DECEMBER 1999 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 12/03/99; 2:00:00PM.

NATIONAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION: Smart Chic Olena Named NRHA's Fifth Million Dollar Sire

Oklahoma City ~ Smart Chic Olena (Smart Little Lena x Gay Sugar Chic) has just become the fifth sire in NRHA history to achieve Million Dollar Sire status. Smart Chic Olena crossed the million dollar mark following his leading offspring's win at the Colorado Summer Slide held earlier this summer.

The 1985 stallion was the 1993 NRHA Open Reserve World Champion, ridden by Craig Johnson. He is a Gold Certificate Earner and has earned $13,529.76 in NRHA lifetime earnings.

Smart Chic Olena has gone on to sire some of the top horses in NRHA competition. Confirming that he is a sire of champions, Smart Chic Olena has sired foals that have earned top recognition at the NRHA Derby, NRHA Futurity and Championship Show, as well as earned World Championship titles.

Smart Chic Olena's owner, Jim Babcock of Gainesville, Texas said when he bought Smart Chic Olena he was looking for a stallion he could develop and show in the process of using as a cutting stallion. Little did he know, the four-year-old stud he originally purchased in 1989 would go on to achieve such greatness in both the reining and cutting world.

"I have been in the horse business for 30-plus years and this is the most exciting individual I have encounterd." said Babcock.

"His strongest feature is his athleticism. He has always been consistent and it is consistent in his foals," Babcock added.

Smart Chic Olena's offspring are found throughout the United States from coast to coast. His highest earning offspring to date is the 1998 NRHA Futurity Champion, Chic Please, with NRHA lifetime earnings of $106,218.97. Other leading NRHA money earners include, Chocolate Chic Olena, Rowdy Yankee, Paid by Chic, and Smart Little Jewel.

Smart Chic Olena has sired 27 NRHA licensed offspring in the NRHA program, giving the sire a total of $1,045,884.48 in get earnings. He currently stands at the Babcock Ranch at a $7500 breeding fee. Babcock reports that January 1st his price will increase to $10,000.

The National Reining Horse Association is the governing body of the sport of Reining responsible for enforcing the standards of competition, promoting the sport, and educating its members and the general public about the proper performance of the Reining Horse in the show arena. NRHA sanctioned 302 events internationally in 1998 and distributed 3.2 million dollars in competition purses.

Contact the NRHA for more information, 405-946-7400 or 405-946-8410 fax.