A stellar broodmare and two Italian owners who have long supported the sport of reining are going into the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Fame.
The NRHA announced that Snip O Gun, Roberto Cuoghi and Claudio Risso are the newest inductees. The new NRHA Hall of Fame inductees and soon-to-be-announced NRHA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be honored Dec. 4 at Sliders’ Night Out, presented by Toyon Ranch, during the NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma City.
More on this year’s inductees:
Snip O Gun
The daughter of One Gun and out of Miss Kim O Lena (by Doc O’Lena), was purchased by her current owner, Tammye Hutton of Hilldale Farm in Brashear, Texas, as a 4-year-old from Hill and Dollie Clements. Snip O Gun never showed, but the exceptional mare has proven herself as a star dam from her first foal, producing some of today’s most recognizable reining horses on her way into the NRHA Hall of Fame.
This 1993 mare’s 17 money-earning offspring have placed her fourth on the NRHA Leading Dams list, with a total of more than $930,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE). The industry database Equi-Stat, which tracks earnings in all three Western performance horse sports as well as additional incentives, has her produce earnings even higher at $973,236.
Snip O Gun’s first offspring, by Equi-Stat Elite$3 Million Sire Nu Chex To Cash, was 2013 NRHA Limited Non Pro Futurity finalist Flash Me A Chex. She’s produced 13 additional foals by Nu Chex To Cash, nine of which were NRHA money earners. Some of the pair’s most successful offspring include (NRHA lifetime earnings):
• Big Chex To Cash ($194,260) who holds the titles of 2005 NRHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion and 2007 NRHA Derby Open Reserve Champion. He’s also a successful sire with progeny earnings of more than $1 million, according to Equi-Stat.
• Hot Smokin Chex ($186,598) who won the 2004 All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity Open and placed in the top five at the 2004 NRHA Futurity Open, 2005 National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) Open, and 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.
• Chexmaster ($103,911) who was the 2014 NRHA Futurity Open second go finalist, 2015 Reining By The Bay Derby Open Reserve Champion, and a two-time NRBC Classic finalist.
• Snip O Satellite ($52,057) who was the 2015 NRHA Futurity Level 1 Open Novice Horse Champion, a 2016 NRHA Derby Level 3 Non-Pro finalist, and the 2018 NRHA Intermediate Non-Pro World Champion.
• Snip O Chex ($50,648) who was a 2006 NRHA Non Pro Futurity finalist and a 2008 NRHA Derby Open finalist. Like her mother, Snip O Chex is a successful producer with more than $350,000 in progeny earnings, according to Equi-Stat.
Snip O Gun has also been matched with several other well-known NRHA stallions, delivering high achievers. Her most successful son in the arena is Inferno Sixty Six ($205,690), an NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Champion by Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Sire Gunnatrashya. She also produced Snip O One ($32,261) by A Sparkling Vintage, an NRHA Million Dollar Sire.
She had NRBC open finalists in 2019 and continues to produce quality offspring that leave their marks in NRHA history.
Roberto Cuoghi
Roberto Cuoghi has been involved in the reining world for more than 30 years. Today, he’s one of NRHA’s most successful European owners, breeders, and nominators with offspring both on the top and bottom side of well-known, reiners. Cuoghi was the first owner to enter an Italian-bred horse, Master Snapper, in the NRHA Derby. Master Snapper (Snapper Cal Bar x Colonel Mistress x Great Master Wake) went on to win all three divisions of the 2006 NRHA Open Derby with Kelly Zweifel. Cuoghi paved the road for many European breeders who’ve followed in his footsteps.
The soon-to-be inducted member of the NRHA Hall of Fame established Europe’s successful Italian Reining Horse Breeders Association (IRHBA). He has an ongoing partnership with Eleuterio Arcese to purchase reining horses from the United States to use in the program. The IRHBA has played a vital role in the Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) through consistent sponsorships.
Beyond his success in the European breeding industry, Cuoghi has influenced other realms of the sport. He has served as an NRHA and IRHA board member, held the title of IRHA President since 2007, and been President of the NRHA European Council since its inception.
Additionally, Cuoghi supports and sponsors youth reining programs. His involvement spans the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) European Championships for Seniors, Juniors and Young Riders, the NRHA World Reining Championship, and his latest contribution hosting the inaugural NRHA/RHF/IRHA Global Youth Reining Cup in Cremona, Italy.
Cuoghi continues to be fundamental in serving as an intermediary between European members and NRHA leadership on important matters regarding the reining industry.
Claudio Risso
Claudio Risso’s name is synonymous with reining all over the world. His NRHA membership dates back to the early 90s and spans many categories—owner, exhibitor, breeder, nominator, and mentor.
Risso is 14th on NRHA’s Leading Owner list by breeding money-earning offspring that have accumulated more than $912,000 in LTE. Most recently, his horse Spat Olena made history as the first European-based horse to make NRHA’s Million Dollar Sire list.
Not only has he supplied reining horses to almost all of Europe, but Risso is a big promoter of reining throughout Western Europe. He’s mentored many well-known European reining trainers’ careers including Maurizio Tonini, Mike Davis, Jim Kiser, Stefano Massignan, Martin Gamper, Nicoli Bruneli, Peirlugi Chioldo, Matteo Cunillo, and Matteo Nadalina. Risso is also an IRHA Past President and Board Member.
Risso has earned many accolades in the arena. Some of his top triumphs include 2002 NRHA European Championship Show Non Pro Champion, 2008 IRHA Non Pro Closed Futurity Reserve Champion, 2009 and 2011 IRHA Non Pro Futurity Champion, 2010 NRHA Breeder’s Snaffle Bit Futurity Non-Pro Champion, and 2009, 2013, and 2014 NRHA European Futurity Non-Pro Champion. In the race for NRHA World Championships, Risso is the 2010 Non-Pro World Reserve Champion, 2011 Non-Pro World Champion, and 2012 Non-Pro World Reserve Champion.
He has also been instrumental in the promotion of the FEI Reining Championships in Manerbio and worked very closely with Ceasare’ Croce, the Italian Equestrian Federation, and the FEI to promote youth events around the world. He will now be recognized through his membership in the NRHA Hall of Fame.
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