Shawn Flarida and Andiamoe Win 2022 NRHA Futurity Open Championship
December 3 - When Andiamoe hit the entrance to the Jim Norick Coliseum, the crowd was already cheering. They’d watched the absolutely masterful go-rounds, where Shawn Flarida and the royally bred mare had marked 228.5 and 224.5. They knew what they were in store for.
While in Oklahoma City for the NRHA Futurity, one of the Association’s most accomplished riders, Kelle Smith, passed away.
Kelle was fierce in everything she did, and that tenacity helped her win countless titles, including two NRHA Futurity Non Pro Championships. On Sunday, she competed on her horse, See Ya Seven, and advanced to yet another NRHA Futurity Finals.
Fifteen years ago, NRHA Professional Jared Leclair accepted a raw-boned 2-year-old into training. With a royal pedigree and phenomenal confirmation, the colt showed outstanding promise as a performance prospect, but that is where Leclair’s plans for the colt ended. Even still, Leclair made a deal with the colt’s owner, Danny Dugan, and joined in a partnership for the ownership of Electric Code.
In the fall of 2022, Arno Honstetter rode the talented mare Ms Dreamy, owned by Frederick Christen, to finish fifth place at The Run For A Million presented by Teton Ridge. The $60,000 prize – the second largest in the German native’s career, was enough to push him to the precipice of a major milestone – a million dollars in earnings.
In front of a full house, with standing space only, the 2022 edition of the Italian Futurity literally had the crowd in the Veronafiere stands cheering at the top of their voice from the first to the last horse-and-rider combination: Manuel Cortesi and July Joe Snap. When the duo closed their emotional and powerful run, a 227 appeared on the scoreboard accompanied by a standing ovation. The $216,013-Added Level (L)4 Open Futurity Championship was theirs.
Excitement ran high tonight in Verona, Italy, as the IRHA/NRHA 4-year-old Open Futurity finalists gave all they had to clinch the titles and paychecks up for grabs in the highest-paying 4-year-old Open Futurity ever offered in Europe.
Level of competition ran deep, scores rose, and so did the public’s cheers as some of Europe’s best horses and riders performed in the Veronafiere Arena. Half way through the second section, the loudest cheering was for Poland’s Lukasz Czechowicz and CSG Kenzo (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Colonels Shining Gun x Shiner Brimolena) who thrilled the fans with his powerful yet smooth ride. From the first stop and back, through the fast and precise spins, to the speed transitions and imperceptible lead changes, Czechowicz’s mount stopped deep in the ground raising the dirt which resulted in the highest score of the evening, a 227.5, and the win in both the $ 144.390-Added Level L(4) Championship as well as the $ 38.654-Added L3 title.
A great IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Non Pro 3-year-old Futurity Final thrilled the crowd in the stands at Veronafiere where the 2022 $800,000-Added Futurity is being held. Taking the $ 77.309,88-Added Level (L)4 and $ 39.791,85-Added L3 Non Pro Championships was young Matteo Capello aboard Alberto Capello’s Shya Shine (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Shine Chic Shine x Shyawhiz).
The first 2022 IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Futurity finals lit up the Veronafiera Arena in Verona, Italy, with the $101,185-Added IRHA/NRHA 4-year-old Non Pro Futurity counting 27 finalists across the four levels vying for the Championships.
It was truly a special event for Lucie-Lena Egenter of Germany who showed off her horses’ talent as well as hers. Her part-time trainer, NRHA Professional Grischa Ludwig, praised the 18-year-old for her professionalism. “Lucie does it all by herself; here and there I help her a little bit but ever since we’ve known each other, she thinks like a professional which makes it easy for me,” said Ludwig. “She knows what she is doing, she always has a plan, and for her age it’s amazing.” The young rider performed to a 218.5 in the qualifier, leading all the levels, and rode to the same score in the finals claiming the $53,435-Added Level (L)4, $28,420-Added L3, $11,370-Added L2 and $7,960-Added L1.
The $800,000-Added IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Futurity held in Verona, Italy, at renowned Veronafiera has already left its mark. Following an exciting first go round, today 99 horse-and-rider combinations came back strong to determine who will be in the 3-year-old Open Futurity Finals on Saturday 19.
The late Wind Her Up Shiner posthumously joined the short but elite list of National Reining Horse Association Million Dollar Dams in 2022. The 1998 mare by Shining Spark out of Wind Her Up Doc was purchased by NRHA Million…
Sunday, November 13 - The $324,000-Added IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA 3-year-old Open Futurity took center stage at Veronafiera today with 110 combinations showing across the four divisions in the first go round. The Level $216,000-Added (L) 4 counted 67 entries; $62,530-Added L3 counted 57 entries; $30,128-Added L2 counted 61 entries; and the $15,348-Added L1 counted 34 entries.
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