Italy takes Team Gold, USA Silver, Germany Bronze

Last weekend (11-14 September 2008) was a great one for Reining enthusiasts worldwide. The first FEI Reining World Championship held at the Palasturla Facility in Manerbio, Italy, saw competitors from 16 nations running for the titles and a purse of $ 100,000. And for the first time in Reining history, it was neither the USA nor Canada winning the title, but a European team. With a composite score of 667.5, Italy took the gold medal with team US (663.5) in runner up position. Germany won bronze with only one point behind the USA (662.5), which was also a well deserved first.

The Italian team consisted of Davide Brighenti riding Dualin For Me (owned by Mancone QH), Dario Carmignani astride ARC Magic Enterprise (owned by Pietro DeAngelis), Martin Gamper astride RS Oregon N Jac (owned by Claudio Risso) and Gennaro Lendi astride Playing It Out. All four Italian competitors made it to the individual final – as did the members of the US team: Pete Kyle riding A Bueno Poco Dunit (owned by Sandra Holt), Craig Schmersal riding Mr Dual Rey (owned by Casey Holly), Jordan Larson riding Lena Gallo and Tom McCutcheon riding Ruf Hearted Jac (owned by Sarah Willeman).

Germany was represented by Daniel Klein riding Dealin Gin (owned by the Dealin Gin Syndicate), Emanuel Ernst riding Legends Diamond Doc (owned by Paul Kratschmer), Oliver Stein riding Smart Little Lenic and Sylvia Rzepka riding Doctor Zip Nic (owned by Zip Nic Partners) who rode high score in the team competition 227.5.

Jordan Larson Wins Individual Gold, Dario Carmignani Takes Silver

The top 20 riders of the team competition made it to the individual final the minimum score of which was 216. Here Jordan Larson (USA) and Lena Gallo (Owned by Lapke Quarter Horses) had a brilliant ride scoring a 228 and winning individual gold. Lena Gold is an 8-year-old bay stallion by Gallo Del Cielo out of an own daughter of Doc O’Lena that has won more than $115,000 in the Reining arena so far. The horse was 2003 Congress Futurity Reserve Champion and NRHA Futurity Finalist- Top Ten, NRHA Derby Finalist, 2004 AQHA World Show Top Five, 2005 Gordyville Breeders Cup Champion (Score 229) and 2005 NRBC Co-Reserve Champion. With only one point less, Dario Carmignani and ARC Magic Enterprise (owned by Pietro de Angelis) took individual silver scoring a 227. Dario who was a member of the Italian team at the 2006 FEI Word Equestrian Games has always been one of the best Italian riders and proved exactly so astride the stallion by Surprise Enterprise.

Two competitors tied for the bronze medal: NRHA Top Ten Money Earner Craig Schmersal riding Mr Dual Rey (owned by Holley Casey) and Gennaro Lendi (ITA) riding Playing It Out.

Bad luck for Sylvia Rzepka and Doctor Zip Nic: the two missed the medal ranking by only half a point after a missed lead change for which they received a one point penalty. Their score: 224.5 and fifth place.

“It was really great event,” concluded Maik Bartmann, one of the international judges after the show. “The show management did a wonderful job organizing this show and creating optimal conditions for the competitors.”

Team Competition

Gold:                ITALY                     (224+222+221,5 (drop 220,5)   667,5
Silver               UNITED STATES     (224+222+221,5 (drop 220,5)   663,5
Bronze             GERMANY               (227,5+219,5+215,5 (drop 209)            662,5

GREAT BRITAIN       223+217+217 (drop 216)                           657
BELGIUM                 218,5+218+217 (drop 0)                           653,5
CANADA                  218+214,5+211,5 (drop 205)                     644
NETHERLANDS         222+210,5+209,5 (drop 207)                     642
FRANCE                   215+213,5+213,5 (drop 208,5)                  642
SWITZERLAND         219+212,5+209,5 (drop 208)                     641 CZECH REPUBLIC    210,5+206,5+204 (drop 0)         621

Individual Competition

Gold           Jordan Larson / LENA GALLO                                USA                        228
Silver         Darion Carmignani / ARC MAGIC ENTERPRISE     ITA                        227
Bronze       Craig Schmersal / MR DUAL REY                           USA                        225
Bronze       Gennaro Lendi / PLAYING IT OUT                         ITA                        225

Sylvia Rzepka / DOCTOR ZIP NIC                    GER               224,5
Pete Kyle / A BUENO POCO DUNIT                    USA               224
Rieky Young / BURNT STARLIGHT                     NED               223
Patrice St-Onge / MISTER HOLLYWOOD NIC      CAN               222
Tom McCutcheon / RUF HEARTED JAC               USA               222
Ann Poels Fonck / SR LIL PEPPY SPRAT             BEL                221
Davide Brighenti / DUALIN FOR ME                   ITA                220
Jan Boogaerts / BLUE QUICK COMMAND           BEL                219,5
Jeanette Krähenbühl/ ARC GOLDEN BOY           SUI                219
Bernard Fonck / DON QUIXOTE ESCAPES          BEL                217,5
Francesca Sternberg / YELENA MY WAY             GBR               215
Daniel Klein / DEALIN GIN                                GER               214,5
Tammy Greaves / JAC WONDERS WHO             GBR               214
Tina Künstner-Mantl / HEZA SURE WHIZ            AUT               213
Doug Allen / JACS LITTLE SUNRISE                  GBR               206,5