The first two horses have in common the fact that they have only recently made the acquaintance of the riders who guided them to the podium.Max Ruggerispotted Mr No Guns In Town(Gunstar x Dunnit With Cash), bred by one of his clients, Max Rudari, as a yearling while still in the paddock. “His attitude was really nice and he moved well,” Max says, “so when he was two years old I convinced Lino Santobuono to buy him: he is the current owner, and a friend of mine. I did not start training him immediately for a variety of reasons and partly becauseI moved from Mantua to Trentino. He was started using the Parelli method, then was trained by different professionals and I lost track of him. Five months ago, I heard from Lino and we discussed bringing him back to my stables. When I took him over his training still needed some completion and he had little experience in the show pen. He was a bit confused and green. Yet he is very athletic and possesses many natural qualities especially his stops and his elegant position. I just had to set to work with him patiently. Max continues: “Moreover, he has a really good mind and though time was short he learned everything necessary.I am delighted that he is back with me and has given such satisfaction to the breeder and the owner who have both been customers and friends of mine for several years”.Max, who hails from Asola, near Mantua, is now working at the Alps Coliseum stables in Egna. He has spent thirty of his 44 years with horses and has been a finalist in all the main special events, but his greatest triumphs have come in events with older horses, for example the Maturity at which he has been three times Champion at L4 with the well-known stallion Mister Little Uno. As Max himself confirms, “Yes, perhaps this is one of my characteristics; I like to give horses the time they need to mature.Many horses are talented but not physically ready at the age of three, while others, and this was the case of Mr No Guns In Town, there may be problems that delay their training.I definitely “prefer” the four-year-old Futurity - it's a show that I really like. Moreover, I'm in favour of giving a chance to horses that physically or mentally are a little green compared to the average to compete in a prestigious event: a few additional months of training can help them a lot”.Max was quick to thank his friend Lino, and the whole team that works with him: “If things go well for the rider it is because of all the support of those behind the scenes,” he concludes. And now, is it time to think about the Derby?“We'll see,” he replies, laughing.“You never know!”

Ub Electric, Champion Level 2 (and Co-Reserve Champion Level 3), also met his partner just a few months ago.The beautiful French facility Bo Ranch, where Stefano Ferriis head trainer, bought him from Luga Qh after the Belgian Futurity, where the horse was finalist between the reins of Mirko Midili. Ub Electric was bred in the USA and is by Electric Code out of Ub Stylin With Me. “Mirko is a friend and a trainer who I respect a lot,” says Stefano. “Even though Ub Electric and I didn't know each other well - which is still true today - we made the finals of the Breeders Futurity in Germany almost immediately.This is only our second show together, however my training system is similar to that of Mirko. The experience I have gained working with two-year-olds has also helped me to “classify” each horse according to its characteristics and then act appropriately. This enabled me to quickly create an understanding with this horse and so getresults -although, of course, there is still room for improvement”. Stefano’s training for young horses is rather unusual and it is impossible to describe it in just a few lines. It enables him to create a short and stress-free training programme for his young horses. Many of Europe’s major stables call upon him for this purpose. His theory (and practice) is based on first identifying the ‘type of horse’. “I would classify Ub Electric as a “water” horse: i.e. he is emotional, and that its emotion is directed towards introspection.Although a stallion, he is actually shy, sensitive and thoughtful.So, I know that he feels safe with routine and lighter work sessions, keeping the pressure constant.”

Stefano started his reining career with Filippo Masi in 1999; for three years, he was Stefano Massignan's assistant at Claudio Risso's stables, and he then moved to 23 QH, where he spent many years working alongside Ricky Nicolazzi, Daniel Schlomer and then the Fonck family. For the last year, he has been head trainer at fantastic Bo Ranch, owned by Gregory Morat, actual owner of Ub Electric: Stefano is extremely grateful to him for the great opportunity of showing this nice horse. Like Max Ruggeri, he rather supports the enhancement of the 4-year-old Futurity: “I certainly prefer showing 4-year-olds. Generally, they are both physically and mentally more mature and so I can prepare them better. In fact, I left my three year-old horses at home. In my opinion, a four-year-old shows a better quality reining”.

 Alberto Ferrara, now 35, started his career in reining when he was just 18. He won the title of IRHA-NRHA Futurity 4YO Level 1 Champion riding Little Bingo Player. This stallion is by multiple cow horse champion Peptos Lil Bingo out ofSupertramp Out, a daughter of Playing It Out that also belongs to Little Bingo Player’s owner, Riccardo Morichi.Alberto knows this spirited young horse, that was part of a unusual project, well: “I spent six years working in Tuscany, where I met Riccardo and we became friends.When I came back to Piedmont, I worked with Markus Schöpfer for one year and got to know his stallion, the “Pepto”. I liked the foals of his that I rode. I therefore suggested to Morichi to cross this stallion to his mare. It was a bit of a gamble. Although the horse was a little late developing, we are now delighted with this decision”. Ferrara, who started and trained Little Bingo Player, defines him as very athletic horse; not easy to handle but very good and powerful. “There is still room for improvement in all the manoeuvres. I am happy with this result, especially for the horse as he truly deserves it! He's a little green because he's very nervous and a little bit scared when you teach him something new, but when he understands and learns, he is really super, honest and reliable.” Being still green, Little Bingo Player did not participate in the 3YO 2018 Futurity, but this year, before Cremona, he has already won the Intermediate Open 4YO Piedmontese Futurity. Alberto, who was already a finalist in the European Futurity 2019, currently works on his own in Mazzè, in the facility owned by Andrea Nobile, where he moved two years ago, after spending five years in Peschiera QH of Caluso (To). After high school, Ferrara had left Italy to go to the States, to work for some of the big names in the US reining scene: Scott Mc Cutcheon, Bob Avila, and Brent Loseke at Green Valley Ranch, for a short time. He also spent two years with Rob Lawson, who was very helpful, and finally with Schöpfer.

Reserve honours in the Level 4 went to Manuel Cortesi, riding PC Tinsel Nic (score 218.5), a stallion by Hollywoodtinseltown x PC Sliderina Whiz, bred by Azienda Agricola Cortesi Piero, and owned by Marcus Levin, while in the Level 3 the Co-Reserve Championship went to Czech rider Tomas Martinek astride Call Me Lil Josie (score 218.5), a Quarter Horse mare owned by Wolfgang Hammer, by Lil Joe Cash x Call Me N Hollywood, bred by Sergio Elia. In the Level 2, Pierluigi Fabbri placed second, riding Hurricane Jaba (score 217), nice gelding by Broadway Jaba x Lydia Chex, bred by Az.Agricola Pollarini and owned by Igor Rozman; in the Level 1, Reserve honours went to Angelo Benedusi and Whizkeyfortheladies, a quarter horse stallion by Whizkey N Diamonds x Smart Blue Frost, owned by Sergio Elia and owned by Christian Simonazzi (score 211).

Italian Reining Futurity press office