Dual Reyish, the champion of the 2017 NCHA Futurity, is the product of two horses that also won championships in historic Will Rogers Coliseum, but there are some surprising twists in his background.

Ridden by Austin Shepard, Dual Reyish is the only active cutting horse owned by Billy Wolf of Whitesboro, Texas. Bred by Greg Smith, the chestnut stallion is by freshman sire Hottish, out of A Little Reylena.

Hottish ($286,109) was bred by Gail Holmes’ Double Dove Ranch by Spots Hot out of Stylish Play Lena.

Going back up the top line, Chula Dual was a grandson of 1977 NCHA Futurity champion Peppy San Badger (Buster Welch, $172,711). Chula Dual’s sire, Dual Pep, earned $302,054, and sired the earners of $23 million including Dual Rey Me ($812,942), Tapt Twice (dam of Dont Look Twice, $824,546), NCHA Futurity champion Playboy McCrae (Paul Hansma, $263,723).

Spots Hot was bred by Jody Galyean and was the first money earner out of Sweet Shorty Lena who went on to be a $1 million producer, including Steve Norris’ evergreen Innovation Time ($194,122) and His Reyflection ($130,195). Spots Hot won the 2004 NCHA Futurity with Wesley Galyean, after which the younger Galyean turned in his Non-Pro card on his way to the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame. Spots Hot earned $502,682 and has sired earners of more than $4.3 million, including 2016 NCHA Futurity champion Second Spot (Matt Gaines, $245,874).

Trained by Lloyd Cox, Dual Reyish’s sire Hottish earned $286,109 for Dustin and Deena Adams. Cox won the Breeders Invitational, NCHA Derby, South Point Derby, Idaho Derby and placed 11th in the NCHA Futurity. In Non-Pro company under Dustin Adams, the stallion won the NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Classic Challenge, and the Pacific Coast Futurity Classic.

The class of 2014 was Hottish’s first crop, and he will go down as the leading freshman sire of 2017. Besides his Open NCHA Futurity champion, he sired fifth-placed Just Gettin Started, Non-Pro finalists Cool N Hot, Sheza Smokin Hot Gal, Liimited Non-Pro champion Sneakish, Unlimited Amateur finalist Buckin Hot, Limited Open finalist Reyzmehot, and a number of finalists at the season’s smaller futurities.

On his bottom side, Dual Reyish is out of A Little Reylena, who has already produced earners of $397,613. A Little Reylena was bred by Donata Loveless, who was reserve champion Non-Pro of the 1994 Iadho Derby on the mare’s dam, Katie Little Lena, by Smart Little Lena.

Ashley Snider, Greg Smith’s daughter, was a Non-Pro finalist at the Idaho and Utah aged events on Tronacate, a son of Katie Little Lena.

Kade Smith, Ashley’s brother, and Greg, would go on to have a great run with A Little Reylena. At 19, Kade won the Limited Non-Pro NCHA Classic Challenge on A Little Reylena and placed sixth in the Classic Challenge Non-Pro. They made Non-Pro finals at the NCHA Super Stakes Classic, South Point Winter Championship, Brazos Bash, Breeders Invitational, El Rancho and more. Greg Smith made Open finals on the mare at Idaho and Utah.

A Little Reylena’s first money earner was the 2010 mare Four Eyed Cat, by Hydrive Cat, who took Kade to Non-Pro finals at Abilene,  and Arbuckle Mountain, earning $24,986.

The mare’s 2011 crop included Hay U (Third Cutting) and Lottery Ticket (Hydrive Cat). Hay U has made $186,268 with Kade winning limited age events at Calgary, Idaho and the Canadian Supreme, and making finals at the NCHA Classic Challenge, Super Stakes Classic and a string of other shows, and winning the 2016 Mercuria NCHA World Series at Idaho.

Greg Smith has shown Lottery Ticket in Open company, winning back-to-back aged events at Calgary and earning $57,310.

Jaime Snider, Greg’s son-in-law, was an Open NCHA Futurity and Super Stakes finalist on Rey To Sly, A Little Reylena’s 2012 foal by That Sly Cat. Rey To Sly has earned $85,164.

A Little Royal Rey is a 2013 mare by One Time Royalty out of A Little Reylena that Christina Cox has earned $34,577 with, including a sixth-place finish in the NCHA Non-Pro Super Stakes.

Kade Smith was also a Non-Pro semi-finalist at the 2017 NCHA on Rey Some Sugar On Me, by freshman sire Kit Kat Sugar out of A Little Reylena.