After the dust settled on a Saturday night at South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Best Shine topped the leaderboard of The Run For A Million’s Million Dollar Competition. Not only did the stallion add half a million dollars to her lifetime earnings (LTE), but he also helped National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Professional Jason Vanlandingham cross the NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider mark and made his mother, Best Stop, the newest NRHA Million Dollar Dam.
Best Stop is by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Custom Crome and out of Rest Stop. Breeder and owner, Marc Wagman of Wagman Ranch Inc., trained the 1999 mare himself, and the pair had a successful career in the showpen. In total, Best Stop amassed nearly $43,000 in NRHA LTE—most of which came with Wagman at the reins. The duo’s top finish came during the 2002 NRHA Futurity, where they took seventh in the Level 4 Non Pro finals.
“Bob Loomis is, in my opinion, the greatest breeder of reining horses, and he’s a close friend who I love dearly,” said Wagman. “When I moved from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma, I would go down to stay and ride with him as much as possible. When Best Stop was a two-year-old, I took her down to Bob’s to get help. He said, ‘Never sell her, she will be the new Rest Stop. You need to keep her because she will be a great mare.’ Prophetic Bob, he was correct. There were several times I almost sold her, and I am so glad she stayed with me— I love her so much. I trained her myself with a lot of help from Bob and Duane [Latimer], and they were instrumental in helping me. We are great friends to this day.”
The mare’s first foal licensed with NRHA was in 2003, a filly named Lil More Rest. Since then, Best Stop has added 31 more offspring to her NRHA records, with 19 having earnings in the association. Her most accomplished progeny is fittingly the horse that helped her cross this historic milestone. Best Shine is a 2017 mare by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Shine Chic Shine. With Jason Vanlandingham at the reins, the Robert Santagata-owned horse has more than $686,000 in NRHA LTE.
“One thing about her that is really was striking to me is that I bred her to four different studs, and each foal went on to win more than $100,000,” said Wagman. “She crosses on so many studs, which shows just what a remarkable mare she truly is.”
Wagman Ranch Inc. is not only the breeder and owner of Best Stop but is also the breeder of all the mare’s money-earning offspring. Those offspring include:
- Best Shine (Shine Chic Shine) owned by Robert Santagata and earning $686,036
- Hey Joe (Smart Spook) owned by El Picadero, LLC and earning $135,375
- Late Night Stopper (Jacs Electric Spark) owned by Mark and Kathy Gordon and earning $101,637
- Stop Like A Dream (Magnum Chic Dream) owned by Toyon Ranch, LLC and earning $101,097
- Best Stops Belle (Spooks Gotta Whiz) owned by Wagman Ranch Inc. and earning $35,355
Best Stop has had multiple high-selling fillies in the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, showing the industry’s desire to have one of her special offspring in their barn.
“She’s been a big part of my life. The friendships that I have forged through her and the people that I have in my life because of her truly makes this so, so special.”
It is safe to say Best Stop has earned the right to be considered one of the association’s top producers after etching her name into the history books as only the eighth NRHA Million Dollar Dam. With amazing athletes in her lineage, there is more to come from this incredible mare and her owner and breeder, Wagman Ranch Inc.