Oklahoma City, OK – December 1, 2009 – The National Reining Horse Association will once again host the $100,000 added 2009 FEI World Reining Masters Final during the 2009 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show in Oklahoma City on December 3. The competition brings 20 riders from 18 countries to Oklahoma City along with many international visitors. Set to return are Austrian rider Rudi Kronsteiner and Rosanne Sternberg’s Smart Spook, 2007 and 2008 open and restricted division champions.
“By hosting this event, we are looking to ensure that the momentum of reining continues,” NRHA Executive Director Dan Wall said. “Besides the high-performance reining competition at the 2010 Alltech® FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, this is a perfect way to showcase the sport of reining before a worldwide audience.”
The World Reining Masters Final is a thrilling competition involving the best individual reiners in the world. All have qualified, according to a point system, in their National Federations. Once qualified, the riders advance to the Masters to compete for $100,000 in prize money in two divisions along with the honor of representing their country. The two divisions of competition include the $75,000-added open and $25,000-added restricted open. The five countries that were finalists in the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, are allowed to send their top two riders to compete in the open division only. These countries are the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Other countries can send one rider, and are eligible to compete in the open and restricted divisions. A complete list of entries is shown below.
2009 FEI World Reining Masters Final Entries
Nation / Athlete / Horse / Owner
AUS / Robyn Schiller / Dun It At Dawn / Debbie Hackett
AUT / Rudi Kronsteiner / Smart Spook / Rosanne Sternberg
BEL / Bernard Fonck / Great Sun Burst / De Bruin, Gattuso & Vandorp
BRA / Ricardo Arinato Heymann / Kitsche Rock / David Applegarth
CAN / Patrice St-Onge / Leitachic / Babcock, Heckman & Bartlett
CAN / Lisa Coulter / Hollywood Aces / Bob Thompson
CZE / Tomas Martinek / Don Julio Whiz / Rosanne Sternberg
DOM / Fauntly Garrido / A Smart Enterprise / Robert J Laporta
ESP / Francesc Cueto / Footworks Special / Ruben Pacheco Cuevas
FRA / Gregory LeGrand / Mr Awesome Affaire / High Crest Reiners, Inc.
GBR / Francesca Sternberg / Whizin Off Sparks / Rosanne Sternberg
GER / Nico Hörmann / Setting Off Sparks / Rosanne Sternberg
ISR / Shai Kaneti / Rooster Wilson / Ollie Griffith
ITA / Andrea Castrucci / Skeets Dun / Andrea Castrucci
MEX / Alejandro Gonzalez / Shiners Quixote / Carol Rose & Paris Wixon
NED / Rieky Young / Cowboy Smarts / Jim Babcock
POL / Bogdan Czarnik / Colonel Pepenator / Cathrine Petitte
SUI / Christoph Seiler / Ruffle Me Up / Greg Hill
USA / Pete Kyle / Whizs Bronze Star / Kaitlin Townsend
USA / Craig Schmersal / Mr Dual Rey / Holly Casey
