IHP - 2019 NRHA EUROPEAN DERBY WRAP UP by International Horse Press

Graphics Chiara Milani/IHP - Photo ÂŠTom Hautmann

ANN FONCK & GUNNERS SPECIALOLENA

Editor: Simona Diale Assistant Editor: Marie Klimova Graphics & Editorial Coordinator: Chiara Milani Photography Tom Hautmann

Hat trick for Ann Fonck as she claims her third NRHA European Derby Open Championship!

n the ninth edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Open Derby Finals, it was the first horse-rider-combination in the second section that held the top score all the way through the end of the 19 finalists. NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Rider Ann Fonck of Belgium rode Diego Dalla Gassa’s Gunners Specialolena (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite x Dolly Jac Olena) to a 222 score that clinched top honors in the €50.000-added * Level (L)4 Open. “I’m really really happy; it’s my third European Derby L4 Championship! My son, Justin, for the first time, drew for me and picked draw #1, so I told my husband that maybe next time would do it myself. In the end, it looks like it was a good draw! My horse was good, she is a really nice mare, but once again, I didn’t really expect to win, because when I was riding during the training sessions, I saw really great horses and such good riders competing…in the end, it all worked out and I’m really happy.“ The 5-year-old mare was bred and nominated by Luigi Parise and counts over $25,000 NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).

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Two NRHA Professional riders from Italy shared the L4 Open Reserve Championship: Nico Sicuro rode the 7-year-old stallion Sugar Little Step (NRHA Ten Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step x Ah Sugar Sugar) owned by Quarter Dream Srl to a 220.5 score, also claiming the €35.000added* L3 Open Championship. “I started riding him in February this year. He is already known for his great achievements with Gennaro Lendi and Markus Gebert in the saddle,” says the 23year-old,head trainer for Quarter Dream, a breeding and training facility based in the south of Italy. “Our first show together was the NRHA European Futurity where we won the NRHA Intermediate Open class. I then showed him at the Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Derby where we won the L2 and L3 Open divisions, and placed third in the L4 with a 223 score. At this show, he was nice all week long; I always rode him trying all the maneuvers we had in the finals. Tonight he was super and did everything I asked him and he was always with me.” Sicuro was quick to thank the owners of Quarter Dream, Pietro and Helena Marseglia, as well as the whole team behind him both at home and during the show. Sugar Little Step was bred and nominated by Wolf Dieter Luft and boasts over $59,000 NRHA LTE.

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NICO SICURO & SUGAR LITTLE STEP

Sharing the L4 Co-Reserve Championship was Italian Mirko Midili aboard Luigi Pariseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5-year-old stallion Maytheforcebewhizyou (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz x Jac Golden Faith), bred and nominated by Claudia Hahn. German Sylvia Rzepka took reserve honors in the L3 Open riding Winnie The Boo (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz x Jac Golden Faith), a 7year-old gelding owned by Florian Aubruner scoring a 220. Claudia Hahn is the breeder and nominator of the gelding.

MIRKO MIDILI & MAYTHEFORCEBEWHIZYOU

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Tying for the €20.000-added* L2 Open Co-Reserve Championship were the €10.000-added* L1 Champions: Clémence Neveux of France and Mona Doerr of Germany who closed their performances with a 219 score. Neveux, riding Thomas Soutric’s 8-year-old gelding Frankiegoestoholywod (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Hollywoodstinseltown x CN Missilenium), exited the arena after her run with a full-house cheering on for her suggesting the highest score of the first section of the finals. “My horse was really good during the whole run tonight. Our circles were really great, the turns could have been better, but I was happy with them,” said an emotional Neveux. “He was a little fast in the rundowns but stopped really great. I want to thank Thomas [Soutric] and also the owners of CM Quarter Horses who have trusted me for more than ten years now with my program.” Frankiegoestoholywod was bred by Angelo Capitelli and nominated by Edoardo Bernardelli.

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CLEMENCE NEVEUX & FRANKIEGOESTOHOLYWOD

MONA DรถRR & G WHIZ GUS

Second to last to enter the pen in the first section of the Open Finals was Doerr with Martin Bachmann’s G Whiz Gus. “I’m really happy because this is my first NRHA European Derby and I won it. My horse is a really lovely gelding with a big heart. He is always listening and tonight he gave me everything,” said the NRHA Professional of Germany. “I want to thank all the people behind me, and of course a special thank you goes to the owner Martin [Bachmann] and to my trainer Dominik Reminder; he helped me a lot here at the show and at home.” The 5-year-old gelding was bred and nominated by Heike Melanie Ebler.

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EDOARDO BERNARDELLI & WHIZ WILD WEST

Bernardelli and Hammer tie to win the NRHA European Non Pro Derby; Francesca Ferrarol sweeps the L3, 2 and 1 Championships

he 2019 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby offered competition for all with 4-year-old horses performing in the NRHA Mid Summer Futurity and 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-year-old horses roding for the â&#x201A;Ź20,000-added* European Level 4 Non Pro Derby. Once the sun went down on the Ostbayernhalle arena on Friday, Edoardo Bernardelli of Italy and Wolfgang Hammer of Austria opted to tie for the European Level (L)4 Non Pro Championship and a young Francesca Ferrarol left the arena with three Non Pro Derby Championships to her name.

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WOLFGANG HAMMER & MR RICOCHET

Draw 2 in the second section of the Finals, Wolfgang Hammer and his Mr Ricochet (Ricochet Rooster x Docs Oak Rosy), a 6-year-old stallion bred and nominated by 23 QH Az. Agr. SS, performed to a 217. The duo — leaders of the L2 Non Pro Derby qualifier — set the bar in the L4 division until Edoardo Bernardelli and his Whiz Wild West came back to match their score. The Italian rider and his 6-year-old gelding bred and nominated by Mattia Camisi, already leaders of the L4 and L3 in the qualifier, settled for the L4 Non Pro Derby Co-Championship and also took the L3 Reserve Championship along with Hammer and his mount who also claimed reserve honors in the L2 division. “I’m really happy with the way my horse performed tonight,” said Bernardelli. “Everything I asked for he did well. We missed one stop, but that’s OK; he topped the qualifier and tonight he repeated his performance in the finals. I would like to thank my family, who is always there to support me, and my girlfriend. A big thank you to Andrea Napolitano and Andrea Grazi for helping me before the finals.” Just as thrilled was Hammer: “Sometimes you feel like your run is bad but in reality, it’s good. This time around, he felt super and it was so much fun to show him. He did everything we trained for and everything I know he can do… He was amazing today and I could not be any happier.”

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FRANCESCA FERRAROL & WIMPY MARGARITA

Ferrarol and her father’s [Maurizio Ferrarol] Wimpy Margarita, a 6-yearold stallion by NRHA Eleven Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step out of Custom Margarita laid down an impressive NRHA pattern #9 with only two horses left to go in the first section of the Non Pro Finals. The judges paid her back with a 217.5 and her score held until the very last combination putting her firmly in the lead in the levels she had qualified for: the €15.000-added* L3, €9.000-added* L2 and €5.000-added* L1. The win was, of course, three-times as special for 15-year-old Ferrarol. “I still cannot believe all this is happening,” she said. “I didn’t really feel comfortable with my horse in the go round, plus we made the Level 3 finals through the Consolation. Tonight, before entering the pen, I thought to myself: ‘If I am here, there must be a reason, so I should give my best no matter what the final outcome will be.’ It went really well and I’m extremely happy – this horse has a heart of gold and tonight he knew I was hoping he could give me all he had …and he did!” Closing with the L1 Non Pro Derby Reserve Championship, as well as third place in the L3 division, was Marie Guensner and her Hot Spark Olena, a 6-year-old gelding by Shiner Olena out of Roosters Hot Piq, bred and nominated by Katarzyna Roleska.

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NRHA PREFUTURITY L4 OPEN CHAMPION ANN FONCK & LIL TROUBLE SPOOK

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Ann Fonck takes the NRHA Open Pre Futurity title, Wolfgang Hammer sweeps the Non Pro Pre Futurity Along with a full-slate of NRHA ancillary classes, this year’s edition of the Euro Derby also offered the €12.000-added NRHA 4-year-old Mid Summer Futurity and the €5.000-added NRHA 3-year-old Pre Futurity. The latter was held following the Open Consolation and, taking the title in the Open Level (L)4 Championship was NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Rider Ann Fonck of Belgium with Lil Trouble Spook owned by Ingrid Vermeiren/Codan NV between the reins. “It’s really special for me to ride this horse and see him do so well here because we own his mama, we bred him and we started him ourselves,” said Fonck about her mount by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook out of Lil Trouble Miss. “Ingrid [Vermeiren] purchased him at the beginning of this year and I am very grateful to her for trusting our program and leaving him in training with us.”

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NRHA PREFUTURITY L2 OPEN CHAMPION BASTIEN BOURGEOIS & COLONEL BARBEE DREAM

Taking the Pre Futurity L2 Open Championship was French Bastien Bourgeois aboard Colonel Barbee Dream (Colonels Shining Gun x Barbee Top Dream) owned by Manuela Masson. “We purchased this horse as a weanling and he’s been with me

since,” said an enthused Bourgois. “He’s always been really nice to train, today was his first time in the show arena and I could not be any more pleased with him — he was easy and thought he was at home!”

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Wolfgang Hammer’s winning streak this year moves on as he went on to claim both the Pre Futurity L4 and L2 Non Pro titles, this time riding his own Baddestchicintown (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Hollywoodstinseltown x Smart Chicody Sue). “I purchased this mare as a yearling from Tanya Jenkins in the U.S. and brought her to our place

in Austria immediately after,” said Hammer. “Our trainer Tomas Martinek started and trained her and did a really good job with her…that’s the reason she is easy to ride! We wanted to try her out in the show pen, this is her first time being shown ever and she showed us that she is very talented and very good minded.”

NRHA PREFUTURITY L4 & L2 NON PRO CHAMPION WOLFGANG HAMMER & BADDESTCHICINTOWN

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Girinon takes the NRHA Mid Summer Futurity Open Championship, Kuenstner-Mantl wins the Non Pro title

NRHA MIDSUMMER FUTURITY L3 & L4 OPEN CHAMPION ARNAUD GIRINON & BHB WIMPY CHOCO GUN

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aking the Championship in both the ra van Dongen of the Netherlands left the pen €5.000-added Level (L)4 and €2.500-added with the Reserve Championship and a 206.5 score L3 was French professional Arnaud Girinon riding Francesca Sternberg’s Pops To Tinseltown riding Valerie Fontaine’s BHB Wimpy Choco Gun, (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Hollywoodstinseltown a mare by BHB Mr Wimpys Royal out of BHB Ka- x Custom Sugar Pop). teberry Stargun. “I’ve had this mare in training since she was 2 and I’m pretty satisfied with my run today,” said Girinon. “I had no bobbles and she had nice circles and stops, particularly on the left lead. In two weeks, we are going to the Austrian Futurity and then Belgian Futurity at the end of September. Sadly, she is not enrolled in the NRHA Nomination Program — which is also one of the reasons why I showed her here today — and future plans may also include showing her in Cremona, Italy, at the end of the year.” It was reserve honors for German Grischa Ludwig who showed Gunnanicya (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya x The Knick Nic) owned by Alexandra Schmmitz to a 215 score. Head trainer for BO Ranch France, Stefano Ferri, clinched the €500-added L2 Open Championship with a 208.5 aboard MD Black Whizard (Sail NRHA MIDSUMMER FUTURITY L2 OPEN CHAMPION On Top Whizard x ND Kyowa STEFANO FERRI & MD BLACK WHIZARD Star) owned by BO Ranch. Tia-

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NRHA MIDSUMMER FUTURITY L4 NON PRO CHAMPION TINA KÜNSTNER-MANTL & JP VICKIE BARCELONA

With a 211 score, Austrian Tina Kuenstner-Mantl rode JP Vickie Barcelona (Hang Ten Surprize x Fancy Bingo Star) owned by Jacpoint Quarter Horses to the €2.100-added L4 Non Pro Championship. “We bred this mare and her dam, Fancy Bingo Star, is in California,” said the multiple past NRHA Non Pro Champion. “[NRHA Professional] Martin Mue-

hlstaetter started her as a 2-year-old and I have been riding her since the middle of her 3-year-old year. She was nice for me today, even though from the fast to the slow circle she fell out of lead. The score could have been a lot higher, but she was nice to show as she is a really big stopper. I’m not sure whether I will be competing with her again this

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NRHA MIDSUMMER FUTURITY L3 & L2 NON PRO CHAMPION KATHARINA SKALNIK & SLIM JIM WHIZ

season since I have a futurity horse in the U.S. that I would really like to bring to the NRHA Futurity.” With a 208 score, Ewald Rifeser placed second in the L4 division riding Rooduster (Rickory Rooster x Miss Little Alejos) owned by Petra Burger. The Italian rider also settled for reserve honors in the €1.500-added L3 behind Katharina Skalnik who

claimed the Championship with her own Slim Jim Whiz (NRHA Eleven Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step x Spark N Whizzen). The duo also went on to win the €400-added L2 Championship where Janine Ketterer rode her Roadgunner ( Gunwork x My Diamond Dunnit) to a 204.5 and the Reserve Championship.

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NRHA Ancillary Action

NRHA OPEN CHAMPION ANNA LISEC & THIS WIMPS SO FLY This flashy palomino boasts close to $67,000 NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE) as well as many prestigious titles with Anna in the saddle including the 2015 NRHA European Derby Levels 4-3-2-1 Non Pro Championships and 2017 NRHA European Derby L4 Non Pro title.

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NRHA INTERMEDIATE & LIMITED OPEN CHAMPION TAL PAZ & ONE SHINING DREAM “My run today was way better and managed to fix the bobbles we had in the Open Derby go round. Our circles were the best maneuvers and the spins were also pretty good. In two weeks’ time, I plan to show him in the Swiss Derby in Mooslargue, and after that, we will see, after all he is still young… I would like to thank the owner Larissa [Rizzi] for trusting me with this horse and the whole team behind me back home.”

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NRHA NON PRO CHAMPION TINA KÜNSTNER-MANTL & MIZZFIRE "Last year I won the Italian Derby and NRHA Germany Breeders Derby on him. Today he was pretty lazy, but after all it’s the last day! I showed him in the Derby here, but he kicked out in the lead change, so we were out of the finals. I entered him today for this class and he was nice; he can really stop nice, even though he is not the best turner. I now hope to be showing him again this year at the Americana.”

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NRHA INTERMEDIATE NON PRO CHAMPION TABITHA STERNBERG ALLEN & FS GUNNER GOT LUCKY “My horse is 8-years old and I’ve had him for the past two years. I bought him in the States, showed him there, and when I started university, we brought him over to England and I’ve shown him in Europe since then. He was really good during my run today, stayed with me the whole way and we didn’t have any bobbles, so I was really happy."

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NRHA LIMITED NON PRO CHAMPION NADIA HAMMER & STARLIT SPOOK “My husband and I purchased this horse as a 2-year-old, he’s now 8 and has been with us since we got him. My husband showed him successfully until last year and then I took over the reins. I am really happy with how things went today and I would like to thank my husband, our trainer Tomas Martinek, and, of course, the whole Hammerhoff team!”

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NRHA YOUTH 13 & UNDER CHAMPION SOPHIA STAUB & GUNSLINGER LIL STEP My horse’s barn name is Bob and my run today was really good —all his maneuvers were good!” said the 13-year-old from Switzerland. “I didn’t have any best maneuver, because everything was really good. My next show is the Swiss Derby in Mooselargue, France, where I will show Bob in the youth classes and I am really looking forward to it.”

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NRHA YOUTH 14-18 CHAMPION CELINE BEISEL & PM JACKSON OLENA “My horse’s barn name is Jackson and my run today was very nice,” said the German 18-year-old. “We were in the Non Pro Derby Finals and today I just wanted to ride him without pressure and it worked out. Our next stop will be the NRHA Germany Futurity.”

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NRHA ROOKIE LEVEL 1 CHAMPION CELINE BEISEL & PM JACKSON OLENA

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NRHA ROOKIE LEVEL 2 CHAMPION SOPHIA STAUB & GUNSLINGER LIL STEP

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