Italian Manuel Cortesi and July Joe Snap, a stallion by Master Snapper out of San July Jo Magnetic, co-owned by breeder Giacomo Ronchi along with Roberto Cuoghi, had already captured everyone’s attention in the first go round by leading the scoreboard for a good part of the competition with a 221. Today, the talented duo posted a 221.5 which added their composite score to 441.5 and the lead in the $216,000-Added Level (L)4. Showing the bay stallion for Cortesi was filled with emotion, as was for many in the reining world. Giacomo Ronchi, ‘Jack’ for his friends, prematurely passed away a little over a month ago. “Showing Giacomo’s horse—who he broke and trained—is not an easy task,” said Cortesi. “I’ve been riding him for a month and Giacomo, who boarded his horses at my place, did a great job with him. I’ve simply been riding him without changing his program and trying to do my best…”
Taking the second highest composite score in the L4 division, and leading the $62,530-Added L3 with a 440 composite score, is Stefano Ferri with This Guys Smart, a stallion by NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook out of A Ruf Gal owned by BO Ranch and bred by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner and Hall of Famer Rosanne Sternberg. “We purchased this horse, along with his half-brother Spook Design who I also made the finals with here, as a yearling from Sterling Ranch. I immediately liked them both when I saw the video Rosanne [Sternberg] sent us,” shared Ferri. “They arrived in BO Ranch, France, in January and they are truly my babies even though they have completely different personalities. I broke and trained them and am really happy to have made the finals here, in particular considering the deep level of competition.”
Mattia Nadalini of Italy and Wimpy Blue Dun It, stallion (NRHA Million Dollar SirePale Face Dunnit x Ruf And Tuff Wimpy), bred and owned by Carlo Sala, posted a 435, the second-highest composite score in the L3 Open division.
In the $30,130-Added L2, Stefano Cerutti riding Superwimpylittlewhiz a stallion by NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Wimpy Step Surprise out of Super Lady Whiz, a stallion owned by Claudia Rizzola and bred by Fabio Arcuri, scored 431.5 for the composite lead. “I got this horse in training in July this year,” said Cerutti. “He was actually trained by his previous owner, then by Gianluca Barreca until last December, and then the reins passed on to me when he arrived at Baldelli Quarter Horses. I did a couple of schooling classes, then won the Piemonte Regional L2 Open Futurity and this is our first major show. Even though he does not seem to appreciate the noise, the people, and the lights here, he did a really good job for me in both go rounds.”
Young Italian professional Dino Lulli rode Igor Todini’s King Arthur Sailor, a stallion by AB Captain Badger out of Im A Queen Diamonds, bred by Angelucci Quarter Horses, to lead the $15,000-Added L1 composite ranking with a 431. “I started riding this horse in February this year and the first show for us was the Regional Veneto Futurity where we won the L1 Open division,” said Lulli. “Since I first started riding him he’s always been super good, easy to show, never gets over-excited, and is always with me. I had so much fun competing here in the go rounds and once again it was easy to show off his best manoeuvers; stops and circles.”
The 3-year-old Open Futurity Finals will be held on Saturday 19. Tomorrow action will start at 8 a.m. with the Elementa IRHA/FISE Italian Championship Green Reiner 2, followed by the Open, Intermediate Open, and Limited Open Finals. At 5.30 p.m., the IRHA/NRHA 4-year-old Non Pro Futurity Finals will close the day.
Held at Vieronafiere, admission is free until Friday, November 18. Tickets for Saturday, November 19, may be purchased online here.
To follow the action live, click here live.andreabonaga.it
Click here www.showmanager.info for complete results and live score.
Photos by IRHA Futurity Official Photographer Bonaga Communication.
IRHA-NRHA Futurity Media Contact
Simona Diale / International Horse Press
