November 2, 2011 ? National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Fame inductee, ?Gunner? (AQHA Colonels Smoking Gun, APHA Colonels Smokingun), is officially the seventh NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire. His offspring have accumulated earnings quickly catapulting him from the Two Million Dollar Sires list to the Three Million Dollar list in just over a year and a half. His progeny at the 2011 Scottsdale Classic Futurity (Gunner Git Ya Dun owned by Monica Hicks, Gunner On Ice owned by Frederick Christen and Smokin Something owned by Amy Potts) earned the final dollars needed to land the achievement. As of November 1, 2011, Gunner?s official progeny earnings are $3,011,110.
Gunner, bred by Eric Storey, is the top NRHA earning offspring of the Colonel Freckles? son Colonelfourfreckle. The 1993 stallion is out of Katie Gun who has produced NRHA earners of more than $430,000. Gunner was the 1996 NRHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion ridden by Clint Haverty. At the time, Paul and Pam Rohus/Double PR Ranch owned Gunner. Five years later in 2001 he won the USET National Reining Championship with Bryant Pace aboard for owner Debra Sloan. The stallion earned nearly $175,000 in his career and was inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2003. McQuay Stables, Inc. (Tim and Colleen McQuay) currently owns and stands the stallion in Tioga, Tex.
The McQuays commented on the recent honor, ?We are so proud and happy to be able to have another stallion with the breeding accomplishments in place to achieve this milestone in his life. Thank you so much to all the mare owners, breeders and trainers who have made this achievement possible!?
Gunner?s top performers include: Gunners Special Nite ($219,700: 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games individual and team gold medalist, the first reining horse to be honored with the USEF Horse of the Year award, two-time NRHA Derby level 4 open finalist, NRHA Futurity level 4 open reserve champion, NRHA Futurity level 3 open champion, NRBC level 4 open finalist and AQHA World Show Junior Reining finalist owned by Turnabout Farm, Inc.); Gunnatrashya ($207,400: NRHA Futurity level 4 open champion, NRHA Derby level 4 open champion and All American Quarter Horse Congress open champion owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA), Tinker With Guns ($197,300: NRHA Derby level 4 open champion, NRHA Futurity level 4 open finalist and NRBC level 4 open finalist owned by Rancho Oso Rio, LLC); The Great Guntini ($130,600: NRHA Futurity, NRBC and NRHA Derby level 4 open finalist owned by Greenway Stables); Snow Gun ($122,100: NRHA Futurity level 4 open division third place, World Equestrian Games team silver medalist and NRBC level 4 open finalist owned by Andre De Bellefeuille); Sorcerers Apprentice ($91,000: AQHA Senior Reining World Champion and NRHA Futurity, Reining By the Bay and NRBC level 4 open finalist owned by Rancho Oso Rio, LLC).
