ERCHA SPRING STAKES 2011
The European Reined Cow Horse Association started its show season with the ERCHA Spring Stakes, first aged event of the year 2011, reserved to 4 and 5 years old horses. As usual, this main show was held in Verolanuova, Brescia, Italy, in the beautiful facility of Centro Ippico San Giorgio, and was entirely judged by Filippo Masi. The weather was warm and nice, for an exciting week end of cow horse competitions: the show run from Saturday 9th april to Sunday 10th, and also featured the first step of the Ercha Championship 2011, with a full slate of ancillary classes to the aged event.
While in the past editions, the Spring Stakes consisted in two different Go round, this year the champions were defined after a unique final Go.
There were 13 entries in the competition: 9 in the Open, 5 in the Limited Open, 5 in the Non Pro, and 5 in the Limited Non Pro class.
The aged event show was held on Saturday the 9th of april. Samuele Poli riding Cd Shinette, owned by Simona Spronelli, gained the Ercha Spring Stakes Open Champion title with a composite score of 215. The pair started with a good 70 in the herd work, followed by a 71 in the rein work, and ended with a great 74 in the cow work. Cd Shinette is a nice, 5 year old palomino mare, by Cd Olena , and out of Sheza Shinette, by Shining Spark. She arrived in Italy at the end of the year 2009, and she has been trainer by Samuele Poli since then. The pair debuted in a European show exactly one year ago, at the Ercha Spring Stakes 2010, where they placed Reserve Champions in the Open class, winning the Limited Open Champions title. The pair went on to win other important title in all Ercha’s main events: they were both Open and Limited Open Derby Champions 2010, placed 3rd in the Prefuturity Open ranking, and took the Reserve honours in the Prefuturity Limited Open class, was Nrcha/Ercha Futurity Limited Open Reserve Champions, and placed 4th in the Futurity Open ranking. The pair started the new year of competitions in the best possible way, winning the Ercha Spring Stakes Open Championship. Samuele Poli had another horse in the Spring Stakes Open, Lil Vincent (Starlight Elan x Young Guns Little Gal), owned by Paolo Mosti: the pair scored 206,5 (68-70,5-68), placing 4th in the Open ranking.
The Reserve Champion title went to Giacomo Poli, the younger brother of Samuele, riding Ima Snoop Olena, owned by Marco Giannini. The pair scored 69 in the herd work, 71,5 in the rein work, and ended with a good 72 down the fence, for a total composite of 212,5, that also granted them the Limited Open Championship! The horse is by Ima Snooper Too and out of Blue Fox Baby, and was shown for the first time at the Ercha Prefuturity 2010, placing 3rd in the Limited Open Futurity 3 years old.
Markus Schoepfer placed 3rd in the Open class, astride Remedy The Roan, a nice 5 year old mare, by Very Smart Remedy and out of Evita The Roan, owned by Dominique Reynaud. The pair scored 72 in the herd work, 70 in the rein work, and 70 again in the fence work, for a total composite of 212.
In the Limited Open division, the Reserve honours went to Serena Bagnara, riding Arc King Bar One Time, a 5 year old sorrel stallion, by Acres Of Time and out of Arc Peppy Sugar Chic, owned by Loris Raffagnato. the pair scored a composite of 202.5 (69-68,5-65), having some trouble during the last fence work run. The pair was also 5th in the Open division. Serena also placed 3rd in the Limited Open ranking (and 6th in the Open one) riding her other horse, Snapple Dance, by Mister Snapple x Light Dancing Lena, owned by Alice Fiorini: the pair scored 201 (66-67-68).
There was one only champion in the Non Pro and Limited Non Pro divisions of the Ercha Spring Stakes: Loris Raffagnato took both titles riding his horse Arc King Bar One Time. The pair, who already competed in the Ercha Derby 2010, placing 3rd both in the Non Pro and Limited Non Pro classes, scored 66 in the herd work, 68 in the rein work, and 69 down the fence, for a total composite of 203, and 4,5 points from the reserve champion.
German rider Achim Gotz placed second, gaining the Reserve Champion title in both the Non Pro and Limited Non Pro classes, riding One Of A Sign, a 5 year old Appaloosa gelding, by High Sign Nugget, and out of Justa Doc Olena. The pair, who was Ercha Derby Non Pro and Limited Non Pro reserve champion in 2010, scored 67 in the herd work, 66,5 in the rein work, and 65 in the cow work, for a total composite of 198.5.
The next major event for the European Reined Cow Horse Association will be the Ercha/Nrcha Derby 2011, that will be held in Reggio Emilia, during the international western fair Salone Del Cavallo Americano, from the 11th to the 15th of may.
The European Reined Cow Horse Association, the governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Mirko Viviani, Pira’s Cow & Horses, Double R Chant Quarter Horse Stallion, Remilore Quarter Horse Stallion, Az.Agricola Simone Porporato, Effeemme, Markus Schopfer Performance Horses, Morona Appaloosa, Balla coi lupi Ranch, Andre Fasani, Tony Muzi Western Boots, AP Hotel & Beautyfarm, Peptos Lil Bingo Quarter Horse Stallion, Orso, Nevio Lepre lavorazione cuoio, Histoire d’Or, Dirty Dancer Quarter Horse Stallion, Animal Village, Taccia Ranch, Mondelli Stable, Mecc System, MDS Media, Ranch Ca’ Masiero Arcese Quarter Horses, selleria El Cuero, Reny, Saddle Chopper, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Alba Qh, Smartaz, Old Sorrel, Salone del Cavallo Americano, Camping Gamp – Chiusa, Cowboy Service, Stable Comfort, Quarter Dream, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry.
