Let's start with Franziska Wallner, just 17 years, who rose to the top of Level 1 with a cautious but decisive 213. Immediately after finishing school last year, Franziska chose to go and help mum Heidi and dad Karl in the family stable, “Wallnerhof”, located in Bavaria. Practically raised in the saddle, she trains and prepares the horses with which she competes herself, aided by her parents, and then spends the last few days before the big shows with a professional trainer to add the “finishing touches”. For this 2019 IRHA Futurity she was helped by Rudi Kronsteiner. “This year has been great... I have made the final every time, with all the horses I have shown, and I won the Italian Derby L1 and the Austrian Futurity!” The Austrian Futurity L3 and 1, as well as the Reserve Championship L4, arrived with a nice 217.5 aboard Shes Jerseylicious, the chestnut filly that she showed today in the Non Pro go-round and with which she also reached all the finals at the Breeders Futurity in Germany. A daughter of Yellow Jersey, a stallion recently returned to Italy from the USA where he was managed by the McQuay family, and Shiney Enterprise, the mare was purchased at the 2018 Legacy Sale and has been trained by Franziska since then.
The top score of the go-round Futurity 3YO Non Pro was a 215.5 marked by Fabio De Iulio and Rs Cronos Jac, the L4 and 3 leaders. Fabio, 39, a building contractor from Castellammare di Stabia (Na), has been reining “for quite a few years!” He normally rides at home but is currently supported by Nico Sicuro, the head trainer at Quarter Dream. This Non Pro has made the finals in many special events and has secured two Maturity victories (one L4 in 2017) and one in a Futurity 4YO. As the initials in front of this chestnut stallion’s name indicate, Rs Cronos Jac was bred at Claudio Risso's Roberta's Stable and is the result of one of this breeder’s tried and tested crosses between the bloodline of Mc Jac Flash, father of the sire Rs Great Jac Feona and that of the Million Dollar Sire Spat Olena, father of the mother, Rs Shadow Olena. Fabio bought the horse last July and entrusted him to Nico Sicuro. “This is a special horse, with a special story,” says Fabio. Then when asked to elaborate on this story, he adds: “I will tell you, but I can’t right now... I am Neapolitan and therefore rather superstitious!”
Sitting half a point behind De Iulio, and Level 3 go-round leader, is 35-year-old Gabriele Carrarini, a passionate Non Pro who has been committed to reining since 1997, and has always enjoyed doing things alone. In fact, his Futurity prospects are born at home, in the Buttigliera D'Asti stable that he manages together with his mother while also working in the family consulting firm. He also often trains his horses personally though as he laughingly explains: “I have had quite a number of trainers but since 2011 I have been supported by Max Ruggeri, following him right up to the Tyrolean mountains. He trains my horses and puts right what I have messed up at home!” Finalist in all the special events in which he has participated, multiple NRHA Bronze Trophy Winner, he has to his credit two Italian Championships and several regional titles in Piedmont, Lombardy and Trentino. Accompanying him at this Futurity he has Cg Smart N Gold: “Goldy is a gelding bay, son of Clinton [Arc Surprising Smart, the home stallion, Ed.] and of my mare Arc Girl Chic N Gold”, he explains. “Born and raised at home, started by Cris Lucchina and Cristina Fiscella, I then trained him myself, though sporadically aided with Max’s fundamental supervision. Together we have won the ARTA Futurity and the LR Futurity Non Pro”.
Italian Reining Futurity press office
