Cremona, May 20 — Provided by Simona Diale — The stage is set for the history-making edition of the NRHA European Futurity this year where Italy will set another milestone by offering the first million dollar added event in Europe.
In a series of historic firsts, U.S. Ambassador to France Denise Bauer visited the 2022 NRHA European Futurity May 28 and rode an American Paint Horse after APHA extended an invitation to the U.S. Embassy in Paris.
Taking place about an hour south of Paris at BO Ranch, Ambassador Bauer toured the “French cathedral of reining,” visited with European Paint Horse owners, watched the competition and saw firsthand a beautiful example of American agriculture exports—horses foaled in the United States or produced using imported genetics.
La Chapelle-la-Reine, May 29—The 2022 NRHA European Futurity held at BO Ranch, La Chapelle- la-Reine, France, closed with the $104,520-Added BO Ranch European Non Pro Futurity. The Non Pro qualifier leaders, Andreu Nogue Puig and Simple The Best 66, closed their performance in the finals with a 215 score and the $ 41,808-added Cardinal Reining Horses Level (L)4 Open Championship to their name.
La Chapelle-la-Reine, May 28—The inaugural NRHA European Futurity was held in Kreuth, Germany, in 2009. Clinching the Level (L)4 Open Championship was NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Bernard Fonck aboard Sail On Top Whizard—aka “Topper”— at the time owned by Dany Cerato. On Saturday night, Fonck conquered his second title at Topper’s last home, BO Ranch, owned by Greg Morat.
Level 4 MS Diamonds TX Open.
The flashiest reiners and their savvy owners will get another run for Chrome Cash at the NRHA European Futurity, taking place May 26–29 at Bo Ranch just outside Paris, France, courtesy of APHA and the National Reining Horse Association.
Gennaro Lendi recorded his first earnings in the National Reining Horse Association in May 2004, when he won the Non Pro class at the Italian Reining Horse Association Derby on OT Taris High. Less than two decades later, Lendi joined the elite list of riders who have won more than one million dollars in competition.
Recent wins at the 2020 European Futurity, the Austrian Futurity, the German Breeders Futurity, the IRHA Maturity, and ARTA Futurity propelled him past that milestone.
“As I got closer to the million, it became all the more stressful as I wanted to surpass that mark as fast as I could. I put pressure on myself – especially after the pandemic stopped our shows – and it affected my performance in the show pen,” Lendi admitted.
The $340,214-added 2021 NRHA European Futurity concluded in Cremona, Italy, with the Non Pro Futurity Finals on Sunday. With 27 finalists looking for the perfect score and the Championship titles across the four levels, two riders wrote their names on top of the final rankings: Stephanie Blessing and Vittorio De Iulio.
After an exciting Saturday evening featuring the NRHA European Open Futurity Finals, the action in Cremona shifted gears to focus on the 3-year-old rising reining stars. The $136,083-added Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA)/IRHBA (International Reining Horse Breeder Association) /NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) Non Pro Futurity qualifier saw two young Italian riders take the lead in the competition.
The second day of the $340,214*-added 2021 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity presented by NRHA Corporate Partner Markel Insurance and sponsored by NRHA Corporate Partner Cardinal Reining Horses saw 64 horse-rider combinations in the Non Pro Futurity Qualifier in Cremona, Italy, battling for a spot in the Non Pro Futurity Finals on Sunday, November 14.
Managed by the Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA), the European Futurity is held concurrently with the IRHA 4-year-old Futurity and the Italian Quarter Horse Association Futurity—the latter held in one go round.
The 2021 edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity is set to start on November 11 at 8 a.m. at CremonaFiere in Cremona, Italy, with the $187,903*-added Open Futurity Qualifier.
Cremona, May 20— “I was really lucky this event was postponed,” said a thrilled Gina Schumacher who at first didn’t think she would be able to show in the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity held in Cremona, Italy, in conjunction with the 2020 Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity and Italian Championship Finals.
The young German rider not only made it to Italy, she performed to the highest score— a 223.5— in the qualifying go round, rode to top honors in the NRHA European Futurity Level (L)4 Non Pro Finals, all aboard One Mr JJ (Colonels Shining Gun x QHR Jamaica Express), where she also claimed reserve honors. “I showed ‘JJ,’ in the NRHA Non Pro Futurity in the U.S., where we made the finals, and then went on to show him in the U.S. He only arrived in Europe five days before this show, and that was a big gamble,” said Schumacher about the stallion owned and nominated by XCS Ranch LLC and bred by Brent Loseke. “I’m really happy it worked out and he was truly amazing here from day one. I have to thank Ann and Bernard Fonck for following up our training before coming here, and during the show. Now the plan is to go to some schooling shows and see what will come up for us.”
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