BY HAYLEY LEWALLEN

In less than nine months after earning his Four Million Dollar Sire status, Gunner (AQHA Colonels Smoking Gun; APHA Colonels Smokingun) has become The National Reining Horse Association’s (NRHA) fourth, Five Million Dollar Sire. As of May 13, 2013, the NRHA Hall of Fame inductee has official offspring earnings of $5,096,543.
“We feel very lucky to have another great horse in our life, Hollywood Dun It being the first. No matter how great any horse is, it still takes all the people in his life to make him successful. We have so many people to thank for his success and we just want each of them to know how much we appreciate their investment in Gunner and our program,” said Tim and Colleen McQuay after learning of the achievement.
Several of Gunner’s progeny had a successful show at the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) earning over $150,300 in the Challenge classes and Open and Non Pro finals alone. This final push gave Gunner the amount he needed to reach the five million dollar mark. Some of the top earners included: Americasnextgunmodel owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA. and ridden by NRHA Professional Casey Deary; HF Mobster owned by Heritage Farms/Rhodes River Ranch and ridden by NRHA Million Dollar Rider and Professional Jordan Larson; Chics San Guns owned by S. Coguaike and ridden by NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider, Hall of Fame inductee and Professional Shawn Flarida; Always Gotyer Gunsup owned by McQuay Stables and ridden by NRHA Million Dollar Rider Mandy McCutcheon; Customized Gunner owned by McQuay Stables and ridden by Mandy McCutcheon; and Gunsmokes TNT owned by Mary Jansma and ridden by NRHA Professional Sebastian Petroll.
Bred by Eric Storey of Henagar, Ala., Gunner is the top NRHA earning offspring of Colonelfourfreckle (Colonel Freckles x Miss Solano). Gunner is out of Katie Gun who has produced NRHA earners of more than $544,000. The 1993 stallion currently stands in Tioga, Texas at McQuay Stables, Inc. and is owned by McQuay Stables, Inc. (NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame inductee Tim McQuay and wife Colleen). Gunner earned nearly $175,000 in his career. His accolades include:
• 1996 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Champion ridden by Clint Haverty
• 1997 NRHA Derby Level 4 Non Pro finalist ridden by Kim Sloan
• 1998 NRBC Level 4 Open Reserve Champion ridden by Clint Haverty
• 1998 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open finalist ridden by Clint Haverty
• 2001 USET Festival Of Champions National Reining Champion ridden by Bryant Pace






















For this issue contained a first for Western Horse Review – our inaugural Young Guns – Top 25 Under 25. I’m exceptionally happy with how this feature transpired. The talent and inspiration springing forth from our youth carries a strong western vibe. I know you’ll love the 25 amazing western youth we chose to profile this year, and I hope this feature will become a regular part of our editorial calendar.
Raising a kid in the country in modern times is not for the faint of heart. With the appeal of mass media and the modern tech culture nipping on the heels of our western lifestyle, it becomes more difficult to convince our children that the outdoors is their playground, the merits of rising in time for a sunrise, or the rewards of land and livestock stewardship. Yet, the similar thread amongst the stories of our 25 “young guns” is their ultimate appreciation of a country upbringing. Echoing that thought is our 25 Things I Want My Ranch Kid to Know, written by blogger Rachel Larsen of
Our Futurity Road series ramps up as Saskatchewan trainer Dale Clearwater relates the progress of his four cow horse futurity hopefuls. There’s a few bridges to cross yet before they wind up “on deck” at the first of the shows.
We also begin a three-part series with Dan James, a world renowned liberty trainer and take readers through step-by-step of his “Double Dan” method of horsemanship.
We cover some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when planning your barn. . .
. . . and, Al Dunning relates the merits of one of his favorite pieces of tack.
With a tenacity for the sport, flashy wardrobes and Colt firearms, Annie Bianco Ellett, or “Outlaw Annie” is a perfect fit for the position of national spokesperson for mounted shooting. She’s just one of 10 revelations of the sport we reveal in this issue’s 10 Things You Didn’t Know.
Look as well for an indepth discussion on post-foaling considerations, as well as Med of the Month and our alternative therapy focus for this issue is equine myofascial release. Fascia is the tissue that wraps around a horse’s bones, muscles and tendons, and over time it can become restricted and lead to lameness.
Deanna Buschert travelled to a small town in rural Quebec last June to take in the infamous Rodeo de Charlevoix, an event which has developed a bit of a cult following in this province. If bullfighting and extreme events such as the pick-up race are your idea of rodeo fare, be sure to check in on this feature – it’s our featured Getaway of the issue.
For this issue’s Food of the West column, and just in time for barbecue season, I’m sharing the keys to grilling a great steak. It’s all in the prep and the finish. Plus, an easy-side dish that covers both starch and veggies and a perfect country summer dessert – Strawberry Fool.