(Excerpt from “In The Blood: Americasnexttopgun and his ties to Mr Gun Smoke” by Larry Thornton and published by Quarter Horse News)
Mr Gun Smoke was a unique individual that possessed great quickness and power that made him a courageous horse. But it was hard to control that power, quickness and courage. It was trainer Dale Wilkinson who guided that power and quickness that would earn a Superior in AQHA cutting with 71 performance points. He was an NCHA Certificate of Ability winner earning $8,476.
This is what Dale Wilkinson said about the intensity of Mr Gun Smoke, “I have always thought that Oklahoma Star might be the dominant factor in Mr Gun Smoke. He had so much courage. He never saw a stud he didn’t think he could whip, and he never saw a cow he couldn’t head. He was a very courageous horse.”
Wilkinson went on to explain that Mr Gun Smoke got his grit from Oklahoma Star as the Leos were more laid back as a bloodline. He also noted that as you moved away from Mr Gun Smoke in the pedigree that his descendants were outstanding performers but more manageable.
A look at the pedigree of Mr Gun Smoke will give us some insight to where that power and quickness came from and the courage this horse had as a performer.
Mr Gun Smoke was sired by Rondo Leo, an AQHA Champion son of Leo’s Question with points in halter, cutting and reining. Leo’s Question was sired by Leo, who was sired by Joe Reed II and out of Little Fanny. Joe Reed II and Little Fanny were sired by Joe Reed P-3, giving Leo a breeding pattern of 2 x 2 to Joe Reed P-3. This is a great example of inbreeding. There also is a significant dose of Oklahoma Star P-6 in Rondo Leo’s pedigree. The dam of Rondo Leo, War Bird, was sired by War Star – a stallion by Oklahoma Star Jr, who was a son of Oklahoma Star P-6. The maternal granddam of Rondo Leo, Star Bird, also was sired by Oklahoma Star P-6
The pedigree of Mr Gun Smoke’s mother, Kansas Cindy, brings in more Oklahoma Star P-6 breeding into the mix. Her sire, Kansas Star was sired by Nowata Star (by Oklahoma Star P-6) and Kansas Star’s mother, Star Jean, was a daughter of Oklahoma Star P-6. This gives Mr Gun Smoke a breeding pattern of 5 x 4 x 4 x 4 to Oklahoma Star P-6.
The Pattern
So, as we look back on Mr Gun Smoke we see that he was produced from the inbreeding found in Leo outcrossed with the linebreeding to Oklahoma Star P-6. This breeding pattern produced the hybrid vigor that contributed to his being a unique individual as a performer and how that contributed to his success as a sire. A sire that was rewarded for his success by being named a member of the NRHA Hall of Fame, NRCHA Hall of Fame and the AQHA Hall of Fame.
So now when you see the expression of the splash gene in a Mr Gun Smoke descendants you understand the role his pedigree played in his influence as a sire not only for the colorful pattern but their outstanding performance capabilities.
