Silva honored as $1 Million Owner
By Tara Christiansen • The American Quarter Horse Journal • December 11, 2012
To be named a National Reining Horse Association $1 million owner is not a title many can claim. Back in 2007, Lance Griffin and AQHA Professional Horseman Tim McQuay were the first to join the elite club. They were later joined by Arcese Quarter Horses USA (2008), Rosanne Sternberg (2010) and Rancho Oso Rio (2012). The latest to make that list is David J. Silva, who eclipsed the $1 million mark during the 2012 NRHA Futurity thanks to the help of a few stellar equine athletes.
David’s big winner at the NRHA Futurity this year was homebred Gunners Tinseltown (Colonels Smoking Gun-Miss Tinseltown by Great Red Pine). With AQHA Professional Horseman Tim McQuay in the saddle, Gunners Tinseltown took the open reserve championship, finishing behind Americasnextgunmodel; Tim piloted Gunners Tinseltown to the prime time open title, as well. Nuthin But Hollywood (Hollywoodstinseltown-Nuthin Chex by Smart Chic Olena) and homebred Chex From Tinseltown (Hollywoodstinseltown-Lenas Ruby Chex by Smart Peppy Lena) also earned money in the NRHA Futurity prime time open, bringing David’s winnings to nearly $146,000. At the completion of the 2012 NRHA Futurity, David’s lifetime earnings as an owner totaled more than $1,057,000.
With the help of wife Bonnie, David owns and operates Silva Reining Horses in Pilot Point, Texas. The cornerstone of their breeding program looks to be Miss Tinseltown, producing get that include Gunners Tinseltown and Hollywoodstinseltown. Bred by Charles R. Vaughan, an AQHA 20-year breeder featured in the December American Quarter Horse Journal, Miss Tinseltown (Great Red Pine-Ms Holywood Showtime by Docs Showtime) was the 1999 NRHA Derby open reserve champion. Until recently, Hollywoodstinseltown (by Hollywood Dun It) was Miss Tinseltown’s most notable offspring. The 8-year-old stallion was ridden by Tim in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to aid Team USA in its conquest of the gold medal.
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As much of David’s success has been tied with Tim, it seems only fitting that the Tioga, Texas, trainer would reach his $3 million rider milestone as David reached his $1 million mark.
Riding Gunners Tinseltown, Nuthin But Hollywood and Chex From Tinseltown for David at the 2012 NRHA Futurity, Tim earned nearly $146,000 in the span of 10 days. Tim joins the ranks of Shawn Flarida (2008) and Andrea Fappani (2012), the only other riders to earn $3 million.
Tim was actually the very first NRHA $2 million rider (2005), having earned his $1 million rider status in 1997 – he was the second rider in reining history to pass the $1 million mark.
One of Tim’s hallmark wins came back in 1986, when he won the NRHA Futurity open reserve championship aboard Hollywood Dun It, a member of the American Quarter Horse and NRHA halls of fame. The duo captured the 1987 NRHA Derby open title and the dun stallion currently touts the honor of being named an NRHA $6 million sire.
More wins came with Mr Melody Jac, who Tim rode to the 1988 NRHA Futurity open championship; Shining Spark, 1994 NRHA Derby open champion; and Shining N Sassy, 2008 NRHA Futurity open champion.
