In 2008, a palomino filly made history when she became the first horse ever to win the “Triple Crown” of reining: the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity, the National Reining Breeders Classic, and the NRHA Derby. If she’d gone on to do nothing else, that accomplishment would have been enough to sear her name into the books of reining royalty – but as it is, Wimpys Little Chic has proven, again and again, that she’s not the type of mare to rest on her laurels.
Earning $516,555 in all and a slew of championships, Wimpys Little Chic showed the world what she was made of in the show pen until she retired to the breeding shed in 2010. Now, her sons and daughters continue her legacy and demonstrate that, just like their exceptional dam, they’re made of the finest stuff.
BUDDING GREATNESS
Bred by Monica Watson of Double Run Farm in Leland, North Carolina, Wimpys Little Chic is a 2004 palomino mare by Wimpys Little Step and out of Collena Chic Olena by Smart Chic Olena. Watson also bred and raised Wimpys Little Step, who is now a NRHA $12 Million Dollar Sire and a member of the NRHA Hall of Fame. Among his many other accolades, Wimpys Little Step is the first horse who carried NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida to an NRHA Open Futurity Championship.
Watson nicknamed her newest little filly, “Lexi.” When Lexi turned two, Watson sent her to Flarida for training, because it only made sense that the filly should end up in the same hands that had guided her famous sire so successfully. Even after the filly was purchased by Arcese Quarter Horses USA of Weatherford, Texas, in 2007, she stayed in training with Flarida.
THE SHOW PEN
Piloted exclusively by Flarida, Lexi’s first conquest was the 2007 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic, where she won the Open Futurity. Next, they stormed the 2007 NRHA Futurity – claiming the Open championship with a 231.5. In 2008, she won the National Reining Breeders Classic. And then, at the 2008 NRHA Derby, the golden girl of reining earned her Triple Crown. It was clear that the gorgeous palomino mare had it all: looks, style, a powerful stop, and spectacular turns. In other words, Wimpys Little Chic had everything she needed to break the mold – and she did, several times over.
Flarida and Lexi continued to add diadems to her crown for two more years in the show pen. In 2009, she was the NRBC Open Mare Bonus Champion and the Open Reserve Champion. That year, she also became the first horse in NRHA history to exceed $400,000 in lifetime earnings. In 2010, she was once again the NRBC Open Reserve Champion, as well as the NRBC Open Mare Bonus Co-Champion. At the 2010 NRHA Derby, she took fourth place in the Open – but more importantly, she won enough money to push her lifetime earnings over half a million dollars. By the end of her show career, Wimpys Little Chic became the NRHA #1 All-Time Leading Money-Earner.
PRODUCING AN EMPIRE
In 2010, Lexi retired to the breeding shed – and quickly began adding to her legacy with a slew of talented sons and daughters. Her first colt by Gunnatrashya, ARC Gunnabeabigstar, has earned over $300,000 to date. Gunnabeabigstar also won the NRHA Open Futurity Co-Championship, the NRHA Open Derby Reserve Championship, and the American Quarter Horse Association Reserve World Championship in Sr Reining, among others. Lexi’s other spectacular offspring include her 2017 colt, All Bettss Are Off, by Colonels Smoking Gun ($356,618); her 2012 filly by Walla Walla Whiz, Shesouttayourleague ($267,929), also an NRHA Open Futurity Champion and an NRHA Open Derby Champion; and Andiamoe. Andiamoe, a 2019 filly by Gunnatrashya and full sister to ARC Gunnabeabigstar, has won $389,083 to date and claimed the 2022 NRHA Lvl 4 Open Reining Futurity Championship – also with Shawn Flarida in the saddle.
In 2021, Lexi earned the distinction of joining the NRHA Million Dollar Dams club. Today, she is the NRHA #1 All Time Leading Dam. As the dam of 15 money earners of $1.7 million and counting, and with a slew of more foals on their way to the show pen, it’s safe to say that Wimpys Little Chic will continue to emblazon the pedigrees of NRHA champions for years to come.
