The World’s Greatest Horseman title is considered by many to be one of the toughest feats Western performance competitors can attain. It’s four events — herd work, rein work, steer stopping and fence work — completed by one horse and one rider.
Though few have won it, many of the horses and skilled riders return year after year. There are several repeat champions, and many horses have made multiple appearances in the finals.
In recognition of the 2021 competition, which starts today with the preliminaries, Quarter Horse News dug through the stats to find the all-time leading horses, riders, sires and standout dams in the history of the great event, as compiled by Equi-Stat.
Leading Horses
1. 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)
2. 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, Clements, CA
Top Finishes:
• Two-time champion (1999 and 2001)
3. Olena Oak
Pedigree: 02S (Smart Chic Olena x Fritzs Oak E Doakie x Doc’s Oak)
Earnings: $95,900
Rider: Ron Emmons, Ione, CA
Owner: Nichole Scott/LaDona Emmons
Breeder: David Nogle, Palatine, IL
Top Finishes:
• Two-time champion (2012 and 2013)
4. Oh Cay N Short
Pedigree: 04G (Oh Cay Quixote x Bit of Shorty x Shorty Lena)
Earnings: $63,375
Rider: Boyd Rice, Weatherford, TX
Owner: Forty-Seven Inc., Weatherford, TX
Breeder: Patty Frerichs Auw, Ogden, IL
Top Finishes:
• Champion (2014)
• Reserve champion (2013)
5. Miss Plain Plain
Pedigree: 92M (Just Plain Colonel x Miss Master Blaster x Master Remedy)
Earnings: $60,750
Rider: Russell Dilday, Wynnewood, OK
Owner: Scott & Darnell Trueblood, Ducor, CA
Breeder: Ward Ranch, Tulare, CA
Top Finishes:
• Two-time reserve champion (2004 and 2005)
| Rank | Horse | YOB/Sex/Pedigree | Earnings |
| 6 | Paid By Chic | 93S (Smart Chic Olena x Oaklynn x Doc’s Oak) | $58,650 |
| 7 | Smooth N Cash | 05G (Smooth As A Cat x Dox Gavacash x Miss N Cash) | $56,950 |
| 8 | Just Plain Cat | 99S (High Brow Cat x Shes Alenaglow Rio x Doc O’Lena) | $54,125 |
| 9 | Dom Dualuise | 07G (Dual Rey x Smart Little Xx x Smart Little Lena) | $45,950 |
| 10 | Chex Out This Remedy | 92S (Doc’s Remedy x Fresno’s Miss Chex x Bueno Chex) | $45,245 |
| 11 | Metallic Cat Rose | 11M (Metallic Cat x Teletrona x Little Trona) | $42,000 |
| 12 | Hickory Holly Time | 10S (One Time Pepto x Hickorys Holly Cee x Doc’s Hickory) | $41,250 |
| 13 | Sonita Lena Rey | 11S (Dual Rey x Sonita Lena Chick x Smart Chic Olena) | $41,000 |
| 14 | Duals Lucky Charm | 13G (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid) | $40,500 |
| 15 | Sparktilion | 10M (Shining Spark x Cattilion x High Brow Cat) | $40,000 |
Leading Riders
The leading rider in the history of the World’s Greatest Horseman is Russell Dilday of Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Dilday’s top mount is three-time World’s Greatest Champion Topsails Rien Maker.
Here are the top riders in the event by earnings, according to Equi-Stat:
| Rank | Rider | Top Money-Earning Mount | Earnings |
| 1 | Russell Dilday | Topsails Rien Maker ($131,667) | $193,417 |
| 2 | Robert C. “Bob” Avila | Paid By Chic ($58,650) | $143,333 |
| 3 | Ted Robinson | Katie Starlight ($105,450) | $140,033 |
| 4 | Jake Telford | Sparktilion ($40,000) | $124,933 |
| 5 | Rob Emmons | Olena Oak ($95,900) | $124,442 |
| 6 | Jon Roeser | Chex Out This Remedy ($40,495) | $97,287 |
| 7 | Boyd Rice | Oh Cay N Short ($63,375) | $93,313 |
| 8 | John Swales | Metallic Cat Rose ($42,000) | $92,000 |
| 9 | Ron Ralls | A Chic In Time ($34,000) | $90,804 |
| 10 | Corey Cushing | Sonita Lena Rey ($41,000) | $90,267 |
| 11 | Kelby Phillips | Hickory Holly Time ($41,250) | $81,750 |
| 12 | Phillhip Ralls | Dom Dualuise ($45,950) | $79,450 |
| 13 | Todd Crawford | Play Dual Rey ($24,875) | $78,867 |
| 14 | Robbie Boyce | PG Dry Fire ($25,775) | $77,470 |
| 15 | Jake Gorrell | Smooth N Cash ($56,950) | $77,408 |
Leading Sires
The list of leading sires in this four-event competition is Equi-Stat Elite $14 Million Sire Smart Chic Olena, who is the father of two-time winner Olena Oak, as well as other top horses, such as 2000 Champion Paid By Chic.
| Rank | Sire | Pedigree | Earnings |
| 1 | Smart Chic Olena | (Smart Little Lena x Gay Sugar Chic x Gay Bar King) | $320,461 |
| 2 | Grays Starlight | (Peppy San Badger x Doc’s Starlight x Doc Bar) | $236,170 |
| 3 | Shining Spark | (Genuine Doc x Diamonds Sparkle x Mr Diamond Dude) | $145,616 |
| 4 | Topsail Cody | (Joe Cody x Doc Bar Linda x Doc Bar) | $131,667 |
| 5 | Dual Rey | (Dual Pep x Nurse Rey x Wyoming Doc) | $139,775 |
| 6 | One Time Pepto | (Peptoboonsmal x One Time Soon x Smart Little Lena) | $92,986 |
| 7 | Smart Little Lena | (Doc O’Lena x Smart Peppy x Peppy San) | $81,845 |
| 8 | Just Plain Colonel | (Colonel Freckles x Gray Nelly x Blue Whammy Cat) | $78,892 |
| 9 | Metallic Cat | (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal) | $74,679 |
| 10 | Oh Cay Quixote | (Doc Quixote x Oh Cay San x Peppy San) | $63,375 |
| 11 | Smooth As A Cat | (High Brow Cat x Shes Pretty Smooth x Wheeling Peppy) | $60,549 |
| 12 | Little Lenas Legend | (Smart Little Lena x Dox Elegant Girl x Peppy San Badger) | $58,500 |
| 13 | Lenas Wright On | (Smart Little Lena x Slide Me Again x Isle Breeze) | $58,375 |
| 14 | High Brow Cat | (High Brow Hickory x Smart Little Kitty x Smart Little Lena) | $57,000 |
| 15 | Reminic | (Doc’s Remedy x Fillinic x Arizona Junie) | $56,100 |
Leading Dams
It’s unusual for a broodmare to have one offspring with the talent and versatility to compete in the World’s Greatest Horseman. It’s extremely rare for a mare to have more than one.
The statisticians at Equi-Stat compiled a list of leading broodmares who have been represented by more than one money-earning offspring in the World’s Greatest competition.
According to the records, only these 10 mares have pulled off the feat:
1. Sheza Shinette
Pedigree: 98M (Shining Spark x Chicks And Chex x Smart Chic Olena)
Progeny Earnings:$66,433
Money-winners: 3
• 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)
2. Paula Tari
Pedigree: 82M (Tari Glo x Pauls Marathon x Doc Paul)
Progeny Earnings:$36,500
Money-winners: 2
• A Chic In Time ($36,000, by Smart Chic Olena)
• Hey Houston ($500, by Smart Chic Olena)
3. Genuine Redbud
Pedigree: 91M (Genuine Doc x Seven S Margarita x Son O Leo)
Progeny Earnings:$29,000
Money-winners: 2
• Nic It In The Bud ($26,125, by Reminic)
• Dun It Big ($375, by Hollywood Dun It)
4. Dual Lena
Pedigree: 92M (Dual Pep x Miss Macalena x Doc O’Lena)
Progeny Earnings:$23,500
Money-winners: 2
• Lenas Buddy Nic (PT) ($18,250, by Nic It In The Bud)
• Dueling Chic Olena (PT) ($5,250, by Smart Chic Olena)
5. Miss Cee Nita
Pedigree: 85M (Peponita x Cee Miss Holly x Cee Bars)
Progeny Earnings:$17,975
Money-winners: 2
• Cee Mr Hickory ($11,500, by Doc’s Hickory)
• Hickorys Holly Cee ($6,475, by Doc’s Hickory)
6. Gay Freckles Rio
Pedigree: 82M (Colonel Freckles x Bissie Gay Bar x Johnie Gay Bar)
Progeny Earnings:$15,750
Money-winners: 2
• Lone Star Chicolena ($9,000, by Smart Chic Olena)
• HA Gay Freckles ($6,750, by Steady Tradition)
7. Savannah Hickory
Pedigree: 96M (Doc’s Hickory x Savannah White x Smart Little Lena)
Progeny Earnings:$10,500
Money-winners: 2
• Honey Bees ($9,500, by Peptoboonsmal)
• Reymanator ($1,000, by Dual Rey)
8. Chelsea Lena
Pedigree: 90M (Smart Peppy Doc x Bill’s Star Lita x Hollywood Bill)
Progeny Earnings:$8,688
Money-winners: 2
• Smart N Chexy ($5,750, by Bueno Chexinic)
• Lena Spark ($2,938, by Shining Spark)
9. Bonnie Smoke (PT)
Pedigree: 81M (Mr Gun Smoke x Roper’s Calcutta [PT] x Skippa Rope [PT])
Progeny Earnings:$7,500
Money-winners: 2
• Bonnie Lena (PT) ($5,000, by Jab O Lena)
• Bonnies Stranger (PT) ($2,500, by SMF Lenas Award)
10. Leo Night Glo
Pedigree: 81M (War Leo Jr x Les’ Night Glo x Les Glo)
Progeny Earnings:$1,304
Money-winners: 2
• Look At Her Glo ($750, by CD O Cody)
• Night Time Shiner ($554, by Shining Spark)
