IHP - 2019 NRHA EUROPEAN FUTURITY WRAP-UP

Graphics Chiara Milani/IHP - Photo ŠBonaga Communication

2019 NRHA European Futurity

Facts & Figures OVER

300

HORSES MADE THEIR WAY TO THE 2019 NRHA EUROPEAN FUTURITY IN CREMONA

OPEN FUTURITY ENTRIES:

L4

21 21 23 15 41 41 42 31 L3

L2

L1

OPEN FUTURITY ENTRIES:

L4

L3

L2

L1

7

MARKEL INSURANCE GRADS WERE ENTERED IN THE TWO DIVISIONS OF THE FUTURITY AND ALL MADE THE FINALS. ENTERED IN THE OPEN DIVISION: JOES SWEET DREAM, GREAT CUSTOMER, BUGS AT NITE, WALLA WHIZ A DUN IT, SPOOKS GOTTA DEAL. IN THE NON PRO DIVISION: SHINEY DUN FACE AND IL BE AUTOMATIC

INTERNATIONAL HORSE PRESS The 2019 NRHA European Futurity Wrap Up

SG Icetopman slides Mirko Midili to the European Futurity Open Championship

By Simona Diale Graphics Chiara Milani Photo by Bonaga Communication

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he National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Euro 162.200-added European Futurity Open Finals closed the eleventh edition of the prestigious event held, for the third year running, in Cremona.

Once the last horse and rider left the pen, Mirko Midili’s 220.5 score aboard SG Icetopman (SG Frozen Enterprize x AB Lady Topsailena) was enough to take home the European Level (L)4 Open Futurity Championship. For the Italian NRHA Professional, the win was special for more than one reason: With SG Icetopman’s sire between the reins, he won the first major event title of his career — the 2012 Italian Reining Horse Association Open Futurity. “I had set my eyes on this athletic stallion when he was a yearling and I wanted to buy him.

Finally, last year Capello purchased him and I had the opportunity to show him at the Italian Futurity where things did not go too well for us in the finals,” said Midili about the stallion bred and nominated by Marco Fraschini. “I was fortunate enough to ride him here and words cannot express how important it is for me to have been able to show off his incredible athletic ability and to put this title next to his name.”

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Earning reserve honors with a 219.5 was NRHA Million Dollar Rider Cira Baeck riding NF Shining Whiz, a mare by Colonels Shining Gun out of Whowhizthispeppychic owned by David Perneel and Kim Windey, bred by Perneel and nominated by Windey.

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“My mare did so well for me tonight and I am very proud of her,” said Baeck.

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Taking home the L3 Open Championship with a 219 was German Grischa Ludwig riding Gunnanicya MM JB (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya x The Knick Nic) owned by Alexandra Schmitz, bred by Sylvia Maile and nominated by Matthias Mueller. “I am thrilled with this win,” said Ludwig. “I have shown in every edition of the European Futurity but have only won one title here: The L2 Open Championship with Whizoom in 2009. We all want to bring this title home and making it on this horse that is so special to me is amazing. He has matured a lot in these past few months and during this show he was really easy to prepare.”

Three-time NRHA European Open Champion Morey Fisk and A Wallflower (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla Whiz x A Gal With A Gun) owned by AB Annemaana, bred by Jana Leigh Simons and nominated by Shelli Ries posted a 216.5 for the L3 Reserve Championship.

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Clinching the L2 Open Futurity with a 215.5 score was Giovanni Masi De Vargas riding Bugs At Nite (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite x Scats Ebony Shiner).

The NRHA/Markel Insurance Graduate bred ad nominated by Sheryl Kaefer was purchased as a yearling and is owned by Mariangela Di Pierro. “When I first saw this horse in Oklahoma City at the [NRHA/Markel] Yearling Sale, I knew he would be a good one,” said Masi about the stallion. “I broke and trained him myself and am thrilled with this win.”

Earning reserve honors with a 214 was Alessandro Frassà with his own Spat Gun Showtime (Spat Split And White x Jamie Showgune) between the reins. The pretty mare was bred and nominated by Ambra Alice Bergese.

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Owned and ridden by Daniela Saupe, Smart N Surprising (NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook x Just Miss Enterprise) closed his run with a 215.5 and the L1 Open Championship. Bred by Nuith Linthorst and nominated by Lisbeth De Boer, the stallion was shown last year by Daniela’s husband, Michael, at the Italian Futurity where the duo earned the L1 Open Co-Reserve Championship, and by her at the NRHA of Germany Breeders Futurity. “We love this stallion’s breeding and decided to purchase him as a yearling,” said Daniela. “He is a great horse, that both of us love showing, and winning here was hoped for but, considering the level of competition, unexpected.”

Two points behind the winner, Clemence Neveux and Alessandro Meconi tied for the Reserve Championship. The first was seen riding Sparkin Step (Horizons Big Step x Shining Sparktolena), a stallion owned, bred and nominated by Dominique Reynaud. The second rode Sonita Gotta Whiz, a stallion by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz out of Starlights Gate, owned by Arturo Pappagallo who was bred and nominated by Carluccio Orsi.

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European NRHA World Champions recognized in Cremona!

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uring the Saturday night Opening Ceremony, those horses and riders that made history in 2018 were recognized: The European NRHA World Champions who each received an NRHA Lawson Bronze Trophy, an NRHA World Champion Saddle, and an NRHA Corporate Partner Montana Silversmiths buckle.

Missedouttinseltown ridden by NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Bernard Fonck, and owned by Golden Paint Ranch, Putte, Belgium took home $20,952.01 in NRHA competition to clinch the NRHA Open World Championship.

Taking home the NRHA Open World Reserve Championship was Chicks Smokingun ridden by Morey Fisk and owned by Sabine Schmid, Oberwil, BL, Switzerland. The duo won $17,598.63 in Open competition.

Winning the NRHA Intermediate Open World Championship was Little Spook Wicked ridden by Paolo Fabbri and owned by Biagio Di Marzio, Zagarolo, RM, Italy.

The duo took home $4,493.15 in Intermediate Open competition.

Clinching the NRHA Non Pro World Championship was Gina-Maria Schumacher aboard Snip O Lution owned by CS Ranch Management SA, Givrins, Switzerland.

They won $14,443.12 in Non Pro competition in 2018!

Reserve World Championship honors were for Dries Verschueren riding Smart N Sparkin owned by Golden Paint Ranch, Putte, Belgium; they closed the year with $12,367.67 won in Non Pro competition.

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NRHA Youth Council Expands to Europe

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n 2017 NRHA created a European Youth Committee, an idea formed from the very first European Affiliate Summit, in an effort to promote the sport of reining by building relationships with the youth who grow up in our industry. Chaired

by Francesca Sternberg, this committee has been working tirelessly to build up the youth and their involvement all over Europe. Some of their achievements include creating a year-end jacket award program sponsored by the European affiliates and the Reining Horse Foundation (RHF), and by creating a European branch of the National Reining Youth Council. The year-end jacket award program highlights the youth of Europe by naming the Top Ten 14-18 and the Top Ten 13 & Under in all of Europe. In addition, the highest placing youth in each European Affiliate in the Unrestricted Youth class is awarded a jacket for their achievements. Congratulations to all of the winners for 2018!

2019 is the first year that the European Youth Council

has come together in order to represent the youth of Europe. The Council is made up of six representatives from all over Europe who all have taken on the responsibility of promoting and supporting not only their fellow youth but also in working to promote the sport. They had their first meeting in Cremona at the 2019 European Futurity where they made plans to put many events in motion moving forward. They were welcomed in the arena during the Open Ceremony prior to the Level 4 Open Final and it is a pleasure to welcome: President: George Sternberg Allen Vice President: Nimroid Vannietvelt Treasurer: Lisa Werdaner Secretary: Pia Boonstoppel Historian: Nanina Staub Additional Historian: Erin Wielsma Youth Council, we support you and look forward to the work you are about to do!

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Gina Schumacher & Colonels Danger Zone.

Bred by Paul and Pam Rohus and nominated

by Rachelle Valentine, the flashy stallion owned by CS Ranch Management SA boasts over $19,000 NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).

Gina Schumacher and Colonels Danger Zone steal the show!

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he very last horse-rider-combination to enter the show arena in Cremona tonight wore the first 2019 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity Champion crown: Gina Schumacher and Colonels Danger Zone. The young German rider, a multiple past NRHA Non Pro World Champion, had written her name in the books on the first day of competition after posting the highest score in the Level (L)4 Non Pro go-round aboard her second mount, Shiney Dun Face. On finals night, riding Colonels Danger Zone (Lil Gun x Step Un And Play), aka ‘Nils,’ Schumacher closed her run with a 217 to clinch the title.

“For some strange reason I really feel the pressure when I come to this show, so this win is twice as sweet,” said Schumacher. “We purchased this stallion last year in the U.S. and I showed him in the Tulsa Reining Classic Futurity. Once we brought him over to Europe, I rode him in the Belgium Futurity and then at the Italian Futurity where we won the go-round and placed third in the finals. He was great for me tonight, gave me the confidence I needed, and helped me bring home the second NRHA European L4 Non Pro Futurity title.”

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A point behind the champions, Austrian Wolfgang Hammer and Chicago Lena (NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Smart Chic Olena x Bright Gun City), closed the evening with the L4 Reserve Championship as well as the L3 and L2 European Futurity Non Pro Championships. “Everything was perfect tonight. He is a super horse with a big heart and…he was bred in Austria,” said Hammer about his horse who was bred and nominated by Sabine Schmid. “I purchased him as a yearling since I loved the way he was bred, and from the moment I saw him, I knew he was going to be a champion.”

Hammer was quick to give his trainer Thomas Martinek credit for helping him achieve this goal and looks forward to showing him again later on in the year in the 4-year-old futurities.

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Taking the reserve championship with a 215.5 in the L3 and L2 divisions was Fabienne Kuratli-Sutter riding Alpha Top Gun (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Hollywoodstinseltown x Smoking Walla Wanda). The Swiss rider and her gelding bred by Roger Barral and nominated by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC had posted the highest score in the L3 and L2 qualifiers.

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It was a special night for Janine Deana Ketterer as she rode Roadgunner (Gunwork x My Diamond Dunnit) to her first NRHA European Futurity title: The L1 Non Pro Championship.

Aboard the pretty mare bred by Fabienne Schadt and nominated by Reto Erdin, the German rider closed her run with a 209.5. “This is truly a very special night for me!” she said. “I’ve only had this mare — who I purchased from Sabine Schmid — for a month and I could not be any happier. I have been riding under the guidance of [NRHA Professional] Morey Fisk since I was a kid and he is the best; he is always there for me with his advice and support.”

With a 208, the L1 Reserve Championship went to Italian Alessandro Bardelli and his Hollywood Lena Whiz (My Showbiz Whiz x Ms Linton Lena), a mare bred and nominated by Ambrosini QH ASD.

INTERNATIONAL HORSE PRESS The 2019 NRHA European Futurity Wrap Up

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NRHA Ancillary Action

NRHA OPEN CHAMPION Ann Fonck & Spook N Perla owned by Golden Paint Ranch

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NRHA INTERMEDIATE OPEN CHAMPION Nico Sicuro & Sugar Little Step owned by Quarter Dream SRL

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From left to right: Judges

NRHA LIMITED OPEN CO-CHAMPION Janine Deana Ketterer & Miss Electric Spark owned by Laura L Ketterer

NRHA LIMITED OPEN CO-CHAMPION Wolfgang Hammer & MR Ricochet owned by Wolfgang Hammer

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NRHA NON PRO CHAMPION Matteo Manuel Bonzano & High Point Reiner

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NRHA INTERMEDIATE NON PRO CHAMPION Piet Mestdagh & Reining Whiz

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NRHA LIMITED NON PRO CHAMPION Vittorio De Iulio & J Jac Olena

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NRHA YOUTH 13 & UNDER CHAMPION Gerardo Ponzio & Shiner Whiz Olena

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NRHA YOUTH 14-18 CO-CHAMPION Marie Guenser & Hot Spark Olena

NRHA YOUTH 14-18 CO-CHAMPION Francesco Pedretti & Could You Be The One

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NRHA ROOKIE L1 CHAMPION Gregory Morat & Whizdom Shines

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NRHA ROOKIE L2 CHAMPION Martine Weber & Spooks Mischief

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