In The Blood—Gunnatrashya & the Influence of King P-234

Gunnatrashya is one of today’s most influencial reining sires, possibly even the most. None of that would be possible without the influence of foundational horses such as King P-234 and current horses ties to him.

When Gunnatrashya went to the arena in 2009 with National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Fame trainer Shawn Flarida in the saddle, they secured wins in two of the most prestigious shows in reining, the NRHA Open Futurity and the All-American Quarter Horses Congress Open Reining Futurity. They won the 2010 NRHA Open Derby and their show record reflected earning of $233,757.

Since his retirement from the arena Gunnatrashya has steadily moved up the sire list and today he has offspring earnings of $15 Million according to EquiStat. When we look at the EquiStat reining earnings for the last five years we see that Gunnatrashya is the number one reining horse sire with earnings of $8,515,562. He is the sire of horses like Gunnabebigtime, the 2024 The Run For A Million Open Reining Challenge Champion as well as the NRHA Open Futurity Champions Andiamoe (2022), Ten Thirty (2021), Super Marioo (2019) and ARC Gunnabeabigstar (2014). He has even crossed into the reined cow horse siring Snapdragons, the 2020 NRCHA Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Co-Reserve Champion.

The Influence Of King P-234

Gunnatrashya was bred by Katarina Dorminy and is owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, an EquiStat $3 Million Owner. His pedigree story has many elements that include crosses to Leo, Three Bars and King P-234. But delve deeper into his pedigree and you can see how he has been a genetic carrier for the blood of the legend King P-234.

The first look at the pedigree of Gunnatrashya (Colonels Smoking Gun x Natrasha x Trashadeous) we initially see where his sire power comes from. His paternal grandsire Colonel Freckles (Jewels Leo Bar x Christy Jay x Rey Jay) is a prominent influence on the modern day reining horse. His paternal granddam is Katie Gun (John Gun x Bueno Katie x Aledo Bueno Bar) an outstanding show mare with a Superior in reining. She is the dam of horses that have earned $686,926 in the arena. She is a granddaughter of Mr Gun Smoke, another significant sire in the performance horse world.  Gunnatrashya’s broodmare sire is Trashadeous, an NRHA Hall of Fame member who was out of Miss White Trash (by Mr Gun Smoke) giving Gunnatrashya a breeding pattern of 5 x 4 to Mr Gun Smoke. 

 But it is the blood of King P-234 that forms the foundation of his pedigree. King P-234 was advertised as a cornerstone of the foundation of the American Quarter Horse and that is especially true in the modern reining horse. Here are a few examples of King P-234’s role in the reining horse and its foundation.

King P-234 * QHN File Photo

He is the sire of Continental King, the first horse inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame. He was the broodmare sire of Okie Leo, a top reining horse before the NRHA got its start. His record shows that he won 50 of 55 reining classes earning a Superior in that event. He sired Brittons Princess, the 1972 NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion, late in his breeding career. Pocorochie Bo, the first NRHA Futurity winner, carried a 3 x 4 breeding pattern to King P-234 and Mr Poco Luis, the 1967 NRHA Futurity Champion, was a great grandson of King P-234. Then Joe Cody came along as the sire of many top reining horses such as Topsail Cody and Cassandra Cody, both NRHA Open Futurity Champions.  Joe Cody was a son of Bill Cody and he out of the mare Taboo by King P-234.

Gunnatrashya has followed in his sire’s hoof prints as a performer and as a sire. Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner) counts among his titles the 1996 NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Championship, the 2001 USET Reining Finals Championship and the APHA Open Reining Futurity Championship. He earned $177,386. Gunner has gone on to become the EquiStat all-time leading sire in reining with earnings that have exceeded $15 million.  His top performers include the NRHA Open Futurity Champions Gunnatrashya (2009), Americasnextgunmodel (2012) and All Bettss Are Off (2020).

 The pedigree for Gunner shows that he is sired by Colonelfourfreckles by Colonel Freckles (Jewel’s Leo Bar x Christy Jay x Rey Jay). When we delve into the pedigree of Gunner we see some crosses to King P-234. Christy Jay was out of Christy Carol by Leo Bob who is out of the mare 89’er, a daughter of King P-234. The dam of Colonelfourfreckles is Miss Solano who is sired by Doc’s Solano who is out of Susie’s Bay by Poco Tivio by Poco Bueno by King P-234.

Gunner * Photo by Cheryl Magateaux

The dam of Gunner is Katie Gun by John Gun by One Gun by Mr Gun Smoke. The dam of One Gun is Miss Seventy One by King Command by King P-234 and her dam was Bay Princess Kay by King P-234. This is a 2 x 2 breeding pattern to King P-234 that is termed close inbreeding. An added note the foundation sire Leo had a breeding pattern of 2 x 2 to Joe Reed P-3 who was his paternal and maternal grandsire. The dam of John Gun was Cee Bars Echols who was out of Dorellie who was out of Poco Rieta by Poco Bueno by King P-234. The dam of Katie Gun was Bueno Katie by Aledo Bueno Bar who was sired by Aledo Bar who was out of Willful Miss by King P-234. The dam of Aledo Bueno Bar was Mui Bueno’s Sue by Mui Bueno by Poco Bueno by King P-234. Bank Night Kate was out of King Kate by General Lee by King P-234.

 When we look at the pedigree of Natrasha the dam of Gunnatrashya we get some more crosses to King P-234. Natrasha was sired by Trashadeous (Be Aech Enterprise x Miss White Trash x Mr Gun Smoke) and out of My Royal Enterprise (Be Aech Enterprise x Snappy Royal x Snap’s Pablo). This gives Natrasha a breeding pattern of 2 x 2 to Be Aech Enterprise. Be Aech Enterprise was the 1979 NRHA Open Reserve World Champion and a 1978 NRHA Futurity finalist on his way to earning $20,699. He was the second stallion to become a million-dollar reining horse sire with earnings of $1,347,709. He counts among his offspring Surprise Enterprise the 1990 NRHA Open World Champion and BH Song And Dance the 1990 NRHA Open Derby World Champion. His broodmare sire record shows that his grandget earned $3,637,174. His foals in this group include 1989 NRHA Open Futurity Champion Brennas Kid ($115,862).

Be Aech Enterprise’s Influence

 Be Aech Enterprise serves as an example of close inbreeding to King P-234. His sire was Squaw Leo by Squaw King by King P-234. Squaw King was out of Squaw H by King P-234. This is close inbreeding to King P-234 with a 1 x 2 breeding pattern. Enterprise Lady was the dam of Be Aech Enterprise and she was sired by Poco Enterprise by Poco Bueno by King P-234. The dam of Enterprise Lady was Lady Chock 56 by LH Chock by King P-234. The dam of Enterprise Lady was Seco Lady by Seco King by King P-234. This gives Enterprise Lady a breeding pattern of 3 x 3 to King P-234. Miss White Trash the dam of Trashadeous is out of Hank’s Two Sox by Wolf Hank by Hank H by King P-234. My Royal Enterprise was sired by Snap’s Pablo who was out of Little Ginger H a daughter of Ginger H by King P-234.  The dam of Snappy Royal was Mary Clegg by Royal King by King P-234. This gives Snappy Royal a breeding pattern of 4 x 3 to King P-234. Gunnatrashya has a breeding pattern of 8 x 8 x 8 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 8 x 7 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 7 x 7 x 8 x 7 x 8 x 6 x 7 x 7 x 8 x 7 x 7 x 6 to King P-234. The first thing you may think about when we see all these crosses to King P-234 is that they are all in the sixth generation and beyond and some feel that King P-234 has less influence on the pedigree of Gunnatrashya. But when we stop and think about linebreeding being the recycling of genes then we are recycling the genes of King P-234 through a variety of individuals that carry the blood of this great stallion. Well, that is where Be Aech Enterprise comes into the picture through his daughter Natrasha. Natrasha has that intense close inbreeding pattern of 2 x 2 to Be Aech Enterprise which gives her a high level of King P-234 genes. When inbred like this, the foal produced gets a high number of genes from the common ancestor and theoretically this makes them more homozygous for those genes. Thus, it is easier to pass those genes on to the next generation. The King P-234 genes in this case. Thus, the inbreeding in Be Aech Enterprise moves the King P-234 genes forward in the pedigree helping maintain the influence of the King P-234 in the pedigree. King P-234 died in 1958 and is still a part of the modern reining horse because of horses like Be Aech Enterprise and his intense King P-234 breeding pattern especially through Natrasha the dam of Gunnatrashya.

The first thing you may think about when we see all these crosses to King P-234 is that they are all in the sixth generation and beyond and some feel that King P-234 has less influence on the pedigree of Gunnatrashya. But when we stop and think about linebreeding being the recycling of genes then we are recycling the genes of King P-234 through a variety of individuals that carry the blood of this great stallion. Well, that is where Be Aech Enterprise comes into the picture through his daughter Natrasha. Natrasha has that intense close inbreeding pattern of 2 x 2 to Be Aech Enterprise which gives her a high level of King P-234 genes. When we inbreed like this the foal produced gets a high number of genes from the common ancestor and theoretically this makes them more homozygous for those genes. Thus, it is easier to pass those genes on to the next generation. The King P-234 genes in this case. Thus, the inbreeding in Be Aech Enterprise moves the King P-234 genes forward in the pedigree helping maintain the influence of the King P-234 in the pedigree. King P-234 died in 1958 and is still a part of the modern reining horse because of horses like Be Aech Enterprise and his intense King P-234 breeding pattern especially through Natrasha the dam of Gunnatrashya.