As one Decatur roping legend rode into the sunset of his career after claiming his 14th championship buckle at the NFR last week, a new fresh-faced roper from Decatur rose with an NFR championship buckle of his own.

Belgian Professional Bernard Fonck became the first European-based trainer to achieve the status of National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Two Million Dollar Rider.
Fonck unofficially surpassed the milestone at the  Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity in Cremona, Italy, where he took the Level 4 Open Championship aboard Spook Sunburst.

An amazing night of competition in front of a full house closed the Euro 647.000-added IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Futurity. The event not only made history by offering the highest added in Europe, it also attracted the largest number of horses ever taking part in a European reining event — over 700. Yet another National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) milestone was crossed in Cremona: unofficially, NRHA Professional Bernard Fonck crossed the Two Million Dollar mark becoming the first European to do so; Cira Baeck became Europe’s first lady reiner to cross the NRHA Million Dollar Mark and the only woman open rider to join the elite club from the Old Continent.

Cira Baeck is the second female, and first European and open female, to join the list of Million Dollar Riders. Baeck flew into the next level of her career with two top qualifying rides during the Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity Level(L) 4 Open Finals atop NF Shining Whiz and Sailorsacrofpride BB.

At the beginning of the 60th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Trevor Brazile, the sport’s winningest cowboy, announced he will enter into semiretirement.

Caleb Bennett often visualizes himself holding a PRCA world championship belt buckle.

The CremonaFiere oval arena lit up on Friday night as the Euro100,000-added Santa Hill IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA 3-year-old Non Pro Futurity finalists performed. Making history by being the first rider from Spain to conquer the prestigious title in Italy was Andreu Nogue Puig who took the Level (L)4, 3, 2, 1 Championships riding his A Whiz N Cash.  In a field of 40 riders across the four levels, Nogue laid down an amazing NRHA Pattern #12 paid back by the judges with a 218.5.

The IRHA-NRHA 4-year-old Open Final closed the night with an almost predicted success: on the podium were two riders that were both in the lead in the qualifier with a change of horse for the Reserve Championship where Gennaro Lendi conquered second place honors with Frozen N Rooster and not with Maytheforcebewhizyou.

The finals of the 2018 IRHA/NRHA 4-year-old Non Pro counted 27 finalists representing six nations (Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Poland and Switzerland).  Taking home the Level (L)4 and L3 Championship was Laura Dalla Gassa of Italy riding Gunners Special Olena, an own daughter of NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite out of Dolly Special Lena.