Working Lines
The Legacy of Mr Gun Smoke By Larry Thornton Looking at the bloodlines influencing the performance industry today, the blood of Mr Gun Smoke pops up on a regular basis. This great stallion has proven over the years to be one of those individuals that has had and will continue to have a lasting influence on the performance horse. He is in the same category as the great stallions Royal King and King Fritz; these three stallions keep contributing to the breed years after they have left us for horse heaven. Mention the name Mr Gun Smoke, and the name Dale Wilkinson has to come up as the man behind the horse. Wilkinson was no stranger to good horses. He is in the National Cutting Horse Association’s Members Hall of Fame and the National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame. He is the only man to have won both the NORAH Open Futurity and the NCHA Open Futurity. He won the first NRHA Futurity in 1966 riding Pocorochie Bo. He won the NCHA Open Futurity in 1972 on Gun Smoke’s Dream. Mr Gun Smoke was foaled in 1961, bred by Harley Price of Bazine, KS. Mr Gun Smoke eventually ended up in Ohio in the ownership of Bill Nicodemus and Tom Ryan. Nicodemus offered Wilkinson one-third interest in Mr Gun Smoke to train the horse for cutting. Wilkinson accepted the reining, I think the better Mr Gun Smoke has become one of terms and started training Mr Gun horses have to have. those rare stallions to have a lasting Smoke. “His quickness was impact on the industry and will go down Wilkinson liked what he found unreal as well," in history as one of the all time great when he started training the horse so Wilkinson added. sires.Photo by Don Trout Courtesy of Jeff he bought out Nicodemus and traded “Controlling the Oswood. with Ryan for his share in the horse. quickness or channeling The Ryan trade consisted of a filly it in the right direction shows. by Mr Gun Smoke. Mr Gun Smoke was the problem. I had never Wilkinson retired Mr Gun had not been shown when Wilkinson experienced anything like it before. Smoke from the arena and stood him took full ownership because of a It was hunt and peck to train the broken bone in his ankle that kept horse. But he was a tremendous cow at stud. Mr Gun Smoke later traveled to the Doc Bar Ranch in California him out of the arena until after his horse. to stand with the cutting legend Doc four-year-old year. “In today's terms, we would Wilkinson explained why he stay inside of a cow and work to the Bar. Then Gary Wexler stood the stallion until they had to put him wanted the horse in a 1993 outside and back to the inside to down at the age of 22. interview: “Mr Gun Smoke was control the cow. He could do this at The sire of Mr Gun Smoke was different! Different in that his any range or distance," Wilkinson Rondo Leo, an AQHA Champion physical ability was unreal. He had a said. with 20 halter points and 25 cutting lot of cow. In addition, a lot of The injury did not slow Mr Gun points. Leo's Question was the sire understanding of a cow. He had a Smoke down as he went on to earn of Rondo Leo. Leo's Question was tremendous amount of stop, which an AQHA Superior Cutting Award an AA racehorse that has become a has been transmitted through the and an NCHA Certificate of Ability. noted sire in the cutting industry. The years to his offspring–grandsons and Wilkinson and Mr Gun Smoke granddaughters. Lots of stop, which finished llth in the NCHA Open Top Leo’s Question daughters have excelled as producers of cutting in the events we pursue, cutting and Fifteen earning $8,476 in about 30 WORKING HORSE MAGAZINE • Stallion Issue 2014
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