Level of competition ran deep, scores rose, and so did the public’s cheers as some of Europe’s best horses and riders performed in the Veronafiere Arena. Half way through the second section, the loudest cheering was for Poland’s Lukasz Czechowicz and CSG Kenzo (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Colonels Shining Gun x Shiner Brimolena) who thrilled the fans with his powerful yet smooth ride. From the first stop and back, through the fast and precise spins, to the speed transitions and imperceptible lead changes, Czechowicz’s mount stopped deep in the ground raising the dirt which resulted in the highest score of the evening, a 227.5, and the win in both the $ 144.390-Added Level L(4) Championship as well as the $ 38.654-Added L3 title.
Owned and bred by Katarzyna Roleska, CSG Kenzo was joined by CSG Wisemanfear—a stallion by Colonels Shining Gun out of Tejana Chic also owned by Roleska—to top honors with Czechowicz in the saddle tying for reserve spot in the L4 division and to the Reserve Championship in the L3 only a half-point behind.
“These are both great horses,” said an enthused Czechowicz. “CSG Kenzo was born at Roleski Ranch and I’ve had him in training him since he was a 2-year-old. CSG Wisemanfear was born at Brent Loseke’s facility and came to Poland as a yearling, so I also started him. Both these horses are just amazing. CSG Kenzo is a little more laid back and lazier horse, while ‘Wiseman’ is more energetic, but they are both well-minded and ever so talented. Katarzyna is very happy with both of them today and I am too. We don’t have plans for them for next year, most likely we will take them to the derbies, but we’re not sure about which horse will go to which derby yet. I want to thank Katarzyna very much and of course my family - my wonderful wife and daughter - for always supporting me, and of course a thank you also goes to my sponsors.”
Tying for co-reserve honors in the L4 was Manuel Cortesi of Italy riding Letters To Juliet, (Master Snapper x San July Jo Magnetic), a mare owned by Giacomo Ronchi and Roberto Cuoghi, bred by Ronchi. Emotions ran high when Manuel was asked about his horse co-owned by Ronchi who prematurely passed away in October.
“I have been riding her for about a month,” said Cortesi. “I really didn’t do much with her after all, I just rode her. It’s just that she was so incredibly well trained by Giacomo who did an absolutely fantastic job with her. At first I did not want to ride her but then his parents asked me if I wanted to try her out and as soon as I did I immediately felt at ease with her. I just applied a bit of what my usual working method is and changed a few things around, but the horse was already prepared and ready for competition. I showed her in a few schooling classes but truly, the horse is a level higher than the others! Giacomo has always managed to create wonderful foals; he trained them beautifully, and they are all physically and mentally healthy. He cared greatly for them, they were part of his family, and being able to achieve this result in his honor gives us all joy. We certainly did not expect to ride to such a high score, as a matter of fact, she performed so well that I believe Giacomo helped us from above. I will not deny that it was very emotional and this win is dedicated to Giacomo. He worked so hard to train his horses and this was a way of bringing his work to the finishing line. Everything you saw belongs to him; I just showed her”
Opting to share the $ 19,330-Added Co-Championship was Dutch Tiara Van Dongen riding Orangeisthenublack, (NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook x NRHA Million Dollar Dam Ebony Shines), a mare owned by Gisela Haas and bred by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Rosanne Sternberg, and Kaya Ahissar of Israel aboard Sail On Chexx, (Chexolution x Sailor Whiz Ina), a stallion owned and bred by Eyal Carmon. Both scored a 219.5 for the win.
“My horse’s breeding speaks for itself. We already won the L3 and L2 at the NRHA Germany Breeders Futurity and finished reserve in L4. At this show, we had a little bit of bad luck in the go round, but we still made the L2 finals and here we are. She is a really fun mare with a great personality,” said Van Dongen. “Most of the time she is lazy, but she can also be a little spicy when she wants, but once she’s on your side she is an amazing show horse. In the warm-up, I sometimes feel like nothing is going to work; as soon as we are in the show pen, she makes it work. Tonight wasn’t perfect, but I am very happy with her. I was not completely there in my mind, so everything that went wrong was on me, but I am happy anyway. This was the last show of the year and we have had an amazing season, so I’m really grateful. Next year we are going to flush an embryo out of her to pass on her great bloodlines and we plan to enter the derbies. Our hope is to keep doing what we are doing.”
Just as happy was Ahissar. “This horse is very special to me,” he shared. “He was born at our ranch in Israel and I won the Israeli Derby on his sire and a year later on his dam. He is the best horse we have. He has a great personality and I believe he has a bright future ahead of him. We arrived in Italy only a week ago from Israel and he did most of the job today. He is going to stay in Europe after this show and will be shown at the derbies next year and hopefully make the L4 finals.”
Italian Giovanni Zucchi and CS Mr Wonderful (Dun Gotta Gun x Bingo Juicy), a gelding owned and bred by XCS Ranch LLC, rode to a 220.5 score and the $9,095-Added L1 Championship. “We purchased this horse in February from Gina Schumacher, at CS Ranch,” said Zucchi. “Unfortunately we did not make the L2 Finals but this evening he proved to be a wonderful horse with a lot of potential and hope that in future he will get even better. He is a really good horse with ample possibilities to grow. He was a little ‘green’ beginning of this year but with a few shows and schooling classes he improved a lot. Here he was great right from the start, except maybe for the first day when the ground was a little slick for him, but in the following days it improved and this evening he was perfect!”
Mattia Camisi of Italy and PL Gunspooky (NRHA Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner x Spook Reyns), a stallion owned and bred by Luigi Parise, scored a 218.5 to claim the L1 Open Reserve Championship.
Saturday action in Verona will close with the Elementa IRHA/FISE Pararening Italian Championship Finals and Parareining European Cup followed by the IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA 3-year-old Open Futurity Finals.
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.
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Simona Diale / International Horse Press
