Kreuth, Germany – March 7, 2010 – Germany once again welcomed the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity and NRHA Show to Ostbayernhalle in Kreuth. The first day of competition consisted of more than 70 open rider and horse combinations. The duos took to the ring in the first go, first section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity. As final open entries were totaled last night, the show saw an 11% percent increase in entries over last year promising tough competition today.

The Canadian riding delegation answered the call leading all four divisions for most of the day, but the last ten horses of the section made significant changes to the leader board. However, the Canadian riders held on to the top score with Oakies Red Berry (Country Bay Berry x Wb Miss Docs Oak) and Canada’s Morey Fisk marking a 220 to lead the Level 4 Open division. The four-year-old mare is owned by Martina Krajcarova of the Czech Republic giving two countries bragging rights on the day.

Oakies Red Berry has been in training with Fisk since December after an impressive showing at the NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma City. The mare was a finalist in all four divisions of the Open Futurity with Adam Hendrickson aboard. The mare and Fisk also lead the Level 3 Open Futurity division.

In the Level 2 Open division, Dreams And Prizes (Magnum Chic Dream x Freckles Prize) was piloted by Canada’s Vern Sapergia to a score of 216.5 to tie for the lead with Bh Most Wanted and The Netherlands’ Roy Van Der Hoeven. Dreams And Prizes is owned by Germany’s Ulrike Frey and sits in fourth and third place in the Level 4 and Level 3 Open divisions, respectively. The Netherland’s Marjon Huijs Nieuwen owns Bh Most Wanted who leads the Level 1 Open division.

Tomorrow’s competition will include the first go, first section of the $64,000 added Non Pro Futurity followed by the first go, second section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity. Tomorrow’s Open Futurity section will help decided finalists, in addition to those eligible for the consolation as follows:

Level 4 Open – The top 20 scores plus ties from the first go will automatically make it to the finals. The next 20 scoring entries, plus ties, qualify for the consolation class. Then the top 5 scores, plus ties, from the consolation class qualify for the finals. There are a total of 25 finalists (plus ties) for Level 4 Open.
Level 3 Open – The top 20 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.
Level 2 Open – The top 20 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.
Level 1 Open – The top 20 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.

The NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show offer a full slate of Category 1 classes for Open and Non Pro riders. The NRHA European Futurity is “Open to the World� and showcases four-year-old reining horses and riders competing for close to $300,000 in prize money. More information is available on the official Web site of the NRHA European Futurity at www.nrha-european-futurity.com, on the Online Reiner Blog at www.reiner.nrha.com and on NRHA’s Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/nrhareining. For all those who cannot visit Kreuth and watch the NRHA European Futurity in person, NRHA offers free Livestreaming and Livescoring on www.nrha-european-futurity.com.

RESULTS

Level 4 Open – 1st Go, 1st Section
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Back # / Owner / Score
1 / Morey Fisk / CAN / Oakies Red Berry (Country Bay Berry x Wb Miss Docs Oak) / 70 / Martina Krajcarova (CZE) / 220.0 / 2009 NRHA Futurity – Reserve Champion in Level 1 Open Futurity division, 3rd place in Level 2 Open Futurity division, as well as Level 4 and Level 3 Open division finalist with Adam Hendrickson

2 / Martin Gamper / ITA / Rooster Nic (Gallo Del Cielo x Sanjos Pistolette) / 87 / Evelyn Bagnasco / 218.0 / 2009 Italian Reining Horse Association Futurity Level 4 Open division finalist with same rider

3 / Bernard Fonck / BEL / Cattlemans Cash (Wimpys Little Step x Trophy Peppy Jay) / 75 / BVBA Van Roosbroeck / 217.0 / 1st place in Snaffle Bit/Hackamore Three-Year-Old Open at the 2nd International Western Event Belgium

4 / Vern Sapergia / CAN / Dreams And Prizes (Magnum Chic Dream x Freckles Prize) / 167 / Ulrike Frey (GER) / 216.5

4 / Davide Brighenti / ITA / LMC Im Topsail Dunit (Im A Topsail Cody x Daisy Dun It) / 31 / Alessandro Baldi / 216.5 / 4th place in 2009 Italian Reining Horse Association Level 4 Open division with same rider

Level 3 Open – 1st Go, 1st Section
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Back # / Owner / Score
1 / Morey Fisk / CAN / Oakies Red Berry / 70 / Martina Krajcarova / 220.0
2 / Martin Gamper / ITA / Rooster Nic / 87 / Evelyn Bagnasco / 218.0
3 / Vern Sapergia / CAN / Dreams And Prizes / 167 / Ulrike Frey / 216.5
3 / Davide Brighenti / ITA / LMC Im Topsail Dunit / 31 / Alessandro Baldi / 216.5
5 / Matthew Hudson / CAN / Buenonics Doughter (Buenonic Chex x Doll House Glo) / 99 / Enzo Gola (ITA) / 215.5

Level 2 Open – 1st Go, 1st Section
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Back # / Owner / Score
1 / Vern Sapergia / CAN / Dreams And Prizes / 167 / Ulrike Frey / 216.5
1 / Roy Van Der Hoeven / NED / Bh Most Wanted (Mr BH Most Wanted x Tuckers Missy) / 195 / Marjon Huijs Nieuwen / 216.5
3 / Matthew Hudson / CAN / Buenonics Doughter / 99 / Enzo Gola / 215.5
4 / Franco Bertolani / ITA / Elvis Peppy Gold (Elvis Peppys Taco x Holly Blek Gold) / 35 / Andrea Castrucci / 214.5
4 / Pietro Artinghelli / ITA / Brett Starburst (Starlight Elan x Bretts Tari) / 45 / Impresa Agricola Coughi / 214.5 / 2009 Italian Reining Horse Association Futurity Level 3 Open finalist with same rider

Level 1 Open – 1st Go, 1st Section
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Back # / Owner / Score
1 / Roy Van Der Hoeven / NED / Bh Most Wanted / 195 / Marjon Huijs Nieuwen / 216.5
2 / Matthew Hudson / CAN / Buenonics Doughter / 99 / Enzo Gola / 215.5
3 / Franco Bertolani/ ITA / Elvis Peppy Gold / 35 / Andrea Castrucci / 214.5
3 / Pietro Artinghelli / ITA / Brett Starburst / 45 / Impresa Agricola Coughi / 214.5
5 / Nicola Cordioli / ITA / Late Little Jaba (RS Little Red Jaba x Ima Late Doll) / 38 / Silvia Sgaggio / 214.0 / Winner of Austrian Reining Horse Association Level 2 Open Futurity with same rider
5 / Michel Sandyck / NED / Ruf And Lucky (Lil Ruf Peppy x Lucky And Flashy) / 174 / Roy De Bruin / 214.0 / 3rd place in Snaffle Bit/Hackamore Three-Year-Old Open at the 2nd International Western Event Belgium
5 / Romuald Poard / FRA / Peppys Ruf Sailor (Lil Ruf Peppy x Sailin Bliss) / 160 / Valerie Arnaud-Coste Vincent Closquinet / 214.0