Wiener Neustadt, July 3–The $112,700-added Colonels Shining Gun NRHA European Open Derby finals closed the 2020 edition of the European event.
 
Draw #4 in the second section, Nico Sicuro and Quarter Dream’s Colonels Dancing Gun set the bar by scoring a 221.5. Twenty horses later, their score held, securing the $45,000-added Level (L)4 European Derby Open Championship as well as the $24.300 paycheck for first place.

Wiener Neustadt, July 1—The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) $112,000-added* Colonels Shining Gun Open Derby, held in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, counted 90 horse-rider combinations across the four levels.

In the ninth edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Open Derby Finals, it was the first horse-rider-combination in the second section that held the top score all the way through the end of the 19 finalists.

The 2019 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby offered competition for all with 4-year-old horses performing in the NRHA Mid Summer Futurity and 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-year-old horses roding for the €20,000-added* European Level 4 Non Pro Derby. Once the sun went down on the Ostbayernhalle arena, Edoardo Bernardelli of Italy and Wolfgang Hammer of Austria opted to tie for the European Level (L)4 Non Pro Championship and a young Francesca Ferrarol left the arena with three Non Pro Derby Championships to her name.

Opening the day in Kreuth was the NRHA Midsummer Futurity open to 4-year-old horses. Taking the Championship in both the €5.000-added Level (L)4 and €2.500-added L3 was French professional Arnaud Girinon riding Valerie Fontaine’s BHB Wimpy Choco Gun, a mare by BHB Mr Wimpys Royal out of BHB Kateberry Stargun.

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby welcomed the NRHA Intermediate Open, Limited Open, Intermediate Non Pro, and Limited Non Pro ancillary classes today with a truly international group of riders performing.

All finalists of the ninth edition of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby — open to 5-6-7-8-year-old horses enrolled in the NRHA Nomination Program — were determined following the Open Derby Consolation held on the third day of great reining in Kreuth.

The third day at the Ostbayernhalle in Kreuth, where the 2019 edition of the National Reining Horse Association Derby is being held, hosted a fierce battle in the show arena. The second section of the €115.000-added Open Derby, counting 84 entries, determined the finalists which make their way directly to the finals. A second chance will be offered to those eligible for the Open Consolation which will be held on Tuesday, July 30. The complete list of Non Pro Derby finalists was also determined today as riders eligible for the Non Pro Consolation performed for a ticket to the finals which will be held on Friday, August 2.

Sunday in Kreuth determined the 2019 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby Non Pro finalists with Edoardo Bernardelli of Italy firmly holding on to the top score in the €20.000-added Level (L)4 and €15.000-added L3 go round. Bernardelli and his Whiz Wild West (Spark N Whiz x West Coast Oak), fresh off their Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) L3 Non Pro Derby Championship, had performed to a 217.5 to lead the two levels on the first day of competition. The 6-year-old gelding, bred and nominated by Mattia Camisi, boasts over $167,000 NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).

The 2019 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Derby opened the doors to competition today at the Ostbbayernhalle in Kreuth. The ninth edition of the event, open to 5-6-7-8-year-old horses enrolled in the NRHA Nomination Program, welcomed the first section of the €49.000-added Non Pro Derby qualifier counting 100 entries as well as the first of the full-slate of NRHA ancillary classes.