as a staff member at the NRHA Derby and Futurity, gaining valuable insight to what it takes to make these events run successfully.
Over the course of the last 25 years, I’ve been a member of many NRHA committees including Marketing, Youth, Non Pro, Aged Events, Affiliate, Eligibility, Nominating/Governance and Hall of Fame. I’ve served as Eligibility Committee Chair for many years as well as Youth Committee Vice Chair. Additionally, I’ve worked on many task forces addressing such things as the world championship program, eligibility and show rules/conditions. I served two terms (2021-2022, 2023-2024) as the regional representative to the NRHA Board of Directors from the Southeast Region.
With over thirty years of NRHA experience in the show pen, as a regional representative to the Board of Directors and 25 years of NRHA committee work, I feel that I would bring a wealth of well-rounded experience to the Executive Committee. Thank you for your consideration.
East Central Region
The East Central Region is comprised of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee.
MARGARET FUCHS – Canfield, Ohio
I’ve served as the director for the East Central region for four years. During this time, I’ve been very active, serving as a Judges Advisory Committee member, as well as an active member of the Teaching Panel. I’ve done my best to represent our region’s interested at the board level and would like to continue to do so!
KEITH LARKIN – Carbondale, Illinois
I’ve been involved in NRHA events and competition since 2010. My wife, daughter and I raise and show our reining horses as often as possible and are grateful for the wonderful opportunities and friendships we have enjoyed throughout our participation in NRHA. For the past several years I have been involved as a member of the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Reining Horse Association, most recently serving as the President of that affiliate. Over the years my family has shown in most of the states that make up the East Central region. The exponential growth of our sport and the performance horse industry as a whole has been one of the most exciting things I have been lucky enough to be a part of. Outside of my regular career as a Financial Advisor I spent 12 years as an elected official in my local county government. In that role I helped to create and manage a $16,000,000 budget and respond to the needs of multiple agencies as well as the concerns of my constituents. I think this experience makes me uniquely suited to serve in this role in NRHA. My skills are most rooted in building consensus and developing long term plans.
Additional Seats
Several other elected leadership positions will be filled for the same two-year term. The following uncontested seats will be elected by acclamation by the Board of Directors. Those seats are:
North Central: Mike Davis – Davenport, Iowa
Northeast: Matt Murphy – Boonsboro, Maryland
Northwest: Kylie Warn – Canby, Oregon
South Central: Andrea Stillo – Pilot Point, Texas
Election procedures and more info will be posted at nrha.com and emailed to eligible voters soon! Contact Christa Morris-Stone (cmorris@nrha.com) with questions.
The National Reining Horse Association is proud to announce Marc Gordon as a Million Dollar Owner. Gordon, who owns Gordon Quarter Horses with his wife Kathy, has reached this prestigious milestone after decades of dedication to the sport of reining.
Gordon’s journey in reining began in 2001, when he earned his first NRHA check competing in the Rookie Level 1 at the Illinois State Fair aboard Mr Boot Scootin Jac (Mr Barbie Cody Jac x Miss Stepping Pine). Since then, his passion for reining has flourished, leading to a remarkable show pen career with $118,038 in NRHA lifetime earnings as a rider. Among his many achievements, his standout performance came during the 2011 NRHA Futurity, where he and Hollywood Dunit Easy (Easy Otie Whiz x Tejons Finally Dunit) secured a 7th-place finish in the Level 3 Non Pro division.
Beyond his accomplishments in the show pen, Gordon has made a significant impact as an owner and breeder, with more than 300 horses listed in his NRHA owner record. His program, Gordon Quarter Horses, has served as the foundation for numerous successful partnerships, including one with resident trainer and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Gennaro Lendi.
Gennaro Lendi
Lendi has achieved remarkable success aboard Gordon-bred and -owned horses in recent years, highlighted by an 8th-place finish at the 2023 NRHA Futurity on Electric Gunn (Gunnatrashya x Electric Barbie), earning over $51,000. The duo gave another stellar performance at the 2025 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, where they landed sixth place in the Level 3 Open with a score of 223.5. Lendi qualified a total of three Gordon-owned and -bred horses to the Level 3 finals this year, all full siblings.
Gordon’s induction into the elite ranks of Million Dollar Owners is a testament to his unwavering support of the sport, eye for quality horses, and commitment to developing lasting partnerships in and out of the arena. NRHA congratulates Marc and Kathy Gordon on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to celebrating their continued contributions to reining’s legacy.
The National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 NRHyA Art & Photo Contest, sponsored by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. This annual contest invites youth members to express their creativity and passion for the Western lifestyle through original artwork and photography.
This year’s entries reflected both technical skill and heartfelt storytelling, capturing the spirit of the reining horse industry and life in the Western world. Judged by professionals from the Museum’s education and marketing team, the winning submissions stood out for their composition, originality, and overall impact.
Each first-place winner will have their work on display at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum during the event and we encourage everyone to visit!
Winners of the 2025 NRHyA Art & Photo Contest:
Mixed Media Division
Kynley Bell – “Window to the Soul”Victoria McClure – “The Colt”Savannah Mize – “King of Heavenly Pastures”