Lyon, October 31 — Equita Lyon has once again set the stage for the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby. Open to 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old horses entered in the NRHA Nomination Program, the 13th edition offers a total of Euro 267.661 added money (subject to change in nominations) and will be held on November 1-5 in Lyon, France.
Equita Lyon Western Horse Show, proud host of the NRHA European Derby since 2017, will also host a qualifier this year for The Run For A Million - Million Dollar Championship, the reining event with the highest prize purse in the world. An historic event, as Lyon will be the first and only qualifier held outside the USA making this a tremendous opportunity for European reining too. Already well-represented in the NRHA European Derby, Lyon will now give the discipline's elite a chance to rank among the world's best in August 2024, in Las Vegas, for The Run For A Million. Tickets for the NRHA Open European Derby and The Run For A Million qualifier are on sale now.
In front of a full house, 47 horse-and-rider combinations made their way to the $84,187-Added 2022 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby Non Pro Finals on Friday at Equita Lyon in Lyon, France. No stranger to the Equita Lyon arena, Sára Karasová of the Czech Republic returned this year to hold on to her last year’s title and added on the Level (L)4 Championship.
The 2022 NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) European Derby Non Pro qualifier filled the day at Equita Lyon today with 93 horse-rider combinations (49 entries in Level L(1); 75 in L2; 60 in L3; 50 in L4) riding for a spot in the Finals which will be held on Friday, October 28.
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.
Lyon, October 29–Following the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby Open and Non Pro Qualifiers, horses and riders who made the Finals took a day off in sunny Lyon, France, where the event presented by Markel Insurance and sponsored by NRHA Corporate Partner Cardinal Reining Horses is taking place.
Lyon, October 28—The 2021 edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby held during Equita Lyon, Lyon, France, welcomed the €66,000€-added* Non Pro Derby (*subject to change in nominations), presented by NRHA Corporate Partner Markel Insurance with the support of gold sponsor NRHA Corporate Partner Cardinal Reining Horses.
Performing to a great ride, Dries Verschueren of Belgium rode Smart Little Ruffle (NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook x Ruffle Me Up) to a 217, enough to lead the Level (L)4 and L3 qualifiers. The 6-year-old American Quarter Horse mare is owned by Golden Paint Ranch.
Wiener Neustadt, July 3–The $112,700-added Colonels Shining Gun NRHA European Open Derby finals closed the 2020 edition of the European event.
Draw #4 in the second section, Nico Sicuro and Quarter Dream’s Colonels Dancing Gun set the bar by scoring a 221.5. Twenty horses later, their score held, securing the $45,000-added Level (L)4 European Derby Open Championship as well as the $24.300 paycheck for first place.
Wiener Neustadt, July 2— The 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) $48,000-added* Smart Spook European Non Pro Derby held at Western Training Center H&D Schulz in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, provided thrills and excitement.
Wiener Neustadt—The 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) $48,000-added* Smart Spook European Non Pro Derby qualifier filled the day at Western Training Center H&D Schulz in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, with 79 horse-rider combinations making their way through the in-gate.
In the ninth edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Open Derby Finals, it was the first horse-rider-combination in the second section that held the top score all the way through the end of the 19 finalists.
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