The remarkable offspring of Colonels Shining Gun and Not Ruf At All have cemented their recent success as a $2 million National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) sire.
Colonel's Shining Gun, known as Jojo, is by NRHA Hall of Famer Gunner and out of Shining Little Peach (by Shining Spark). In 2010, Katarzyna Roleska saw NRHA Hall of Famer Andrea Fappani lead the stallion to a top 10 finish in the NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity and knew she wanted to own Jojo. Within a year, she purchased the stallion, who, with NRHA Million Dollar Rider Cira Baeck at the reins, won major titles in Europe, including the NRHA Level 4 Open European Derby and the silver medal for Team Belgium at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy. In total, Jojo has earned more than $112,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).
Bred by Trend Horses LLC, Colonels Shining Gun reached $1 million in NRHA dollar earnings in 2022. With over 270 NRHA-financed offspring, Jojo has cemented his place in the NRHA history books.
The highest-earning descendants of Colonel’s Shining Gun:
- HS Marshal (out of Dun Its Muddy Secret), owned by Hacienda Sonador LLC, bred and nominated by Gerardo Arturo Fernandez Sanchez, $108,344 NRHA LTE
- CSG Wisemanfear (out of Tejana Chic), owned and nominated by Katarzyna Roleska, bred by Brent Loseke, $101,593 NRHA LTE
- NF Shining Whiz (out of Whowhizthispeppychic), owned by Tamarack Ranch LLC, bred by David Perneel, European nomination by Kim Windey, North American nomination by Tamarack Ranch, $97,937 NRHA LTE
- Snips Shining Gun (out of Snip O Gun), bred and nominated by Hilldale Farm, $94,695 NRHA LTE
- CSG Kenzo (out of Shiner Brimolena), owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC, nominated and bred by Katarzyna Roleska, $82,137 NRHA LTE
Not Ruf At All (A Sparkling Vintage x All Ruffed Up x Lil Ruf Peppy) is one of the few horses in NRHA history to win the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby and National Reining Breeders Classic consecutively. He accomplished this feat for his owner, NRHA Hall of Famer Vaughn Zimmerman, with NRHA $3 million rider Jason Vanlandingham.
Bred and nominated by Petra Zeitler, the stallion earned more than $456,000 NRHA LTE. Not Ruf At All achieved NRHA $1 Million Sire status in 2021 and his offspring continue to rise to the highest levels in the ranks of NRHA competition.
Not Ruf At All's highest earning offspring:
- Rufalicious (out of Magnalicious), owned by Kristen and Ian Cantacuzene Jr., bred and nominated by Vaughn Zimmerman, NRHA LTE $150,162
- Excessive Rufness (out of Smokin Lady Gunner), owned by Robin Mazzocca, bred and nominated by Karl Hapcic, $146,769 NRHA LTE
- Its All About Ruf (out of Dun Pretty Nifty), owned by Taylor Zimmerman, bred and nominated by Vaughn Zimmerman, $118,285 NRHA LTE
- Shining On Ruf (out of Boom Shine Sally), owned by Susannah Rose, bred and nominated by Kristen Avila, $92,659 NRHA LTE
- Ruf Style Of Play (out of UB Stylin With Me), owned by Axel Bouchner, bred by Lorezno Lotti, nominated by Vaughn Zimmerman, $92,180 NRHA LTE
These accomplishments reflect the dedication and vision of their owners, breeders and riders who have nurtured and showcased their exceptional talents. The legacy of Colonel's Shining Gun and Not Ruf At All will undoubtedly inspire future generations in the NRHA community.
