“Gunner” shoots his way to the top in exciting NRHA reining circles
FORT WORTH, TEXAS—One might think that 14-year-old stallion Colonels Smokingun, also known throughout the reining world as “Gunner,” might have nothing left to prove, but recently he set yet another record for American Paint Horses as the first Paint to achieve the million-dollar sire mark in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) history. In NRHA competition, 145 horses sired by the stallion have earned a combined total of more than $1 million. Only 13 other horses, none of them Paints, have achieved this earnings milestone with NRHA.
Sired by Colonelfourfreckle (AQHA) and out of Katie Gun (AQHA), the bald-faced stallion, which is registered with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA), has an impressive lifetime record with the Association. He won back-to-back World Championship Paint Horse Show Open reining titles in both 1996 and 1997, in addition to the other reining honors he earned throughout his career with APHA.
Gunner owns NRHA Futurity Open Reserve Championship and United Equestrian Federation (USEF) Reining Championship titles. According to NRHA, he also holds the record as the highest-earning Paint Horse performer in NRHA history, winning more than $170,000 in competition himself. And, for his exemplary reining ability, the sorrel overo was chosen as the 2002 United States Equestrian Team Breyer® model horse.
The stallion began his second occupation as a top reining sire early, before his stellar performance career had concluded. His first two registered foals were born in 1997 and out of this limited crop came sorrel overo stallion, Colonels Lil Gun, which proved to the reining world that his sire’s reining talent could be passed on. In 2001—the same year his sire took the USEF Reining Championship title—the outstanding offspring earned his own APHA World Championship Open reining title.
The future
Today, Colonels Smokingun is the senior sire at McQuay Stables in Tioga, Texas. Owned by Tim and Colleen McQuay, the training and breeding operation has a long-established reputation involving Gunner and his bloodlines. Also, according to NRHA, it was McQuay’s daughter, Mandy McCutcheon, who rode the offspring that earned Gunner his million-dollar sire title.
“I knew Gunner was close, but not how close, and I was a little surprised when I heard,” said McCutcheon after she learned from her father that her ride had made his stallion a million-dollar sire.
McCutcheon said she has been impressed with how quickly Gunner’s offspring have turned in top performances for her family. “For them to come out and be that good to us so soon is very exciting,” said McCutcheon.
The stallion and his progeny have built a legacy known for eye-catching color and athleticism in the last decade. With their first full crop of home-bred Gunner foals hitting the reining scene in 2008, the McQuays are eager to build on this legacy.
“We are hoping that the future cross between Hollywood Dun It (AQHA) and Gunner will be the blending of two great bloodlines. With the tremendous stopping ability from Gunner’s side and the easy trainability from Hollywood Dun It, we are hoping to see the success of the two bloodlines,” said Tim McQuay.
More About Gunner and McQuay Stables
To learn more about Colonels Smokingun and McQuay Stables, visit mcquaystables.com or e-mail [email protected] . There, you will find details about the stallion, as well as information about the facility’s breeding and training divisions.
More About APHA
Registering more than 900,000 horses since 1962, APHA supports its brightest stars in a variety of ways. The association not only encourages top Paint talent through breed shows, but it also promotes their success in outside competition. Through the Paint Preferred incentive program, Paint Horses could earn more than $40,000 in added money this year at NRHA’s premier event for 3-year-olds, the NRHA Futurity.
For details about the Paint Preferred incentive, visit apha.com/paintpreferred. Or contact APHA’s Paint Programs Coordinator by e-mailing [email protected] or calling (817) 834-2742, ext. 249