ELEMENTA Breeders Award

supported him because it was a new experience I really wanted to be involved in. The horse is solid in all the maneuvers and has a lot of energy; this for sure helped in managing the whole week of competition. In the last two months, we only worked with the Derby being our goal and I also schooled him once. From now on we will get back to work for the next cow horse event.”

The Reserve Championship in both the IRHA and IRHBA Derby with a 215.5 score was Italian Serena Bertelli riding Mini Cilindro PC (Doc Classic Sire x Senorita Custom), a 7year-old gelding owned and bred by Soc.

2023 DeNiroBootsCo IRHA/IRHBA/NRHA Non Pro Derby

De Iulio and Mr Magic Chex Work Their Magic To Claim the IRHA and IRHBA Non Pro Derby Titles

In a field of 52 horse-rider combinations across the four levels of the Non Pro Derby Finals, 23-year-old Vittorio De Iulio and Mr Magic Chex (ARC Magic Enterprise x Miss America Chex) closed their great performance with a 221.5 score taking home the Euro21.000-Added IRHA L4 and Euro 21.000-Added IRHBA L4. They also left Cremona with the Euro 6.000-Added IRHA L3, and Euro 6.000-Added IRHBA L3 titles under their belt.

“My horse was great tonight and I could not have asked anything more of him,” said the young rider from Naples about the talented 6-year-old stallion owned by his uncle Vittorio De Iulio and bred by Angelucci Quarter Horses. “We won the qualifier so were last in the draw. The wait was long and I was a little nervous, especially after Sára [Karásova], who showed right before me, came out with a 220. At that point I told myself I had to concentrate; the run in and stop was really good and from there on he was with me all the way giving his best.”

Taking reserve honors in both the IRHA and IRHBA L4 Derby was 19year-old Sára Karásova of the Czech Republic with her 8-year-old gelding bred by Franz Lechner, KH Yankee Step (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Rowdy Yankee x Step A Little Closer) under the saddle. "I’m super grateful to be here. I was stressed and excited at the same time, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. I’ve been riding my horse for four years now and we know each other well. I’m lucky to be able to ride him every day with the help of my trainer Jonáš Bujnoch and this year I'll show him this year as much as possible. If all goes well, next year we'll try to show him in some bronze trophies.”

Germany’s Stephanie Blessing and Smart Spook Surprise (NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook x ARC Honey Chick), a 6-year-old mare owned by Grey Stone Ranch Germany GMBH and bred by Società Agricola Le Fattorie Di Matilde, scored a 218.5 to earn the IRHA and IRHBA L3 Reserve Championship. “I didn’t realize we took the Championships until I heard the final results so I’m really happy! I won the Euro Futurity L4 Non Pro with her two years ago and since then I kept on showing her and she’s always done really well.

The Non Pro Derby Numbers: Added/Entries

Euro 21.000-Added IRHA L4 – 35

Euro 6.000-Added IRHA L3 – 54

Euro 3.500-Added IRHA L2 – 89

Euro 2.500-Added IRHA L1 – 68

Euro 21.000-Added IRHA/IRHBA L4 – 31

Euro 6.000-Added IRHA/IRHBA L3 – 40

Euro 3.500-Added IRHA/IRHBA L2 – 52

Euro 2.500-Added IRHA/IRHBA L1 – 36

Tonight I didn’t expect her to be lazy, and was waiting for her to ignite any minute, but she did good and brought home a nice paycheck. Next year she will join our brood mare string so I am going to enjoy her in the show pen until the end of the show season.”

Level 2

Tying to win the Euro 3.500-Added

IRHA and Euro 3.500-Added

IRHBA L2 Non Pro Championships with a 216 was Belgium’s Jody Fonck riding Smart Spooky Joe (NRHA

Two Million Dollar Sire Lil Joe Cash x Spookody), a 7-year-old gelding owned by J&J Comm. V bred by Jean Louis Coutrot, and Georgia

Wilk of Germany riding her Pretty Whiz Chic (Winnie The Boo x Rey Nic Chic), a 6-year-old mare bred by Jessica Dros.

“I have an amazing horse! He was super nice during the whole show. We have had him since November; he has an amazing mind and a heart of gold. I am so thankful to have him and to have the chance to show him. I ride him every day but since I went to the U.S. for two weeks with my dad [NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Bernard Fonck] before coming here, during that time my mum [NRHA Million Dollar Rider Ann Fonck] rode him, and I really want to thank her for what she did for us,” said Jody.

Wilk was just as pleased with her mou nt. "We purchased her as a 3year-old and sometimes she’s not so easy but I’m very happy with how she went today. My trainer, Johannes Heil, was great and was there for me day and night. My mare rode to her personal highest score in the qualifier and I was already overwhelmed with that. In the Finals, I turned my head off and ran in. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow it did!"

Level 1

Sara Galimberti of Italy and Georg Wiedenhofer of Germany also chose to share the Euro 2.500-Added

IRHA L1 Non Pro Championship after posting a 211. Galimberti rode her own Late Little Whiz (NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla

Whiz x Late Little Jaba), a 7-year-old Silvia Sgaggio-bred stallion. Wiedenhofer, who also clinched the IRHBA L1 Reserve Championship, showed Don Magnetic (Chic Magnetic x Donnola Chex), a 7-yearold gelding bred by Luigi Parise. “My horse was amazing in the show pen!” Galimberti told. “He always makes me feel comfortable, and is always with me. He has a lot of talent and I’m not always able to bring it out, but we are improving. I've been riding him for about two years, and he definitely gave me the chance to grow with him. I ride with professional Silvia Venezia, whom I have to thank because she knows how to bring out the best from all the horses and her non pros as well.”

For Wiedenofer, taking home two titles was a thrill. "I'm really happy with this result; we went well in the qualifier while in the Final I could have done better in the first stop but at the end of the day, I am really happy with this result. I have been riding this horse for three years now, with the help of my trainer Grischa [Ludwig], and this year I'll be showing him in all the derbies."

Rebecca Sudati and her Gun Spark Hollywood (One Gun x Duna Smoke), a 7-year-old American Paint Horse mare bred by Manuel Balzani, scored a 214.5 to win the

Euro 1.500-added IRHBA L1 Non Pro Championship.

“I'm really happy because in the qualifier I wasn't able to do very well, and I only managed to make it to the IRHBA Derby Finals. I've had my mare for three years and I showed her in the Euro Futurity where we were Level 1 Co-Champions. I didn’t show her for a while and since we still have this year and next year to compete in the Derby we hope to come back stronger. I would really like to thank my trainer Angelo Benedusi and all his team, my vet Christian Corradini, and my farrier Carlo Vercesi. Without them we would not have been able to achieve this result.”