Yesterday, November 16, the Non Pro Futurity 3-year-olds got off to a fine start in the beautiful facility of CremonaFiere that has already surprised and delighted riders and visitors. From the 40 entries to this go-round, young Italian Non Pro Fabio Colantoni graduated with honours, posting the top score in all four levels with a convincing 213, matched only in level 4 by the talented German rider, Marina Becker.
Colantoni’s partner in the arena is BF Feona In Whiz, a name that immediately underlines the importance of this horse’s pedigree; he is, in fact, a son of RS Great Jac Feona, a stallion from Claudio Risso’s renowned facility, Roberta’s Stable, and Pretty Bubble Whiz. Ferruccio Bucci, from whom Fabio bought him when he was 18 months old, bred the stallion. «At the time he looked more like a Great Dane than a horse», jokes the non pro from Rome, referring to the slightly delayed physical development of his capable little stallion, «so I took his training very calmly, and started later than usual. But I quickly realized that I was dealing with a great talent; he was super easy to train». Commenting on his excellent performance Fabio says: «The go went as I had planned and imagined it: a few bumps on the spin, but then on to some strong stops». Fabio, who rides at Selva Nera QH in Rome under the guidance of Alessandro Meconi, prepared his stallion for the show arena by competing in a number of regional competitions and the European Prefuturity in September, where the two were Non Pro Reserve Champions level 2.
Sharing the top slot at level 4 with Fabio Colantoni and BF Feona In Whiz were Marina Becker and her accomplished gelding MJ Heavens Nite, bred by Julia Scharf and son of Gunners Special Nite x Gallo Del Balnco. Marina had another horse in this class, Arc Lemeryourgun: riding this mare, she reached the third best score of the ranking. Talking about her run, she states: «I rode Feona in competitions only few times before this occasion, in Germany and Austria, and he always did good! Here, at the beginning, he was a little bit too excited, but soon afterwards he just listened to me all the time, and I am really proud of him. Actually, I am hally with both my horses! The mare is a tipical ‚female‘, but she is very talented too». Looking for the final, Marina will try to better fix the right circles and, of course, she will run faster!
Just a half point behind Fabio at levels 3 and 2 were Fabio De Iulio and Captain Badger Feona, a stallion bred at Angelucci QH and son of AB Captain Badger and RS Feona Jac. At level 1 the second highest score (211) was achieved by Andrea Pedrotti and Saturdaynight Oak, a stallion by Saturdaynight Custom out of Tuck Oak Enterprise, bred at Ambrosini Quarter Horses.
As for the AIQH Futurity, go round leader for the Non Pro riders showing their three year-olds was Edoardo Bernardelli riding Big Gangster Cash, a gelding by Big Chex To Cash out of Gangsters Chrome.
IRHA/NRHA Futurity Press Office
Infos: www.futurity.it – press@futurity.it
