Category: History

For Immediate Release – January 27, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The newest addition to the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Million Dollar Sire list hails from Silver Spurs Equine–Oklahoma: Shiners Voodoo Dr. By NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Shining Spark and out of Voodoo Chic, the 2007 palomino, fondly referred to as “Voodoo,” earned more than $85,900 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE) during his show career.

Owner Michael Miola of Silver Spurs Equine, LLC, first laid on eyes on the stallion after he purchased Xtra Quarter Horses in 2017. Voodoo was one of three stallions Miola acquired in the purchase. For Miola, Voodoo’s latest accomplishment isn’t exactly surprising.

“I was extremely impressed with his demeanor,” Miola said about meeting Voodoo. “One of the three things I look for in a breeding stallion is their demeanor.”

This trait is followed by their work ethic in the show pen and attitude in the breeding shed. Voodoo continues to check all three boxes for Miola.

NRHA Professional Thiago Boechat trained and showed the stallion prior to Miola’s purchase. The pair’s most notable accomplishment was at the 2012 NRHA Derby where they were the Open Level(L) 4 Co-Reserve Champions. As a 3-year-old, Voodoo was the 2010 Tulsa Reining Classic L3–2 Open Champion in addition to making the Open L4 Finals at the NRHA Futurity. Miola admits Voodoo isn’t known for his show career; the stallion shines brightest as a producer.

Xtra New Pal Voodoo, “Pal,” is the only horse by the stallion Miola kept on the ranch. The winner of more than $81,800 in NRHA LTE, Pal transition to a career in team roping, proving the versatility of Voodoo’s offspring.

During the 2019 NRHA Futurity, Voodoo’s progeny earned more than $30,000 to push him across the million-dollar mark. Both Xtra Shiners Taboo (out of Xtra Suzies Step) and Magin Mann (out of Wimpys New Pal) walked away with checks after making the MS Diamonds TX Open L4 Finals. Also cashing checks at the NRHA Futurity were Xtra Handsome Shiner (out of Hermosa Wimpy), Xtra Voodoo Charm (out of Little Smart Wimpy), and Voodoo Brew (out of Reddy To Smokem).

Shiners Voodoo Dr’s top-performing offspring include:

• Xtra New Pal Voodoo (out of Wimpys New Pal, by Wimpys Little Step): $81,893 LTE
• Shiners Voodoo (out of BR China Rose, by Hollywood Dun It): $66,943 LTE
• Smart Voodoo Doctor (out of Smart As Sister, by Very Smart Remedy): $46,452 LTE
• Xtra Taris Voodoo (out of All That’s Dun, by Hollywood Dun It): $41,479 LTE
• Call Me Mr Voodoo (out of ARC Sassy Snapper, by Snapper Call Bar): $40,454 LTE
• Xtra Voodoo Gun (out of Miss Silver Gun, by Gunner): $38,098 LTE
• Xtra Voodoo Doc (out of Call Me Miss Hickory, by Docs Hickory): $37,719 LTE
• Blonde Ambishen (out of Relaxin With A Bud, by Nic It In The Bud): $37,691 LTE
• Shiners Voodoo Juice (out of SLJ This Is My Juice, by Smart Like Juice): $35,033 LTE
• Xtra Black Magic (out of Always Steppin Smart, by Wimpys Little Step): $33,716 LTE

For Immediate Release – January 19, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is proud to officially congratulate NRHA Professional Cade McCutcheon for becoming an NRHA Million Dollar Rider.

At just 19 years old, McCutcheon is the third member of his immediate family to cross this milestone. His parents, Tom and Mandy McCutcheon, reached the milestone consecutively—Tom in 2006 and Mandy in 2007. In 2014 Mandy reached her second milestone, becoming an NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider. Tim McQuay, McCutcheon’s grandfather, is an NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider as well as an NRHA Million Dollar Owner.

“It’s been a whirlwind; I never could’ve expected the year that I’ve had,” McCutcheon said. “I set the goal to become an NRHA Million Dollar Rider when I was 12. Before the [NRHA] Futurity, I joked about the idea of winning first [in the Level(L) 4 Open] and placing with my other two horses to make it happen.”

Who knew that reality would far surpass the joke? McCutcheon’s wins at the 2019 NRHA Futurity pushed him past the million-dollar mark by more than $70,000. For those who know McCutcheon, it’s not surprising he reached a goal long before he planned. He originally set the goal of crossing the million dollar mark by his 25^th birthday.

A horse named “Turbo” equipped 6-year-old McCutcheon with the need for speed and helped the young horseman build the work ethic he needed to become a horse trainer.

“I had a hard time getting him to lope,” McCutcheon said of the gelding. “He’d always take me over to the gate. It took me about six months before I got him to finally lope. Once I got him loping, I never walked or trotted again.”

Perhaps Turbo secured McCutcheon’s fate to carry on the family legacy as an NRHA Professional. Or maybe it was simply bred into the third-generation reiner from the get-go.

McCutcheon’s first year as an NRHA Professional—2019—is hard work personified. Not only was he the Run for a Million Invitational co-champion, McCutcheon also topped the NRHA L3 Open Derby and placed first and second in three levels of the 2019 NRHA Futurity Open Finals.

“I was competing at the 2018 World Equestrian Games when I thought to myself ‘I can play with the big dogs,’” McCutcheon said. It was in that moment McCutcheon decided to officially take his riding to the next level as a professional.

Reaching the pinnacle of reining as a 19-year-old presents McCutcheon with a strong foundation to continue building on in 2020.

“There are a million people I could thank for this,” McCutcheon said. “I’ve been very lucky to have a good support system around me.”

McCutcheon’s 2019 NRHA Futurity Placings:

• Super Marioo (Gunnatrashya x HA Chic A Tune): L4-2 Open Champion
  Guns And Dynamite (Gunners Special Nite x Chic Olena Starbuck) L4 Open Co-Reserve Champion and L3-2 Open Reserve Champion
  Deja Vu With A Gun (Gunner x Dun Its Déjà vu) Open L4-2 Finalist

For Immediate Release – January 13, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is proud to recognize Snip O Gun as an NRHA Million Dollar Dam. Owned by Hilldale Farm, Snip O Gun is one of only three dams to produce offspring that reached the million-dollar earnings mark to date. She crossed the million-dollar milestone during the 2019 NRHA Futurity where her offspring earned more than $50,000.

Snip O Gun, affectionately known as “Snip,” made a name for herself despite harboring no show record of her own. The 1993 bay mare produced big-name reiners, including Inferno Sixty Six (by Gunnatrashya), Big Chex To Cash (by Nu Chex To Cash), Hot Smokin Chex (by Nu Chex To Cash) and Chexmaster (by Nu Chex To Cash).

“If a mare doesn’t have a show record, or you can’t afford one that does, you buy a mare with the best conformation and pedigree to cross with your stallions,” said owner Tammye Hutton of Hilldale Farm. “The only stud we had was Nu Chex To Cash, so we bought mares for him. I felt Snip was the perfect cross.”

Snip’s conformation emulates the foundational bloodlines of the American Quarter Horse. That, paired with her “cool” temperament, made her an ideal match for Nu Chex To Cash. Once he was done breeding, Hutton knew Snip would also cross well with Gunnatrashya and Colonels Shining Gun.

“Snip is just very calm, cool, and collected,” Hutton said. “I’m guessing if she would’ve had more than 30 days under saddle she would’ve been extremely athletic; she’s made for it. But she’s so laid back that you would’ve had to really ask her to do what you wanted; but that’s probably why she works well on different stallions.”

Hutton said, “She’s round from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail.”

“She has a big, soft, intelligent eye,” Hutton added. “She has a pretty neck that ties into her shoulder perfectly. She has a lot of bone, substance, and depth.”

Not to mention she stands on four strong feet.

Perhaps it’s just personal bias, or it’s the bold-face truth, Hutton said she’d be hard-pressed to find a fault in the mare. In the end, it was Snip’s personality and demeanor that captured Hutton’s heart.

“She’s very sweet, quiet, and laid back,” Hutton said. “She likes to graze and be with her horse buddies, but she’s also the first one to the gate when I whistle.”

Snip O Gun’s top-performing offspring include:

• Inferno Sixy Six (by Gunnatrashya): $205,690 LTE
• Big Chex To Cash (by Nu Chex To Cash): $194,260 LTE
• Hot Smokin Chex (by Nu Chex To Cash): $186,598 LTE
• Chexmaster (by Nu Chex To Cash): $103,911 LTE
• Snips Shining Gun (by Gunner): $52,817 LTE
• Snip O Satellite (by Nu Chex To Cash): $52,057 LTE
• Snip O Chex (by Nu Chex To Cash): $50,648 LTE
• Chexamillion (by Nu Chex To Cash): $35,377 LTE
• Rio Killer Gun (by CFR Centenario Wimpy): $33,752 LTE
• Snip O One (by A Sparkling Vintage): $31,911 LTE