May 24th, 2017
The Nrcha/Ercha Derby 2017 took place in Cremona, during the western fair ‘Salone del Cavallo Americano’, from 19th to 21st may. The special event is reserved to four and five year-old horses, ridden in snafflebit or hackamore, and for the Novice Amateur class only, also to 6 year-old horses.
The competition consisted in a first Go round, where competitors had to qualify for the final: the thrilling Fence Work run, to determine the winner. After the Go round, young trainer Giovanni Campanaro had three horses in the first 4 places of the ranking: he was leading with Peppy Aristocrait MR, with composite 220 (73-72-75), followed by himself astride Wr Smoke Time, with composite 217.5 (74-71-72.5) and 4th with Smart Wrangler On Me (215,, made by 70-71.5.73.5)
Ten horse-and-rider combinations qualified to compete in the Open Final (Fence Work) of the ERCHA/NRCHA Open Derby 2017, held on Saturday the 20th afternoon. After a breath-taking run, prized with an astonishing 75, Giovanni Campanaro, astride WR Smoke Time, topped the chart with a composite score of 292,5. The 4 year-old Stallion, owned by Giovanni Lagaren, is by WR This Cats Smart and out of Showtime Playgirl, and he was bred in Italy, by private Claudio Gattone. Giovanni Campanaro got him in training when the horse was 2 and a half year-old and he has shown him in Cow Horse special events since then. The pair was 2016 Open Reserve Champion at the ERCHA/NRCHA Futurity, 2016 IRCHA Open Champion, 2017 IRCHA Derby Open Champion and just won the ERCHA/NRCHA Open Derby 2017. ‘He’s a very sociable and friendly horse, quiet and cooperative. But he is elegant, charming and with an unlimited energy. He is physically strong, especially his backside and rear legs, and this factor helps him with cow work. In the reining, he’s smooth and clean in circles, and spins. He can still improve his stops, for sure. A great horse, indeed!’. Giovanni placed three horses in the Open final of the ERCHA Derby. ‘That was not too hard to handle: we were just back from the IRCHA Derby, in april, and therefore the horses where fit and sound, and well prepared. Before the fence work, I was leading with another horse, but in the end, in the fence work, you never know what may happen. I won with Smoke because he was the one in the best mental conditions, and he got the best cow to show up what he can do’ said Giovanni, who trains near Turin, at Jacopo Ranch. The Reserve Champion title went to Andrea Sanfelici, riding his RH Tremor In Style (More Than Stylish x Marriah Diamond), with composite score 290. The pair marked 74 in the final. This nice 5 year-old paint gelding was previously ridden and shown by Giovanni Campanaro, who took him to several achievements in Cow horse events, such as ERCHA Derby Open Champion 2016. Andrea was 3rd after the Go round, with composite 216 (71-1-74), but this score was enough to gain the title of Nrcha/Ercha Derby Limited Open Champion, assigned at the end of the Go round. German rider Philip Martin Haug placed reserve in the Limited Non Pro section, with composite score 210.5 (67-71.5-72) Haug was riding Jessica Tari Boon.
There were 2 Go round leaders in the NON Pro ranking of the Nrcha/Ercha Derby, with score 216: Alessandro Tugnoli and Smart Easy Boom, and Luca Terzi riding GSR Bet Hesapuddytap. The 4 year-old sorrel stallion, by Smart Easy Deal and out of OT BOOMPEPP was 2016 ERCHA/NRCHA OPEN PREFUTURITY CHAMPION ridden by Giovanni Campanaro. But Luca Terzi was quick to relaunch the heat in the final: scoring a consistent 71.5 in the fence work final, he gained the title of Nrcha/Ercha Derby Non Pro Champion, with a final composite of 283.5. Luca, who is a doctor, living in Camaiore, has been riding western horses for 10 years. He started with Team Penning, but then turned to Cow Horse, a discipline he consider being complete and more challenging: ‘The adrenaline of the fence work is something amazing and thrilling..I love it’. Luca trains with Samuele Poli, the multiple Special Events champion, living in Sarzana. ‘I got this horse for training from team penning, but after riding him, I felt he could be good for Cow Horse indeed’ said POli. So I suggested Luca to buy him, as he’s a nice horse, both for an Open and a Non Pro rider. And this proved to be the real truth. Poli was showing ‘TAPPO’ in the Open Derby, but due to a bad luck in the rein work Go round, he marked zero, and was then out of the final (145 composite, made by 74 – 0 – 72.5). The gelding is by Dualin Puddy Tap (by Dual Pep) and out of Bets Cat.
The doctor from Tuscany won the title also in the section LTD NON PRO DERBY, decided after the Go round, with a composite score of 212 (72-69-71), while Alberto Sbraga took Reserve honours riding Dual Cat Moon, 4 year-old mare by WR This Cats Smart with score 190 (63-62-65).
ERCHA/NRCHA DERBY NOVICE AMATEUR Champion was still Luca Terzi riding GSR Bet Hesapuddytap (score 286,5), while suisse rider Shirley Schalcher placed second astride her Big And Sweet BB, 6 year-old paint stallion by Big Chex To Cash (score 269,0).
The Nrcha/Ercha Derby also hosted the second stage of the Ercha Championship 2017, with all the scheduled ancillary classes. Open Bridle champion, with a score of 143 (71/72) was Giovanni Campanaro riding Smart Speedy, for owner Giovanni Lagaren, while Markus Schoepfer placed second astride Spat Sailor Lena (owned by Jeannet Krahenbhul), with score 142 (72/70).
Italian rider Claudio Ferrami claimed the championship in the Limited Open Bridle division, scoring 141.5 with his Snapplicious, while Austrian rider Thomas Barta placed second with Sugars Smartest Lena, owned by his wife Andrea Popp (score 137.5). The Austrian lady and her horse won the Non Pro Bridle, scoring 139.5 (68.5/71), while german rider Sylvia Bate placed second, scoring 129.5 astride her Justa Little Slipper.
Andrea Sanfelici riding his Ret Great N Sun won the Open Two Rein, scoring 144.5 (70/74.5), while Markus Schopfer and Surley A Peptocat placed second with score 142, for the owner Caroline Baudinger. Ungharian rider Peter Kun was the only competitor in the Two Reins Non Pro Class, and he scored 131.5 (69 / 62.5) astride his Cr Sassylittlelegend.
In the Open Hackamore class, Markus Schopfer and Miss Betsy Cat scored 143 (71 / 72) for owner Agostino Novaresio, while Swiss rider Christoph Seiler and Magic Nu Cash (owned by Eliane Gfeller) placed second with score 140.
In the Non Pro Limited Bridle, Peter Kun gained the Championship, with score 135 (69.5 / 65.5) riding his Red Pep Whiz, while German rider Caroline Baudinger placed second with her Surley A Peptocat (score 134.5).
In the Novice Horse Non Pro, Matteo Ambrosini placed 1st riding Girls Got Dual ( score 137), while French lady Audrey Buttigliero was second riding Spangled Speedy (score132). Fabio Fossa and Cobra Tarissurprise were the only contestants in the Novice Horse Open (score 132.5).
Last but not least, in the Novice Riders class Ilaria Traverso took the lead riding Player Cat (score 135.5 (63 / 72.5), while Austrian rider Peter Trixner was reserve champion with his Pepto IN Bluejeans; and Matteo Ambrosini riding Girls Got Duals were the only competitors in the Youth Novice Rider Class: 140.5 their score (68.5 / 72).
The appointment with the next show of the European Reined Cow Horse Association will be the Hackamore Classic on June in Poland. Stay tuned!
