Handling Versatility with Ease: Cee My Special Nite
Cee My Special Nite balances a career as a stallion, a ranch horse, a show horse, and a leadline horse known around Kail Quarter Horses as “Mine Horse.”
By Delores Kuhlwein
It might be surprising to learn that Cee My Special Nite, the 2017 Buckskin stallion by Gunners Special Nite and out of Cee Dun It Do It (by Hollywood Dun It), hadn’t been campaigned the entire year before he won the Senior Ranch Trail at the 2026 NSBA World Championship Show in August.
For his trainer, Ryan Kail, it was truly not a surprise that the stallion bested a field of some of top Ranch horses in the country, as he has known “Diablo” was special from the beginning.
Watch his winning run in Senior Ranch Trail:
In fact, both Ryan and owner Libby Williams Haydon have declared him a once-in-a-lifetime horse. “This horse could just kind of do everything from the get-go,” reveals Ryan. “I’ve still never rode a horse as physical as this horse with a mentality like his. He has haltered, reined, showed all the ranch classes, roped, lead lined, bred throughout, or swam throughout and he’s handled it with ease.”
Diablo as a yearling
The Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse
The stallion, known for his exceedingly kind disposition combined with amazing athleticism, has continued to “wow” everyone as he won titles in events from Ranch classes to Halter to Reining to Leadline with the Kails’ daughter, Kenzley. He also began a blossoming roping career, resulting in the 2024 AQHA Reserve World Champion in Senior Open Heading with J.D. Yates as one example of his success.
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- Photo: 100X Shows
Earning Fifth place for the prestigious Superhorse title at the 2023 World Championship Show at just six years old was an indication of his true versatility. Because of that extraordinary dynamic, the Kails and his owner decided to think outside the box in 2026 to give him the best care.
“We got to a certain level as far as showing where we were very happy with what he was doing. But you know, at some point you keep doing the same thing over and over and we’re asking this horse to be dominant in not one or two events but in five or six completely different events. I think you really have to do the extra stuff to preserve his mental state and physical state. So this year we went about it a little bit differently,” explains Ryan.
“I’ve kept him at home during the breeding season, and he’s been out at Dana Avila’s swimming during the breeding season because it’s right next door to Dr. Longworth’s (Scottsdale Equine Reproduction) where they collect him. He’s not been horse trained on all year; he’s been loved on, and bred, and swam, and taken care of. And we’ve gone to some horse shows enough to get him qualified, but we kind of thought outside of the box.”
Photo: Jeff Kirkbride Photography
“Outside the box” also applies to the transformation of the idea of the all-around horse, especially a ranch all-arounder, thanks to Diablo. “When I think of a ranch horse, I want a horse I can potentially do anything with on the ranch, whether it be moving cattle, moving equipment, or fixing fences,” says Ryan. “He’s really not afraid to do anything, and that’s what’s kind of cool about him; he’s not just a show horse.”
The Horse Representing Family
When Diablo came into their lives, Ryan adds, not only was there no question they had a horse to win on. They also had a horse that represented family; his owner, Libby, is undeniably family at the Kail’s barn, and when Kenzley Kail was born to Ryan and Andrea in 2023, Diablo became “Mine Horse” to Kenzley.
“As soon as she could walk, she would run right in the stall with him, and we’d freak out, and say no. But he would put his ears up and look down at her and almost smile at her,” says Ryan. Now, Diablo’s nickname around the barn is “Mine Horse.”
Watch video of Kenzley at one year old with Diablo:
One of Diablo’s most-viewed photos, aside from his stunning performance pictures, is of Kenzley and Diablo in Leadline at Arizona Sun Circuit (see below).
Photo credit: Arizona Sun Circuit
That family extends to the entire team, who Ryan called after the Ranch Trail win: “When I got done, I called my mom, called Dana Avila, my shoer, and my vet and thanked them for keeping him 100 percent.”
Diablo’s Unlimited Potential
Next up for Cee My Special Nite is to continue his roping career after this year’s Congress. “He’s just so talented at it, JD can take him and have him ready for the heading and heeling at the World Show,” Ryan says. “We’re not reining on him this year, we’re not railing on him; we’re just doing the halter, ranch riding, ranch trail and heading and heeling.”
Photo: Jeff Kirkbride Photography
‘This year is my last opportunity to go full force with him at some of these circuits,” Ryan adds. “I’d love to have my finest horse to show forever, but the best path for his career moving forward to be promoted as a rope horse sire and put him in all those programs. He has unlimited potential in the breeding rope horse program. We’ve turned down large amounts of money for him, but Libby said, ‘I’ve dreamed of having a horse like this my whole life and I finally do,’ and his babies look really good.”
First Foal Crop
Diablo’s first foals will be started under saddle next year, and Ryan says he’s throwing color, and big, thick, flat bone and big feet horsemen will look for in a hardy horse. “We want to put him in the best position we can when we’re done showing because I think his babies are going to be great to ride.”
Learn more about Diablo on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/p/Cee-My-Special-Nite-61555356921791/
For breeding inquiries, contact Ryan Kail by phone: 480-294-3615, or email: ceemyspecialnite@aol.com
