National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Million Dollar Rider and multiple NRHA Open World Champion Rudi Kronsteiner earned his fifth Austrian Reining Horse Association (Austrian RHA) Futurity Championship. He scored a 220 in the Levels 4 and 3 Open with a brilliant run aboard Dr Lee Jeff (Dr Lee Hook x Nu Rum To Smoke x Nu Chex To Cash) for owner Dr. Daniela Ratschew.
The stallion was bred by Glis Ranch in Austria and was third after the go-round. Altogether, Kronsteiner had three horses in the finals, including Dr Lee Jeff. He rode mare Smart Ruffle (Smart Spook x Ruffle Me Up x Lil Ruf Peppy), who was bred by Rosanne Sternberg and owned by Schlager & Nestelberger Partnership, to the Futurity Reserve Championship with a 218, as well as My Show Me The Spook (My Showbiz Whiz x Spooks O Lena x Spooks Gotta Gun), a stallion bred and owned by Ambrosini Quarter Horses, who placed fifth in the finals with a 217.
Two riders tied for third place honors: Nina Weber aboard Birte Zamani‘s SL Shine Chic Voodo (Shiners Voodoo Dr x This Chics Red x Chic Please), bred by Sandra Linnig-Föhl; and go-round leader Manuel Cortesi aboard PC Tinsel Whiz (Hollywoodstinseltown x PC Sliderina Whiz x Topsail Whiz), a stallion bred and owned by Azienda Agricola Cortesi Piero.
4-Year-Old Futurity Level 4 Open
The Levels 4 and 3 of the 4-Year-Old Futurity Open finals were another big highlight of the Austrian RHA Futurity. Nineteen horses made it into the Level 4 finals, which ended with a tie for first place between Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Champion Gennaro Lendi, aboard Colonels Dancing Gun, and Dominik Reminder, riding Call Me Mr Voodoo. Both riders gave great performances on two extraordinary horses that led to matching scores of 224. They decided against a run-off to spare their horses after the long and exhausting week at the Futurity.
Colonels Dancing Gun is an AQHA stallion by Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner) and out of Dance Little Spook (by Smart Spook) that was bred by his owner, Quarter Dream SRL. With this horse, Lendi was the 2018 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Champion.
Call Me Mr Voodoo (Shiners Voodoo Dr x ARC Sassy Snapper x Snapper Cal Bar) was bred and is owned by Elisabetta Zoccarato. With him, Reminder was the 2018 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Champion.
After scoring a 219.5, Lukas Brucek and Natalie Kucikova’s Magico Gallo (Prize Rooster x Snappy My Magic x JB Magic Major) placed third in Level 4 and second in Level 3. The stallion was bred by Andrea Parolari.
4-Year-Old Futurity Level 3 Open
The day before the Austrian RHA Futurity finals, Klaus Lechner, an Austrian NRHA Professional, won the Open aboard Cody Rooster Delmaso. He then turned around and won the 4-Year-Old Futurity Level 3 Open aboard Asbrightascrome for owner Ruth Gellert. The stallion was bred by Saad El Din Hadj-Abdou. He is by Cromed Out Mercedes and out of Asbrightaseinstein (by Great Resolve [Einstein]). Lechner and Asbrightascrome, who were 2017 Austrian RHA Futurity finalists and Breeders Futurity finalists, scored a 222 in the finals.
The Futurity Reserve Championship was claimed by Lukas Brucek and Magico Gallo. Brucek rode the stallion to the Austrian RHA Futurity Level 4 Open Championship last year and placed third at the Belgium Futurity. Brucek is a multiple Futurity and Derby finalist, as well as a multiple Bronze Trophy Champion. He also was the 2010 European Futurity Levels 2 and 1 Reserve Champion and 2011 Level 3 Open Reserve Champion, Belgium Futurity Champion and French Derby Open Champion. In Level 4, Brucek rode Marina Becker‘s BMS Texas Star (Bingo Starlight x Texas Velvet Ribbons x Texas Kicker) to fourth place, along with third place honors in Level 3, after scoring a 219. The stallion was bred by Barbara Seibold.
4-Year-Old Futurity Level 2 Open
Tomas Martinek had already been leading after the Level 2 go-round aboard Wolfgang Hammer’s mare Colonels J Lo (Colonels Shining Gun x One Way Away x Golden Mc Jac), along with Lukas Brucek and BMS Texas Star. In the finals, Martinek and Colonels J Lo had another great run and scored a 217.5, which won the Austrian RHA 4-Year-Old Futurity Level 2 Open Championship.
NRHA Professional Martinek, who trained with Duane Latimer and Cody Sapergia, was the 2015 NRHA European Futurity Level 2 Champion, is a multiple Bronze Trophy Champion and won the 2017 French Futurity Level 4 Open Championship. He won the latter with Colonels J Lo, who was bred by Peter Simek.
“She was so good to me in the finals – she is a great horse,” Martinek said. “A big, strong mare with lots of talent, and so cool in the show pen. Thank you to owner Wolfgang Hammer for letting me show this fine mare!”
The Futurity Reserve Championship was earned by Markus Morawitz and Sandra Friesenbiller’s mare Cash N No Chex (Lil Joe Cash x Spark N Pretty x Shining Spark), who scored a 217. Stefano Cerutti rode two horses to third place honors: Gunnawood Nite (Gunners Special Nite x Hollywood Chicita x Hollywood Dun It), bred and owned byVirginia Ceresa, and MB Miss Tinsellrome (Hollywoodstinseltown x Custom Sanita x Custom Crome), bred and owned byMarco Boggeri.
4-Year-Old Futurity Level 1 Open
After scoring a 215.5, Max Gomeier claimed the Austrian RHA 4-Year-Old Futurity Level 1 Open Championship aboard Katharina King’s Great Shiner (Shine Chic Shine x Dun It Hollywood x Hollywood Dun It). The stallion was bred by Iver Hansen.
Wim Vervecken, from Belgium, and Nitely Eyes (Gunners Special Nite x Angel Eyes Wrangler x Starlights Wrangler) were the Reserve Champions. The mare, who was bred by Dell and Terry Hendricks and is owned by Lynn De Ras, scored a 215. Gisela Denk and Gernot Kuttner‘s Shinedeninger (Gunnatrashya x Shining Whiz x Shining Spark) placed third with their 214.5. The mare was bred by Katarzyna Roleska.
4-Year-Old Futurity Levels 4 & 3 Non-Pro
With a score of 218, Nicole Huebner and her LVR Sparkle On Top (Topgun Whiz x Juana Sparkle x Shining Spark) claimed the Austrian RHA Futurity Levels 4 and 3 Non-Pro Championship. The gelding, who was bred by H.C. Verstappen, was a finalist in the European Futurity Levels 4 and 3 Non-Pro with Huebner in the saddle, and placed seventh at the Italian RHA in the Futurity Non-Pro. Hubner‘s achievements include the Italian RHA Derby Non-Pro Championship.
The Futurity Levels 4 and 3 Non-Pro Reserve Championship was earned by Carlo Ambrosini aboard Saturdaynight Tag (Saturdaynight Custom x Kachina Tag x Whiz N Tag Chex). The duo marked a 217.5. The gelding, with whom Ambrosini was the 2018 NRHA European Futurity Levels 4 and 3 Non-Pro Champion, had been second in the go-round.
Last year’s Austrian RHA Futurity Non-Pro Champion, Sarah Ehrenreich andKays Smoking Gun (Gunner x Kays Freckles x Cutter Freckles), placed third after scoring a 215.5. With this mare, Ehrenreich placed eighth at the 2018 European Futurity.
