Top 15: World’s Greatest Horseman All-Time Leaders

The title of World’s Greatest Horseman is considered one of the toughest achievements for Western performance competitors. It involves four events: herd work, rein work, steer stopping, and fence work, all done by one horse and rider.

Although not many have won it, lots of skilled riders and horses come back each year. Some have even won more than once, and many horses have been in the finals multiple times.

For the 2024 competition — which starts on Wednesday with the preliminaries — Quarter Horse News looked at the stats to find the top horses, breeding stock and people involved in the event’s history, according to EquiStat.

Horses 1. Call Me Mitch

Pedigree: 11S (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Doc’s Hickory)
Earnings: $232,917
Rider: Phillip Ralls, Paso Robles, CA
Owner: Estelle Roitblat Living Trust, San Luis Obispo, CA 
Breeder: James Eakin, Hondo, TX
Top Finishes:

• Champion (2023)
• Reserve Champion (2018, 2022)

2. Topsails Rien Maker

Pedigree: 99S (Topsail Cody x Jameen Gay x Toby Gay Bar)
Earnings: $131,667
Rider: Russell Dilday, Wynnewood, OK
Owner: K. Cantrelle/R. Dilday
Breeder: Stellato Revocable Trust, Redding, CA
Top Finishes:
• Three-time champion (2008, 2009 and 2011)

3. Katie Starlight

Pedigree: 93M (Grays Starlight x Colonel Gunsmoke x Colonel Freckles)
Earnings: $105,450
Rider: Ted Robinson, Oak View, CA
Owner: Paula & David Hunsicker, Solvang, CA
Breeder: Nick & Julie Arismendi, Bridgeport, TX
Top Finishes:
• Two-time champion (1999 and 2001)

4. Hott Rod 

Pedigree: 15S (Hottish x Sugars Smart Kitty x High Brow Cat)
Earnings: $102,000
Rider: Corey Cushing, Weatherford, TX
Owner: Lynne Wurzer, Tacoma, WA
Breeder: Austin Adams, Logandale, NV
Top Finishes:

• Champion (2022)

5. Olena Oak

Pedigree: 02S (Smart Chic Olena x Fritzs Oak E Doakie x Doc’s Oak)
Earnings: $95,900
Rider: Ron Emmons, Ione, CA
Owners:
+ Scott/Emmons, Ione, CA;
+ Smith/Branquino, Dunnigan, CA
Breeder: David Nogle, Palatine, IL
Top Finishes:

• Two-time champion (2012 and 2013)

RankHorseYOB/Sex/PedigreeEarnings6Gunna Be A Smartie12M (Very Smart Remedy x Gunna Be Mine x Gunna Smoke)$78,500 7Rubys Radar10S (One Time Pepto x Ruby Bagonia x Peppy San Badger)$78,000 8Reyzinette14S (Dual Rey x Sheza Shinette x Shining Spark)$76,000 9Oh Cay N Short04G (Oh Cay Quixote x Bit Of Shorty x Shorty Lena)$63,375 10Miss Plain Plain92M (Just Plain Colonel x Miss Master Blaster x Master Remedy)$60,750 11Paid By Chic93S (Smart Chic Olena x Oaklynn x Doc’s Oak)$58,650 12Smooth N Cash05G (Smooth As A Cat x Dox Gavacash x Miss N Cash)$56,950 13Just Plain Cat99S (High Brow Cat x Shes Alenaglow Rio x Doc O’Lena)$54,125 14Smartly Starstruck12S (Very Smart Remedy x Katie Starlight x Grays Starlight)$49,000 15Dom Dualuise07G (Dual Rey x Smart Little Xx x Smart Little Lena)$45,950  Top World’s Greatest Horseman Riders

The leading rider in the history of the World’s Greatest Horseman is Phillip Ralls, of Paso Robles, CA. His top mount is Call Me Mitch, who has a championship and two reserve championships to his name.

Here are the top riders in the event by earnings, according to EquiStat:

RankRiderTop Money–Earning MountTotal Earnings1Phillip RallsCall Me Mitch ($232,917)$281,867 2Corey CushingHott Rod ($102,000)$203,767 3Russell DildayTopsails Rien Maker ($131,667)$193,417 4Bob AvilaPaid By Chic ($58,650)$143,333 5Ted RobinsonKatie Starlight ($105,450)$140,333 6Jake TelfordSparktilion ($40,000)$132,933 7Chris DawsonReyzinette ($76,000)$130,750 8Ron EmmonsOlena Oak ($95,900)$124,442 9Boyd RiceOh Cay N Short ($63,375)$124,063 10Zane DavisRubys Radar ($78,000)$114,875 11Todd BergenSmartly Starstruck ($49,000)$109,017 12John SwalesMetallic Cat Rose ($42,000)$108,500 13Kelby PhillipsHickory Holly Time ($41,250)$102,750 14Jon RoeserChex Out This Remedy ($40,495)$97,287 15Todd CrawfordPlay Dual Rey ($24,875)$96,617 

Sires

The list of leading sires in this four-event competition is EquiStat Elite $66 Million Sire Metallic Cat, who is the father of 2023 Champion and all-time money earning horse in the event, Call Me Mitch.

RankSireYOB/Sex/PedigreeEarnings1Metallic Cat05S (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal)$339,512 2Smart Chic Olena85S (Smart Little Lena x Gay Sugar Chic x Gay Bar King)$320,461 3Dual Rey94S (Dual Pep x Nurse Rey x Wyoming Doc)$257,525 4Grays Starlight84S (Peppy San Badver x Doc’s Stqrlight x Doc Bar)$236,170 5One Time Pepto01S (Peptoboonsmal x One Time Soon x Smart Little Lena)$169,408 6Very Smart Remedy99S (Smart Little Lena x Remedys Response x Doc’s Remedy)$158,200 7Shining Spark89S (Genuine Doc x Diamonds Sparkle x Mr Diamond Dude)$145,616 8Topsail Cody77S (Joe Cody x Doc Bar Linda x Doc Bar)$131,667 9Bet Hesa Cat06S (High Brow Cat x Bet Yer Blue Boons x Freckles Playboy)$120,167 10Hottish08S (Spots Hot x Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak)$102,000 11Smart Little Lena79S (Doc O’Lena x Smart Peppy x Peppy San$81,845 12Just Plain Colonel83S (Colonel Freckles x Grey Nelly x Blue Whammy Cat)$78,892 13Oh Cay Quixote86S (Doc Quixote x Oh Cay San x Peppy San)$63,375 14Smooth As A Cat99S (High Brow Cat x Shes Pretty Smooth x Wheeling Peppy)$61,548 15High Brow Cat88S (High Brow Hickory x Smart Little Kitty x Smart Little Lena)$58,950  Top World’s Greatest Horseman Dams 1. Miss Hickory Hill

Pedigree: 97M (Doc’s Hickory x Whatyouthink x Son Ofa Doc)
Progeny Earnings: $232,917
Money-winners: 1

• 2023 Champion Call Me Mitch ($232,917, by Metallic Cat)

2. Sheza Shinette

Pedigree: 98M (Shining Spark x Chicks And Chex x Smart Chic Olena)
Progeny Earnings:  $142,433
Money-winners: 4

• Reyzinette ($76,000, by Dual Rey)
• 2017 Champion Heza Diamond Spark ($35,500, by Diamond J Star)
• Hes Shinettes CD ($21,533, by CD Olena)
• Once A Von A Time ($9,400, by Von Reminic)

3. Jameen Gay

Pedigree: 87M (Toby Gay Bar x Vegas Lynx x Doc’s Lynx)
Progeny Earnings: $133,667
Money-winners: 1

• Three-time Champion Topsails Rien Maker ($133,667, by Topsail Cody)

4. Colonel Gunsmoke

Pedigree: 81M (Colonel Freckles x Sweetbreeze x Mr Gun Smoke)
Progeny Earnings: $105,450
Money-winners: 1

• 1999 Champion Katie Starlight ($105,450, by Grays Starlight)

5. Sugars Smart Kitty

Pedigree: 09M (High Brow Cat x Billies Smart Lena x Smart Little Lena)
Progeny Earnings: $102,000
Money-winners: 1

• 2022 Champion Hott Rod ($102,000, by Hottish)

RankDamYOB/Sex/PedigreeEarnings6Fritzs Oak E Doakie92M (Doc’s Oak x Will Dustbritches x Will Roll)$95,900 7Gunna Be Mine97M (Gunna Smoke x Seductivio x Sensitivio)$78,500 8Ruby Begonia94M (Peppy San Badger x Playboys Ruby x Freckles Playboy)$78,000 9Bit Of Shorty96M (Shorty Lena x Freckles For Sure x Colonel Freckles)$63,375 10Miss Master Blaster84M (Master Remedy x Hobby Cat x Hobby Horse)$60,750 11Oaklynn78M (Doc’s Oak x Go Go Princess x Royal Poco Dell)$58,650 12Dox Gavacash89M (Miss N Cash x Docs Vaiota x Doc Bar)$56,950 13Shes Alenaglow Rio86M (Doc O’Lena x Freckles Aglow x Freckles Playboy)$54,125 14Katie Starlight93M (Grays Starlight x Colonel Gunsmoke x Colonel Freckles)$49,000 15Smart Little Xx93M (Smart Little Lena x Hickoryslittlepepy x Doc’s Hickory$45,950  Top World’s Greatest Horseman Owners RankOwnerLeading EarnerMoney Won1Estelle Roitblat Living TrustCall Me Mitch ($232,917)$232,917 2Holy Cow Performance Horses LLCReyzinette ($76,000)$138,058 3K. Cantrelle/R. DildayTopsails Rien Maker ($126,667)$126,667 4Paula and David HunsickerKatie Starlight ($105,405)$105,405 5McSpyder RanchGunna Be A Smartie ($51,000)$105,250 6Lynne WurzerHott Rod ($102,000)$102,000 7Michelle CannonShiney Outlaw ($43,500)$83,500 8C Ranches IncRubys Radar ($78,000)$78,000 9Anne ReynoldsVery Smart Remedy ($31,417)$65,917 10Scott/Darnell TruebloodMiss Plain Plain ($60,750)$61,750 11Roloff RanchSmooth N Cash ($56,950)$59,450 12M. Smith/N. BranquinhoOlena Oak ($59,000)$59,000 13Paid By PartnersPaid By Chic ($58,650)$58,650 14Beverly ServiBet Hesa Boon ($45,000)$53,750 15Forty-Seven IncOh Cay N Short ($51,500)$53,188  Top World’s Greatest Horseman Breeders RankBreederTop EarnerTotal Earnings1James EakinCall Me Mitch ($232,917)$233,917 2Holy Cow Performanec Horses LLCReyzinette ($76,000)$145,743 3Stellato Revocable TrustTopsails Rien Maker ($131,667)$131,667 4Arcese Quarter HorsesRubys Radar ($78,000)$124,000 5Jim BabcockPaid By Chic ($58,650)$118,529 6Joyce PearsonGunna Be A Smartie ($78,500)$113,500 7Ward RanchMiss Plain Plain ($60,750)$105,783 8Nick/Julie ArismendiKatie Starlight ($105,450)$105,450 9Carol RoseBlind Sided ($33,250)$105,203 10Gardiner Quarter HorsesBet Hesa Boon ($45,000)$102,129 11Austin AdamsHott Rod ($102,000)$102,000 12David NogleOlena Oak ($95,900)$95,900 13Polo RanchLight N Fine ($39,875)$81,875 14Clear Lake Land & CattleChex Out This Remedy ($43,245)$77,662 15Eric StoreyShine By The Bay ($32,125)$67,125