$73.124-added Level 4
With the 2022 IRHA Futurity, 2023 NRHA European Futurity and NRHA Germany Breeders Futurity Championships under their belts, Manuel Cortesi and July Joe Snap today rode to a 223 to lead the $73.124-added Level (L)4 division counting 47 entries.
The powerful stallion by Master Snapper out of San July Jo Magnetic is owned by NRHA Hall of Famers Roberto Cuoghi and Eleuterio Arcese. Cuoghi, who bred the chestnut was quick to credit Cortesi and the horse. “This horse is simply amazing; he and Manuel are simply a great team and the results prove this fact,” he said. “What makes their success together all the more special is that our great friend Giacomo [Ronchi], who trained and previously co-owned him with me, prematurely passed away last year. This is a tribute to him.”
Cortesi once again confirmed that ‘July’ is without a doubt a great horse and that his experience in the show pen is growing. “As a reining horse gets older, he becomes more experienced and today I felt that he was also thinking but was always there,” shared Cortesi.
“He does not need any training at home; the difficulty lies in keeping his maneuvers at his high level of execution. He’s always done well and everything looks easy, but great horses are not easy. He is extremely athletic, yet rider errors are easy too, especially when the horses are this talented. So, when we go to show, I don’t think about our past winning runs together: I think ‘he’s just another horse’ and not ‘he’s great.’ Mistakes are just around the corner when showing; each and every run is different and nothing is to be taken for granted. I do not want to take him for granted…winning is difficult, winning multiple times becomes all the more difficult because expectations are high.”
$20.736-added Level 3
Italy’s Francesco Barbagli rode Belle Flinn (In Like Flinn x OT Belle) for owners and breeders Ruggero and Anna Scarpa Prevedel to the top score of 216 tying to lead the $20.736-added L3 division counting 46 entries. “My horse was very good today; he turned around well, and always waited on my cues making it easy for me to manage him in the circles and finally, in the stops — his strong maneuver — he was big!” said Barbagli who has had the stallion in training for the past two years. “I know him really well and we made the finals in the Italian Futurity last year and the Euro Futurity this year and now this. He always wants to do his best and that is one of his characteristics that make me love him.”
Riding Steath Custom Gun, a stallion by One Gun out of Nics Custom, owned and bred by Stephanie and Giovanni Castiglioni, Silvia Racco of Italy posted a 216 to tie for the L3 and lead the $9.823-added L2 division counting 61 entries. “Maurizio [Ferraris] and I broke this horse later on in his 2-year-old year as per his owner’s request who also own his dam which they purchased in the U.S.,” shared Racco. “He is our little pony with a huge heart; we’ve only showed him in a couple of regional shows and this is his first major event so we are all really happy and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Castiglioni family for their trust in my program.”
$5.457-added Level 1
Up and rising star Jody Fonck once again topped the leaderboard in a field of 39 entries after posting a 215 on Anneliese and Hermann Meinhert’s JJ Pale Faced Spook, a stallion by NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire Pale Faced Dunnit out of Spool Pop Chex. “This horse is super, super, nice, and great minded. He’s really sweet to show, stops hard, and has a great mind,” said the Belgian 17-year-old [daughter of NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Bernard Fonck and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Ann Fonck – bloodlines don’t lie!]. “Last year my dad rode him and after the Euro Futurity the reins passed on to me. I’m really happy to be showing him here, the venue is very nice and there is a great group of riders.”
Sunday action in Cremona will feature the first go of the IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Open presented by DeNiroBootCo. The second go will be held on Wednesday 15, with the 2023 Champions crowned on Saturday 18. A limited number of tickets for the Level 4 Open Finals may be purchased here: www.teamforyou.net
Photos by Bonaga Communication
Live stream: live.andreabonaga.it
Live score: showmanager.info
For further information: www.FUTURITY.it / www.IRHA.it
IRHA-NRHA Futurity Media Contact
Simona Diale / International Horse Press
