Horses standing
Spooks Gotta Gun, left, and Gunners Special Nite, right, both passed breeding milestones recently. • Photos by John Brasseaux.

Gunners Special Nite & Spooks Gotta Gun Hit Sire Milestones

Two successful reining stallions continued to perform in the breeding shed when their offspring recently earned them the distinction of becoming a National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Two Million Dollar Sire.

The NRHA announced in September that Gunners Special Nite (Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner] x Mifs Doll x Mifillena) and Spooks Gotta Gun (Grays Starlight x Katie Gun x John Gun) had unofficially achieved the honor.

The two talented stallions with flashy white faces share more than the timing of their offspring’s achievements: They also have a pedigree connection through the mare Katie Gun, who is Spooks Gotta Gun’s mother and also the dam of Gunner, the sire of Gunners Special Nite. Overall, Katie Gun (out of Bueno Katie x Aledo Bueno Bar) has foaled 17 earners of $656,347.

A two-time Fédération Equestre Internationale World Equestrian Games (WEG) gold medalist, Gunners Special Nite achieved the status during the Tulsa Reining Classic. He is owned by Turnabout Farm Inc and stands at Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses, in Aubrey, Texas.

Before embarking on his stallion career, the double-registered sorrel stallion bred by Kim and Debra Sloan, of Newfoundland, New Jersey, earned $222,974 in the reining pen. In addition to his WEG exploits, his top finishes include the 2007 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Championship and Level 3 Open Championship.

The top five money-earning foals by Gunners Special Nite, according to Equi-Stat:

* Modern Gun, 2013 stallion ($151,393, out of Taris Modern Design, by Mr Boomerjac)

* Baileys Not Painted (PT), 2013 stallion ($74,498, out of Darlins Not Painted(PT), by Smokin Chic Olena (PT)

* Hollywood Nites, 2013 stallion ($64,191, out of Dun It For Chex, by Hollywood Dun It)

* Wham Bam Gunner Man, 2012 stallion ($60,844, out of Super Olena Chic, by Smart Chic Olena)

* Sunglasses At Nite, 2012 gelding ($52,802, out of Chexy Dun It, by Hollywood Dun It)

Spooks Gotta Gun

Spooks Gotta Gun, who passed the NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire mark in early September, was the 2007 American Paint Horse Association Junior Reining World Champion. He earned $81,638 in the reining pen with top placings such as the Reining By The Bay Derby Level 4 Open Championship and a third-place finish at the Level 4 Open at the NRHA Derby.

The 2002 stallion stands at Silver Spurs Equine in Cave Creek, Arizona. He became an NRHA One Million Dollar Sire in 2015.

His top earner is NRHA Triple Crown Champion Spooks Gotta Whiz, a 2007 stallion that earlier this year was recognized as an Equi-Stat Elite$1 Million Sire and NRHA Million Dollar Sire.

The top five money-earning offspring of Spooks Gotta Gun, according to Equi-Stat:

* Spooks Gotta Whiz, 2007 stallion ($363,435, out of Prettywhizprettydoes, by Topsail Whiz)

* Spooksgottachicolena, 2012 gelding ($130,869, out of Braz Us, by Smart Chic Olena)

* Oops Itsa Spooks, 2013 stallion ($105,297, out of Tejons Finally Dun It, by Hollywood Dun It).

* The Kids Gotta Gun, 2010 stallion ($101,030, out of Milimelo Kid, by Brennas Kid)

* Ifwhizswereguns, 2013 stallion ($83,192, out of Ifwhizsweredollars, by Topsail Whiz)

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