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Kreuth, Germany – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show started in Kreuth, Germany today with the first section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round. A total of 81 four-year-old reining horses from all over Europe were shown in Ostbayernhalle to kick off the first day of the weeklong show. Austrian Rudi Kronsteiner, 2010 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Champion, had the best run today riding Finest Copyshot to a score of 222.5. The sorrel American Quarter Horse mare is by I Am Shotgunner out of Its Another Footwork by Footworks Finest. Finest Copyshot, bred and owned by Anja Deutzmann, was very successful last year with Bernard Fonck in the saddle. The Belgian who won the 2009 NRHA European Level 4 Open Futurity, was the Western Event Snaffle Bit Level 4 Open Futurity Champion, Oakland Reining Classic Level 4 Open Futurity Champion and Italian Level 4 Open Futurity finalist with this mare.

Bernard Fonck and Ruf Footwork are second at the moment after scoring a 220. Fonck rode the stallion by Footworks Finest out of Jasmines Ruf Blonde (owner and breeder Dr. Paul Van Hooft) to the Austrian Reining Horse Association Western Star Level 4 Open Futurity Championship (for three-year-olds) last year.

Fonck also managed to tie for Level 4 Open third place today riding Big Sky Whizard (Topsail Whiz x Isle Bea Dun It, owned by Color Invest A & S Deredowscy) with Broadmoor Cassie (Broadmoor x Classy Parette, owned by Impresa Agricola Cuoghi) ridden by Pietro Artinghelli (ITA) – both scoring a 219.5. The mare now leads the Level 3, Level 2 and Level 1 Open Futurity go round with Artinghelli.

COMING UP – Tomorrow’s competition will include the first go, first section of the $64,000 added Non Pro Futurity following 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 15 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.
• Level 2 Open – The top 15 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.
• Level 1 Open – The top 15 scores, plus ties, from the first go will make it in the finals.

FINALS SCHEDULE – Friday’s schedule includes and Level and Level 2 Non Pro finals starting at 2:30 p.m. with the Level 1 and Level 2 Open finals commencing at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Level 3 and Level 4 Non Pro finals begin at 2 p.m. and the Level 3 and Level 4 Open finals follow at 6 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW – The NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show offers 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 $400,000 in prize money.

More information is available on the official website of the NRHA European Futurity at nrha-european-futurity.com, on the Online Reiner at 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 nrha-european-futurity.com.