Luca Fappani Interview

Luca Fappani Interview

Q - You have had great success in showing horses in Reining at such a young age. What was the motivation for you to pursue competition at it’s highest level in Reining?

A- When I was younger I really wasn’t into horses that much until I was 12. I really did not think about horses much until I quit motocross because I had a couple of injuries. I decided to try the horses and I came out to the ranch and rode my Mom’s old gelding everyday and I really like that. I did that for a couple months and then rode a couple of our other older horses and then I started to love it more and more, especially being around the horses. Then I told my parents that I wanted to show. My first horse was one my Mom used to show in the derbies, his name is Premier Diamond. I started prepping on him about 6 months before the first show that I was going to, and when I showed him the first time I figured out that I loved showing even more than I loved riding outside of the shows. I loved the environment of being in the show pen, just you and your horse trying to lay down the best maneuvers possible. I really fell in love with the showing aspects and I told my parents. Then I started showing in the Youth classes more while moving up through the ranks to Non-Pro.

Q - Training for this sport takes a lot of dedication and hard work. How do you stay motivated to get out there and ride?

A - I know that there is always a bigger fish, and that someone is always working harder, so I come and ride before school almost every day. I get here when my dad does and that is one of my biggest motivators. I want to take advantage of the opportunities. I have my Dad who is the best to ever do it, and try and learn as much as I can on all different types of horses and to try and be the best overall horseman in the Non-Pro. Someday I want to be able to say that I am the best at training, the best at showing and the best at being around the horses. I love it right now, that why I come out in the mornings, I do not mind getting up early as long as I am going to be on a horse, being an Open rider is in the back of my mind. I love the training aspect of it, just being in the barn and around the horses, learning the natural ways of the horse.

Q - Your family also dedicates a lot of time to you and this sport. How do you feel about this opportunity?

A - I am very, very blessed with this. Both my Mom and Dad do literally everything they can for my success. They provided me with horses from the start. My Dad is out here helping me everyday, even if I am tough to train at times. He is alway there helping me. My Mom is always supporting me at the shows, helping me get ready, coaching me to do well. They both do so much to make sure that I am successful to the point I really could not ask for more. They are always there.

Q - Your parents are very supportive of your interest in horses & Reining. How big an impact are they in your success?

A - My parent support is all of reason behind my success. Having my Dad there all the time to talk, to help me during the day, and to talk horses during the night, I try to suck all the knowledge I can from him, it’s my passion. That is where most of my skill comes from. My Mom fully support me on my horses, she will always be there to talk to me about it, figure out any issues I am having because they have gone through this their entire lives. Without them I would not be nearly who I am today. Some people get blessed with amazing parents, and I am one of those people. They support me completely.

Q - Your Mom & Dad are pretty special. Tell us what your favorite things are about them both?

A - My Dad it’s his work ethic. I have never seen anybody in my life work as hard. He is up 4 most days, and out here riding past dark. His dedication to Reining and making his horses the best that they can be. There is really no limit to it. He works hard and it makes me want to work hard myself. I want to be the same as that someday no matter what it is that I do. My Mom, it is how selfless that she is. She shares her horses with me. My first good Derby horse Spooks N Jewels, she showed him as a 3 and 4 year old and did really good, but she decided to hand him over to me. That was just so selfless. She always thinks about other people before herself. She always puts her family before anything else.

Q - You have excellent skills. What does it take to get that good?

A - Spending the most amount of time on the horse that you can spend. Just being around the sport, it’s not even about just the training, it’s if you want to be the best. To dedicate being in the barn, watch your trainer, even if you are not out there riding you can learn so much by watching the trainers. It’s not being too absorbed in the training, but the whole picture of horses, because all the the way rom starting 2 year olds, even handling them as babies, there are aspects of that in the training no matter what portion it is. The biggest thing for my success is not always focusing on the training, but focusing on the entire bigger picture of being a horseman and understanding how the horse works, not just how can I make it stop bigger. Connecting with the horse is how I think of it.

Q - What is a day in your life like?

A - Depending on how many horses I have to ride. If I have more to ride than I can get finished after school, I will get up around 5 in the morning and ride 1 horse before school, unsaddle and put that one away, then I will drive to school. I go to school from 7 to 2 each weekday, then I come back to the ranch about 2:30 and start saddling my first one. Then I usually ride until 6 or 7 at night, then I go home and work out in the home gym we have. I go 6 days a week to work out. Then there is dinner and after that homework.

Q - What horse/horses are your favorites and why?

A - My first horse Premier Diamond is one of my favorites just because he was so forgiving, he was such a good beginners horse and his attitude was so sweet. I was eleven years old then, and even when you made mistakes, you did not have consequences for them with him. He knew what was right and would keep doing it for you. That helped me really learn how to do Reining. Recently I had a horse named Smart Dressed spoke that I showed in the derbies. On him I second at the NRBC and second at the NRHA Derby and won Reining by the Bay. I got my highest score on him which was a 226.5. He is a very special horse. My parents bought him when he was 4 and he was not completely put together yet. I got to go through the entire process with him, and that is where I learned a lot about training derby horses. In preparing him to show, learning how to prep for the show and even how to really show in the pen on a younger horse. He is so athletic and incredibly talented, and probably the sweetest horse in the barn. I am riding a 3 year old right now that I will show later in the year that is actually one of my favorite horses that I have ever ridden as well. He is very athletic as well. So just like Smart Dressed Spook teaching me to train a derby horse, he is teaching me to train a 3 year old. Later in the year I am hoping to be able to show him.

Q - What are your next goals?

A - Win the Futurity, the level 4 Non-Pro. I got a second in 2019, I was really close. I want to learn from that and keep showing, keep getting better. I want to win that really bad. That is the biggest goal. Of course winning the other major events as well. I got a second a bunch of times. That was good for my first year of really being a Non-Pro, but now I want to step up to the next level of competition. I want to be constantly winning on these horses. College depends on if I decide to not train horses.

Q - What three tips can you share to encourage others to chase their dreams?

A - Don’t be scared to start chasing your dreams. Everyone is a beginner at first. Even myself and the family I come from. I had no clue what I was doing on a reining horse in the beginning. Everyone starts as a beginner so I would not be afraid to start something new or start a dream one has. Don’t be scared to start and don’t be scared to be judged. The people who are really successful or the people that who have gone through the same thing when starting out. There is no way they are going to judge you or disrespect you for starting. You start at reining and you don’t really know what you are doing at first. Everybody is like that at first. When it comes to showing I would not get too wound up about winning, I would focus on your horse and putting down all the best parts of what your horse has in the pen. If you are going out and shooting for a big score and you are thinking to yourself that you want to beat so and so, or go mark this score, that often does not work out. Focus instead on the bigger picture, laying down your pattern and focus on yourself not what score you are going to get. Compete against yourself, not anyone else.