GAINSVILLE, Texas — At the 2007 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, Shining Spark made history as the first NRCHA $2 Million sire when his offspring won enough during the event to propel him past that milestone. Two years later, his talented progeny did it again, and he became the association’s first $3 Million Sire before any other horse could reach the $2 Million mark.

Of the 19 Shining Spark offspring that competed in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2009, 13 made their way to the various finals and earned $233,558 in the process. The total earnings of his foals at the event were $246,640.

Also, at the 2008 National Reining Horse Futurity, a Shining Spark daughter, Shining N Sassy, won the Open and $175,000. Those earnings helped push Shining Spark over the $3 Million Mark in NRHA offspring earnings. At that event, 11 of the Open Finalists were by “Shiner” or out of one of his daughters.

With this latest NRCHA accolade, Shining Spark has become the only stallion with earnings exceeding the $3 million mark in both associations. Shining Spark’s book is now closed to the public. The 21-year-old Shining Spark, a 1989 Palomino Stallion, is owned by former Californian Carol Rose of Gainesville, Texas.

With so many visible achievers, it might seem that there were simply a lot of Shining Spark get “out there” but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the 13 foals that made the Snaffle Bit Futurity finals were from a crop of less than 60. With Shiner, it’s long been a case of quality over quantity.

Owner Carol Rose has been candid about the repercussions of his bout with chondritis in 1999 and how the subsequent life-saving treatment had a lifelong effect on his fertility, forever reducing the amount of mares he was able to breed yearly. Shining Spark’s book is now closed to the public as the career-haunting fertility issue has become increasingly a factor at the age of 21. However, more than 50 mares were bred in both 2008 and 2009, and Rose noted that that number is expected to be the same in 2010.

The Shining Spark foals came of age at a perfect time to show their prowess on bovines, as the reined cow horse industry was booming. That suited Rose just fine. Originally from California, she had ridden reined cow horses from the age of 6 and even when she moved to Texas and began riding cutters, she had always retained a soft spot in her heart for that event.

“Cutting and cow horses have always been my passion. When NRCHA became more universal, I went that direction with the Shiners because his foals were inclined to be good on cattle and they could do the rein work so well,” Rose said. “I never set out to make him a million dollar sire or a two million dollar sire. His foals have spoken for themselves and won with premier trainers and with Non Pros. I thank everyone who has believed in this program and in Shiner’s babies and appreciate their support,” she said.

Rose and Shiner have been a team from the beginning and her voice shows her love for this horse. “I owned and showed Genuine Doc’s mother, Gay Bar’s Gen, bred, raised, and showed Genuine Doc, then bred, raised and am still promoting Shining Spark. These horses are my family. Shiner is my family.”

And like her famous stallion, Rose has been honored as well. She was inducted into the NRCHA Hall of Fame in 2004, and, in 2010, will become a member of the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame.