IHP VIDEO BLOG - GENNARO LENDI

@GennaroLendi

Gennaro Lendi and Colonels Dancing Gun, owned by Quarter Dream

INTERNATIONAL HORSE PRESS The Video Blog

• Graphics Chiara Milani • Photo Andrea Bonaga

The gentleman and horseman from Naples

By Simona Diale

#A few months before I was born my father bought a pony for me #My family loved horses but, above anything else, they loved all animals #Since I was a kid my dream was to become a horse trainer #My family and their vision helped me to develop this special feeling I have with horses and animals in general

INTERNATIONAL HORSE PRESS The Video Blog

Dario Carmignani and Diabolo

@GennaroLendi The very first time I saw reining horses was when I was 9 years old.

That’s when I started with reiners; my father would take me for lessons every weekend.

As soon as I finished my lesson, I would go back home and train my pony.

I taught him all the reining maneuvers, except for sliding stops because of course he didn’t have sliders!

I would wait for it to rain so that, when the ground was slick, I could say ‘whoa’ and he would slide and stop.

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My job is the expression of what I have inside.

I feel free when I work, it’s got nothing to do with the money.

It’s thanks to my job and to my horses that I can show what I have inside.

This is something that will never stop me.

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@Horsemen Growing up, and to this day, I have been very fortunate to be able to be around real horsemen. My goal was that to be as close as possible to thinking as horses do. The first person to teach me this was Cliff Jayhall, a professional who worked close to my hometown, Naples, Italy. He really taught me to understand how horses think and why they think that way. He was the first to teach me how to have a good approach to horses.

The first to impact me from a ‘technical’ point of view was Italian Professional Dario Carmignani who I rode for and worked with.

He made a huge impact on my life because he taught me not only to be a horseman but also to be a showman.

Highlights INTERNATIONAL HORSE PRESS The Video Blog

#Earnings • First NRHA paycheck: 2004 - $309 • Turned Pro: 2005 • NRHA Lifetime Earnings: $805,059

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I’ve had tough moments, but I was never scared. I faced them and tried to solve them, always always trying to do my best.

#Andrea Fappani

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From Gennaro’s Facebook

I met Andrea Fappani when I was still a non pro at a show where he was showing. At the end of the event he asked me to go and visit him and to work for him in Arizona. He had a great influence on my style. He is a great horseman and he taught me to think about the horse world 360 degrees and to think about the business that revolves around the horses, which is really important. I will always be thankful and grateful for what he passed on to me: he opened my mind.

When you start a business you need the right people, right horses, and good customers. I’ve been very lucky. There are many good and talented trainers in our industry, but to be successful you have to be able to see and ‘catch’ the good things that are around you.

From all the great trainers I had the opportunity to work with, I learned that if you work hard you will be paid back. There may be tough moments, times, months, but you always need to believe in your dream and work hard and you will reach your goal.

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