World Reining Masters Update: German riders qualified for the Final

After the third and last German qualifier during the Super Slide at Kreuth, Steffen Breug and Volker Schmitt will represent Germany in the $ 100 000,-- FEI World Reining Masters Final in Oklahoma City. They will take their horses Dragon Jac and Storm Warning Whiz (owned by Theo Kerkhoff) to the U.S.A.

Twelve horse-rider-combinations were nominated for this qualifier, two of them from Austria. The winner was Rudi Kronsteiner astride Hollywood Reckless, scoring 219 points. As an Austrian he could only compete for the money (and Rudi Kronsteiner already is World Reining Masters Finalist for Austria). Steffen Breug and Dragon Jac (owner Breug and Albert Kaster) placed second with a score of 218,5. This added EUR 1118,-- prize money to the 580,-- Breug received for winning the CRI at Dortmund, which is altogether EUR 1698,--. Nico Hoermann placed third with Smart Little Fury (216.5 points and 817,--). Grischa Ludwig and Smart Recall and Volker Schmitt astride Storm Warning Whiz tied for fourth place with 216 points each. Volker Schmitt won EUR 430,-- prize money which meant altogether EUR 1676,--.

Steffen Breug who had to risk a lot in his ride was tremendously happy because of his ticket to Oklahoma City. "I'm so glad" he said afterwards. "Dragon Jac is such a wonderful and cool horse. The stallion will go to Oklahoma now " as will Storm Warning Whiz. "It will be a tough competition over there," Volker Schmitt said. But Storm Warning Whiz is a very consistent horse. He can always go a 72 or 73, and even more". Schmitt could afford to guide his horse very easily through this show, as the stallion had already placed second resp. third in Bremen and Dortmund.

To date 15 countries have planned to organize one or more qualifying CRI events and Teams that made the finals at the 2002 WEG may submit two entries while all other countries may submit one. At the FEI World Reining Masters Finals, contestants do not need to compete on horses with which they qualified and no ownership restrictions will apply.

The FEI World Reining Masters is organised for the first time this year. The presenting sponsor behind this remarkable reining project is NetJets, the world's leading provider of fractional aircraft ownership. NetJets fractional aircraft ownership allows individuals and companies to buy part of a private jet at a fraction of the cost of whole aircraft ownership, and guarantees availability 7 days a week, 365 days a year. In 2003, the NetJets Europe Fleet and the NetJets US Fleet together flew more than 250,000 flights to more than 145 countries.

Along with NetJets as the presenting sponsor, Classic S Ranch, AQHA, NRHA and RHSF have generously donated funds to make this a premier event.

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