Open to 4-year-old horses enrolled in the NRHA Nomination Program, the first European Futurity was held in Kreuth, Germany, in 2009. In a joint effort with European affiliates, NRHA Hall of Fame Inductee Eleuterio Arcese made both the show and the nomination program happen. Sixteen years later, thanks to Arcese’s vision and determination a pool of sponsors in Italy, along with European purse supporters, made the million dollar added event happen in Cremona during the 37th edition of the international horse fair Salone del Cavallo Americano.
Non Pro qualifier
51 horse-rider combinations competed in the De Niro Boot Co Non Pro qualifier to earn a spot in the De Niro Boot Co Non Pro finals that will take place on Friday. It was the young talented rider of Austria, Anna-Maria Zehetbauer, who rose to the top of the leader board in the Level (L)4 division with Zeidelhof Reining Horses’ mare SS Pretty Nifty (NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire A Sparkling Vintage x Custom Nifty Nic). The duo scored 219 to lead the field of 31 entries. SS Pretty Nifty is a NRHA Markel Futurity Sale graduate and was nominated by Richard Zeidelhof.
“I am really happy with my mare; she is simply amazing. I showed her in all 3-year-old futurities last year [Austrian Futurity, German Futurity, Italian Futurity] and we won all three L4 Non Pro Championships!” said the proud rider. “Now we made the L4 finals here with a 219 so I am very pleased with her and cannot wait to show her in the finals. I will try to have a clean run on Friday and not go crazy, but we will try to push a little bit more. Regardless of what happens, I am really happy with the today’s run.”
The L3 division also counted 31 entries and it was renowned Swiss rider Adrienne Speidel who took the lead aboard her own Colonel Einstein (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Colonels Shining Gun x Kaysolve) nominated by Fabian Strebel. Speidel and her gelding scored 214 for the lead.
Two riders walked out of the pen with a score of 213.5 to top the L2 Non Pro division counting 32 entries: Matt Legrand, a French youth rider aboard GB Malibu Gunrise (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Colonels Shining Gun x LC Electric Lady), a stallion owned and nominated by Gregory Legrand, and Italy’s Cecilia Frediani and her Shes A Spark (Spark N Whiz x Shes A Lil Showgirl), a mare nominated by Edoardo Bernardelli.
In a field of 16 entries in the L1 qualifier, on home turf Annalisa Solbiati performed to the highest score of 212.5 with SM Magicice Valentin (ARC Magic Enterprise x Iceinside), a mare owned and nominated by Massimo Solbiati.
Last to go in the Non Pro qualifier was Francesca Sternberg who topped the NRHA European Futurity American Paint Horse Association (APHA) Chrome Cash Incentive L4 Non Pro qualifier scoring a 201 with My Kinda Shine (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Colonels Shining Gun x See My Way), a mare owned and nominated by her.
Open qualifier
Currently leading in the first section of the MS Diamonds TX L4 European Futurity Open qualifier is the NRHA Million Dollar Rider Ann Fonck of Belgium with Katharina Mayer’s Single Malt Xo (NRHA Million Dollar Sire In Like Flinn x Gunners Doll), a gelding nominated by Fabien Boiron. The duo scored 220.5 to top the leaderboard.
Italian Giuseppe Prevosti and Gunnabeafox (ARC Gunnabeabigstar x Thelastmissolenashow) scored a 218 to top the L3 Open qualifier for owner and nominator of the stallion Ambrosini Quarter Horses ASD.
Two Italian Professionals scored a 215 to lead the L2 Open qualifier: Sebastiano Valtorta riding AR Gotta Valentine (NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz x Arc Shinin Valentine), a mare owned by AR Breeding Horses and nominated by Elisabetta Raviola, and Matteo Vedovato piloting Hittin The Brakes (NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz x Wimpys Lil Diva), a stallion owned by Maurizio Furlan and nominated by Karin Machalek.
French Mathis Muller and Lars Nordin’s owned and nominated mare Wrangler Wish A Wave (What A Wave x Wrangler Wishes) topped the L1 Open qualifier with a score of 211.5.
Italian Pierluigi Fabri rode Igor Rozman’s owned and nominated stallion Infernos Cocktail (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Inferno Sixty Six x Robys Neadsacocktail) to lead the L4 European FuturityOpen APHA Chrome Cash Incentive go round with a 214.5 score.
CremonaFiere doors opened on Monday to European reiners from 12 nations. With competition starting today featuring the NRHA European Futurity Non Pro qualifier, the following three days will include the European Futurity Open qualifier, NRHA ancillary classes, the first World Reining Championship qualifiers for riders vying for a spot on the Italian teams, and once again NRHA Alliance Partner American Paint Horse Association Chrome Cash will feature $5,000 in added money just for Paints in the NRHA European Futurity L4 Open and Non Pro divisions as well as the Open and Amateur Category 4 classes will each offer $1,250 each.
Photos Bonaga Communication
For further information: NRHAEUROPEANFUTURITY.com
For ticketing and entry to fairgrounds: SALONEDELCAVALLO.com
NRHA European Futurity Media Contact
Simona Diale / International Horse Press
