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.

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