Mark Hurd and Shine Katies Gun Win All Star Reining Stakes Non-Pro Level Futurity at Congress

Shine Katies Gun, known as “Dolly” around the barn, has been owned by Mark Hurd for a number of years before wining the Championship title in the All Star Reining Stakes Non-Pro Level 1 Futurity at Congress.

“Dolly is out of a mare named Smart Chic Katie that I’ve owned for a number of years. She’s probably my first love, or I guess my second love, but only second to my wife,” said Hurd. “I’ve been a really big believer in that mare, so it was really important to me to get a foal out of her who could compete at this level.”

Mark Hurd on his home-raised mare Shine Katies Gun. * Photo by Sarah Welk Baynum

Peter DeFreitas is Hurd and Dolly’s trainer, who played a big part in their win at Congress.

“We just kind of tried to ride conservatively today, and tried not make any big mistakes. I was super happy with her, and she’s really come a long way. Peter’s done a great job with her,” said Hurd.

Hurd explains her big maneuvers helped her stand out to the judges in this competitive class.

“She’s a big stopper, turns hard, and I just love her. I’m just so happy that I now have a good show horse out of my mare,” he said

Taking home this championship title also marked a long sought out family winning trifecta, and Hurd said it’s now far from his last Congress.

“My daughters both have Congress trophies, and as I was coming here to the Congress, I was thinking about this. It’s great that my kids each got a Congress trophy, but I thought it’s too bad I may never get one. But lo and behold, I got one today.  So, now I have the championship trifecta in the Hurd family,” he said.

Hurd plans to take Shine Katies Gun (Shine Chic Shine x Smart Chic Katie x Colonels Smoking Gun ‘Gunner’) to the NRHA Futurity and show her there as well after Congress.