Weatherford, Texas—WR This Cats Smart (High Brow Cat x The Smart Look x Smart Little Lena) has become the second stallion to reach NRCHA Seven Million Dollar Sire status. Owned by Wagonhound Land & Livestock and bred by Wiens Ranch Co., the stallion’s own performance record comes from the cutting pen as a finalist in 26 National Cutting Horse Association major events. His legacy as a sire of reined cow horses is also undeniable.
“Reaching the $7 million milestone in reined cow horse earnings is both humbling and deeply rewarding,” said owner Art Nicholas. “It represents two decades of consistent performance from horses that not only win at the highest levels but also stay sound and useful well beyond the show pen. WR This Cats Smart has proven himself as one of the most versatile stallions. His offspring have now earned more than $20.6 million across cutting, reined cow horse, reining, ranching, roping and barrel racing. That kind of across-the-board success speaks to conformation, intelligence and grit—qualities that still define the foundation of our breeding goals today.”
While WR This Cats Smart passed in 2022 at 23 years old, his influence continues in some of the winningest reined cow horses in the industry. His top earners include (as of November 7, 2025):
- Shine Smarter (2012 mare out of Shiney Tari): $366,919.89; 2023 The American Performance Horseman Reined Cow Horse Champion and 2017 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Open Champion.
- Cabanna Boy (2019 gelding out of Shining Madonna): $212,299.85; 2023 NRCHA Derby Open Champion and 2022 National Stock Horse Association Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion.
- Saddling At Sunrise (2016 stallion out of Sunshine Ingredient): $183,090.22; 2024 NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman® Reserve Champion and 2021 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Reserve Champion.
“When we talk to breeders and trainers, consistency, heart and cow sense are the three things that surface over and over,” said ranch manager Dustin Ewing. “His get have a distinctive way of reading a cow. They’re incredibly smart and rate naturally, yet they’re also trainable and forgiving, which makes them a pleasure to ride and show. Physically, they tend to have good balance and a strong topline, with enough size and bone to hold up over time. Mentally, they’re the kind of horses that show up every day—they want to work, they handle pressure, and they have a genuine try that’s hard to teach.”
Ewing added that the enthusiasm for WR This Cats Smart’s maternal lines is consistent and a vital component of his success as a sire.
“WR This Cats Smart continues to cement his legacy as a sire of reined cow horses—and in other Western performance disciplines,” said NRCHA Executive Director Emily Konkel. “Congratulations to the Wagonhound Ranch on this remarkable achievement.”
Learn more about all NRCHA’s Million Dollar Sires at nrcha.com/nrcha-million-dollar-sires/.
