Cremona, November 13—The $700.000-Added IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Futurity held in Cremona, Italy, crowned the $39.930-Added Tenuta Equitem IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA 4-Year-Old Non Pro Champions. Capturing the $21,200-Added Level (L)4 division was Israel’s Jehonatan Hof, riding his own A Final Smoke, a stallion by A Vintage Smoke out of Hollys Final Spark, bred by TP Ranch.
The last set of riders in the second section of the Tenuta Equitem IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Futurity Finals determined who would capture the top spots on the leaderboard. Jehonatan Hof was set on taking the L4 division title home—and that’s exactly what he did with his bay stallion, A Final Smoke. “It’s my first time scoring more than 218,” said an enthused Hof after posting a 223. “I’m super happy and a big thanks goes to [NRHA Million Dollar Rider] Manuel Cortesi and his team who helped me with my horses and to all my family for supporting me.”
Hof will once again enter the Quarter Dream Arena in Cremona on Friday to battle for the title in the 3-year-old Non Pro Futurity Championship where he has already left his mark by topping the leaderboard in the Qualifier with his flashy palomino, PF Golden Voodoo (NRHA $5 Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr x Little Gold Sailor), a gelding bred by Giorgio Tacchia.
With only one horse left to go in the Finals, Anna Maria Zehetbauer and SS Party Rockin (Ruf Lil Magnum x Xtra Taris Voodoo), a gelding bred by Silver Spurs Equine and owned by Zeidelhof Reining Horses, whom Zehetbauer rode to the IRHA/IRHBA 3-year-old L4 Non Pro Futurity title last year, settled for the L4 Reserve Championship after posting a 221. “I’m really happy with him, especially after having shown him a lot of times; for him being so honest shows me how big his heart is,” said the Austrian rider. “I made a few mistakes tonight in the turns, but other than this, he was amazing.”
$10,920-Added L3; $4,680-Added Level 2; Youth Non Pro
Building on her leading performance in the L3, L2, and Youth Qualifiers, young up-and-rising star Lavinia Padrini rode her Ya Know Im Cool (Sugar Little Step x Charly Step N Cool), a stallion bred by Angelika Gebert, to a 218, clinching the three Futurity Championships. “He was really incredible; it’s our second show together and he was incredible and always listened to me in the arena,” said Padrini who, since 2018, has been riding under the guidance of NRHA Professional Moreno Sacchi.
Scoring a 215, Martina Zeni and RZ Majestic Guns (Guns R For Shootin x RZ Filina Whiz), a stallion owned and bred by Luca Zeni, took the L3 and Youth Non Pro Reserve Championships.
Closing her performance with a 214 and the L2 Reserve Championship was Veronica Roda aboard her own Secret Code (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Electric Code x Hollywood Mayer), a gelding bred by Daniele Giana.
$3,120-Added Level 1
Davide Iozzo and his own RTR Carlomagnum (NRHA $14 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream x Nike Star Whiz Ca), a gelding bred by Giovanna Marazzi, rode to the L1 Championship with a 214 score. “I purchased this horse a year and a half ago from Alessandro Frassá and that’s where our story began,” said Iozzo. “Last year at the IRHA Futurity things didn’t go that well, and this year we started showing and growing together. Things started working out and, before this show we were Pre Futurity Non Pro Reserve Champions and here–even though the first go round didn’t go that well since I was very emotional—tonight he put all his heart in the run.”
Tying for Reserve honors with a 212.5 was Emma Soldo riding Colonnella Gun (NRHA $4 Million Sire Colonels Shining Gun x Sailors Delite), a mare bred by Serafino Soldo; and L1 Qualifier leader Carmela Natale, riding her own Chocolate Inthe Nite (NRHA $5 Million Gunners Special Nite x Chocolate Enterprise), a gelding bred by Marco Filimberti.
Prime Time Non Pro
Pietro Paolo Ambrosini riding Spook N Lime (NRHA $12 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz x Jac N Lime), a stallion owned and bred by Ambrosini Quarter Horses, not only topped the Qualifier, but also performed to a 208, claiming the Prime Time Non Pro Futurity title. “This is a great horse that was bred by us and born at home,” said Ambrosini. “I’ve been riding him for a few months, and I’m really happy to have shown him. It’s all been very emotional and I have to thank all my staff at Ambrosini QH and my family, who are united in this sport.”
Claudio Risso riding RS Jagermeister Blu (Spat A Blue x RS Linkwood Jac), a mare he owns and bred, along with Ferruccio Bucci riding his own MM Gunna Be Dun Ya (NRHA $16 Million Sire Gunnatrashya x Twisted Diamonds), a stallion bred by Mateja Vesel, tied for the Reserve Championship.
FRIDAY ACTION Sizzling competition will fill the day in Cremona on Friday, Nov. 14.: The $166.400-Added Spooks Gotta Whiz IRHA/IRHBA 3-Year-Old Non Pro Finals and the $84.865-Added GD Performance IRHA/IRHBA 4-Year-Old Finals will keep the public glued to their seats! Find the 3-year-old Non Pro Finals Draw Sheets here
SATURDAY ACTION Starting with the IRHA/FISE Para Reining Italian Championship presented by ELEMENTA, and closing with the Quarter Dream $353.600-Added IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA 3-year-old Open Futurity Finals, Saturday in CremonaFiere is bound to showcase European reining at its best. The spotlight will not only shine on competition; the ACME Prospect Show Horses & Stallion Presentation and the 5 Star Equine Sales Blazing Futurity Auction closing at 4 p.m.
Tickets for the Open Futurity Level 4 Finals may be purchased at the CremonaFiere box office on Friday and Saturday morning. If you can’t make it to Cremona, follow the action live here & find the live feed and full results here
Further info: www.irha.it – www.futurity.it
Futurity Official Show Program by International Horse Press here
Find the ACME Prospect Show Horses & Stallion Presentation catalog here
Follow the Blazing Futurity Auction here
Photos by Bonaga Communication
Media Contact: Simona Diale | International Horse Press | Whatsapp: +39 340 5354629
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