National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open Champion Spooks Gotta Whiz (pictured with Shawn Flarida) is the newest NRHA Million Dollar Sire. • Photo by Waltenberry.

Spooks Gotta Whiz Reaches Breeding Milestone

White-faced, blue-eyed Spooks Gotta Whiz ended his show career as a gold medalist and winner of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Triple Crown. Now, he’s an NRHA Million Dollar Sire.

The bay stallion by Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Gun out of Prettywhizprettydoes (by Topsail Whiz) reached the landmark designation after a strong showing by his foals at the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) in Katy, Texas.

Owner Michell Anne Kimball said the affable stallion named “Baby” seems to have a knack for siring athletic foals with his easy temperament and unique, people-friendly personality.

“I was a hunter jumper trainer for 30 years and I’ve ridden some pretty nice horses, but he’s just a different kind of creature,” she said. “His babies are inheriting his finest features, including his personality.”

Spooks Gotta Whiz, whose first foals were born in 2012, has an NRHA produce record led by Futurity Level 4 Open Champion Spooky Whiz ($181,727; out of Myo Starlight, by Paddys Irish Whiskey) and Futurity Levels 3 & 2 Non-Pro Champion Gotta Twist it Up ($90,105; out of Make It With A Twist, by Dun It With A Twist).

Spooky Whiz and Andrea Fappani were the 2016 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Champions. • Photo by Waltenberry

Other top NRHA earners for Spooks Gotta Whiz are: Thebettertohearuwith ($75,670), Spooks Grand Slam ($42,768), Night Time Spook ($42,579) and KR When In Rome ($40,737).

Spooks Gotta Whiz retired from reining after compiling an Equi-Stat record of $363,435. After winning the Futurity Level 4 Open Championship with Jordan Larson, Spooks Gotta Whiz teamed up with Shawn Flarida to take the NRBC Level 4 Open and NRHA Derby Open championships. He and Equi-Stat Elite $6 Million Rider also won the Individual and Team gold medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

Transitioning her horse into a breeding career, which began the year after he won the Futurity, has been an enjoyable endeavor for Kimball. The stallion stands at Cinder Lakes Ranch in Valley View, Texas.

“I think that it’s more fun for me now sharing the moments that other people are having with the babies; and that they love them,” she said. “Everyone says how much they love him, and it’s a much calmer experience than trying to campaign that stud.”

Although it’s been an unexpected ride, as Kimball never intended to have a breeding stallion, the Californian is grateful and humbled to be part of the career of such a special stallion.

“I think he really truly is this amazing creature. I mean, how blessed can you possibly be,” she asked. “There’s no greater honor than to ever usher a horse like this through his life.”

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