ANDREA FAPPANI TETON RIDGE TEAM MEMBER INTERVIEW BY TRACY WAGER
Q - Did you foresee how
competitive performance horses would become 20 years ago? A - Competition is always competitive. The numbers have definitely gotten bigger, and with that there is a whole new level. For example, the top 5 guys were super competitive 20 years ago and now there is the top 30 that are that competitive. So, yes there is a lot more competition out there. More than anything, it is the size of the sport now, as it is growing. The most exciting thing is that people that do not know anything about horses, they get to understand what Reining is and get familiar with the sport. That is the most important thing.
Q - Back then, would you have believed
that the prize money would grow to what it is today? A - No, never. $100,000 for the Futurity Champion, we thought that was the biggest thing around. We thought that was huge! More than that, we had the rest of the year where everyone was building up for the Futurity, because the Futurity was where you made your money for the year. Now there are so many other competitions that pay so much. There are people that can get close to winning $500,000 before they even get to the Futurity this year. It is pretty amazing where it has gotten to now.
Q - The American performance Horseman
is taking Reining to the next level of competition and prize money. For you as a Teton Ridge team member, how does that make you feel? A - I feel proud. That is why I wanted to connect my name with the Teton brand. I listened to Thomas Tull talking to me a couple of years ago about his vision, and I knew it was just a matter of time. I think this is just the beginning of where he is going to take his brand and all Western sports to an all new level. We have seen it already with Taylor Sheridan and he has done an amazing job. This is even the next step. In the next couple of years, we will even see Reining on mainstream TV. This is going to take everything to a whole new level. If we think that we have seen it all now, like how much the horses are selling for, the growth of the competition and the prize money, I think this is just the beginning. After listening to that man, and hearing what he has done before, and what he envisions for us going forward. I think there are, for sure, a lot more exciting things to come. 18
Q - That is really great to
hear Andrea, I knew there was a reason why you did this. A - Everybody in the beginning thought I got a new client with a lot of money. But for me, I have enough customers that can buy me horses, it is not about that anymore. I want to connect myself with people that make a difference in this sport.
Q - The NRHA Reining Futurity is an important event on the
road to the American Performance Horseman competition. How tough is it today to win the NRHA Futurity, compared to when you first won it? A - Winning is always tough, like I said earlier. But just making the finals today and getting into the semi-finals is tough now. To be in the Top 5 now is a great achievement. For me I have always been a Futurity type of guy. That is my passion, that is where I started and where I am at today. I am actually restructuring my program to concentrate more and more on just the young horses. I love the challenge. I love that the relationship between you and that young horse develops as you develop the mind and the body to perform at the top of the game on Saturday night. This year we have some nice horses leading up to the Futurity and I am really excited about it.
Q -Teton Ridge purchased the American
Rodeo and is overlaying the the American Performance Horseman as a one day event on what will be the biggest stage ever for Reining. Thomas Tull has emerged as the newest and biggest patron of the performance horse world that we have ever seen in 44 years at Bridle & Bit. You are on the Teton Ridge team, can you share with us a little about what he is up to? THOMAS TULL A - The competition is going to be amazing. It is going to unify our worlds of Reining, Working Cow Horse and Cutting. I think this is long overdue. We have
NOVEMBER 2022
