Tim
McQuay

Minnesota to the Reining Arena — A Career Built on Consistency

Tim McQuay is one of the most accomplished and influential figures in the history of the sport of reining. Born in Minnesota, he developed an interest in horses and western riding at a young age and became involved with the National Reining Horse Association during the 1970s, a period when the sport was still establishing itself nationally.

McQuay earned his first NRHA prize money in 1978 at the NRHA Futurity, then held in Columbus, Ohio, riding Band Of Glo to a 13th place finish — a small check, but the start of one of the most successful careers the association has ever seen. He qualified for the NRHA Futurity finals every year but one from that point forward, and over 31 years of professional competition he earned prize money on an astounding 229 different horses.

He operates McQuay Stables in Tioga, Texas, alongside his wife Colleen McQuay. The operation became one of the best-known reining training and breeding facilities in the country, producing and promoting many successful horses while contributing significantly to the development of the reining horse breeding industry.

First $2 Million, First $3 Million — Eleven Years at the Top

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, McQuay established himself as the dominant rider in reining, winning the sport's premier events — the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, National Reining Breeders Classic, and NRHA Super Stakes. He became the first rider in NRHA history to surpass two million dollars in lifetime earnings and went on to become the first $3 million dollar rider as well. He held the title of NRHA all-time leading money earner for eleven years.

In 2002, riding Okie Dun Did It, McQuay competed as a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Bayer/USET CRIO Nations Cup in Gladstone, New Jersey. The following year he won the NRHA Derby Open Championship on RR Star, then later that season won the AQHA Senior Reining World Championship on the roan mare Custom Red Berry. At the 2006 World Equestrian Games, McQuay earned an individual silver medal and helped the United States secure the team gold medal riding Mister Nicadual. He was also presented with a silver medal at the FEI Masters Reining in Italy in 2005.

In 2000, McQuay was inducted into the National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his career accomplishments and contributions to the sport.

• NRHA Hall of Fame — inducted 2000
• First $2 Million Dollar Rider in NRHA history
• First $3 Million Dollar Rider in NRHA history
• NRHA All-Time Leading Money Earner — 11 years
• Won every major NRHA sanctioned event: Futurity, Derby, NRBC, Super Stakes
• 2003 NRHA Derby Open Champion — RR Star
• 2003 AQHA Senior Reining World Champion — Custom Red Berry
• 2005 FEI Masters Reining Individual Silver Medal — Italy
• 2006 World Equestrian Games — Team Gold Medal & Individual Silver Medal — Mister Nicadual
• 2002 USET CRIO Nations Cup — U.S. Team Gold Medal — Okie Dun Did It
• Prize money earned on 229 different horses over 31 years

Hollywood Dun It, Shining Spark, and McQuay Stables

Among McQuay's most significant contributions to the reining industry was his work with the stallion Hollywood Dun It, whom he trained and showed to major championships during the 1980s. Hollywood Dun It became one of the most important sires in reining history, producing offspring that earned millions of dollars and shaped bloodlines throughout western performance horse competition. McQuay and Colleen played a major role in promoting and standing the stallion at McQuay Stables.

McQuay also achieved success with Shining Spark, riding him to the 1993 AQHA Junior Reining World Championship and the 1994 NRHA Derby Championship. Shining Spark went on to become one of the most influential sires in both reining and reined cow horse breeding.

Beyond competition and breeding, McQuay has devoted significant time to education — serving as a judge, clinician, and mentor, working closely with aspiring professionals and amateurs to develop the next generation of horsemen.