The Exceptional Talent Of AQHA Stallion Cee My Special Nite
Click here to read the complete article
537 – September/October, 2024
By Elizabeth Arnold
Look up the dictionary definition of “versatility,” and you may just see a photo of AQHA stallion Cee My Special Nite. Webster’s Dictionary defines versatility as embracing a variety of subjects, fields, or skills and turning with ease from one thing to another. Certainly, those qualities define the 2017 buckskin stallion by Gunners Special Nite and out of Cee Dun It Do It.
Versatility Defined
This amazing horse’s path to success in the show arena epitomizes versatility—the hallmark of the American Quarter Horse. Cee My Special Nite aka “Diablo” began his career as a Reiner, and under the guidance of Kail Quarter Horses and Ryan Kail the stallion has excelled in ranch events and has now added roping to his repertoire under the guidance of Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer J.D. Yates.
Versatility is nothing new for the team at Kail Quarter Horses based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ryan and Andrea Kail continue a generations-long tradition of training and winning across disciplines. Ryan’s parents, Bob and Debbie Kail, and grandfather, Greg Whalen, are experienced horsemen with deep roots in the stock horse and rodeo industry.
Ryan and Andrea each boasted incredibly successful youth careers in a variety of events from showmanship to horsemanship, halter, and roping. As a youth, Andrea and AQHA legend Zippo LTD set a record for the most classes won by a single rider and horse combination at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. In 2008, Ryan and Andrea joined the family business and Ryan later earned his AQHA and NRHA judges’ cards.
For Kail, versatility and horsemanship go hand in hand. “I’ve always tried to be the best all-around hand I could be. From halter and reining to cow horse, pleasure, and trail, our barn is versatile,” he says. He goes on to explain his approach to embracing diverse disciplines by saying, “When it comes to versatility, I believe the more you know how to handle different situations in showing, training, and care for the horse, the better horseman you’ll be.”
He adds, “In training, I try to take what I learned in pleasure and put it on a reiner or a ranch horse–those skills will help the horse excel in other events. It also ties back to my background in halter and always having everything right. No matter the class, you are always showing to the best of your abilities.”
Kail believes the infusion of ranch classes in AQHA competition has allowed the breed to shine and showcase its natural talent, versatility, and athleticism. “Ranch events demonstrate a horse’s versatility. You have a lot of horses coming to ranch events as a second career after reining, cow horse, and roping. It has really made the ranch horse events thrive. To excel in the ranch events, a horse must be quick, smooth, move well, pick up its feet, and be athletic. If they can do a ranch pattern well, they can do just about any event. Ranch events have opened a world where talented horses can have several careers,” says Kail.
The Three R’s: Reining, Ranch, Roping
Click here to read the complete article
537 – September/October, 2024
