Kreuth, Germany – The second section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round of the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show did not witness changes on the leader board today. Finest Copyshot and Rudi Kronsteiner (AUT) are still leading. The mare by I Am Shotgunner, owned by Anja Deutzmann, scored a 222.5 yesterday.

However, there was a change for second place in Level 4 Open go round. Time To Mark Big (Big Checks To Cash x Shes Markin Time, owner Manuel Bonzano, ITA) with Bernard Fonck (BEL) in the saddle and Magnum Cody Jac under Rudi Kronsteiner are tied for second place with a 221.5. Time To Mark Big was bred in the States by Ann and Gregg Barnard. Andrea Fappani rode the stallion to the 2010 John Deere Level 4 Open Futurity Reserve Champion title. Magnum Cody Jac (Magnum Chic Dream x Lena Cody Jac, bred by Joanne Lorillard and owned by Katharina Freitag) was the 2010 NRHA Germany Breeders Snaffle Bit Level 4 Open Futurity Champion and Austrian Reining Horse Association (ARHA) Western Star Level 4 Open Futurity Reserve Champion.

With Time To Mark Big, 2010 ARHA Western Star Level 4 Open Futurity Champion Ruf Footwork (owner Dr. Paul Van Hooft) and Big Sky Whizard (owner Color Invest A & S Deredowscy), Bernard Fonck has three horses in the Level 4 Open final. Also, his wife Ann Fonck-Poels scored a 221 with ND Spook N Whiz today, a four-year-old mare by Topsail Whiz owned by Gisela Haas.

In the remaining three levels of the Open Futurity, Broadmoor Cassie and Pietro Artinghelli (ITA) still lead with a 219.5. In the Level 3 Open, five horses tie for second place scoring a 219: Samurai Snap (owner Impresa Agricola Cuoghi) with Kelly Zweifel (USA), Colonel Smokin Leigh (owner Sabine Ehrenreich) and Daniel Schlömer (GER), Shes Got Big Guns (owner Sigrid Gooris) and Lukas Brucek (CZE), Golden Mac Pride (owner Ramona Hammer) with Emanuel Ernst (GER) and Double Smoke Dunit (owner Thomas Schmelich) with Oliver Stein (GER) in the saddle.

FINALS AND CONSOLATION - The finals for the $187,000 added Open Futurity will be held on Friday night (Level 1 and Level 2) and Saturday night (Level 3 and Level 4). The top 20 scores, plus ties, from the first go have qualified for the Level 4 Open division final. The next 20 scoring entries, plus ties, qualified for Wednesday’s consolation class. Then the top 5 scores, plus ties, from the consolation class qualify for the Level 4 Open finals.

The top 15 scores from each of the Level 3, Level 2 and Level 1 are qualified for their respective finals. The next 20 scoring entries in each level, plus ties, are qualified for Wednesday’s consolation class. Then the top 5 scores, plus ties, from the consolation class qualify for their respective finals.

FINALS SCHEDULE - Friday’s schedule includes and Level and Level 2 Non Pro finals starting at 2:30 p.m. with the Level 1 and Level 2 Open finals commencing at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Level 3 and Level 4 Non Pro finals begin at 2 p.m. and the Level 3 and Level 4 Open finals follow at 6 p.m.

ANCILLARY ACTION - The NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show offers a full slate of Category 1 classes for Open and Non Pro riders. Tomorrow’s classes include ancillary competition in the $500 added Limited Open, $3,500 added Intermediate Non Pro and $5,000 added Intermediate Open.

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW - The NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show offers a full slate of Category 1 classes for Open and Non Pro riders. The NRHA European Futurity is “Open to the World” and showcases four-year-old reining horses and riders competing for close to $400,000 in prize money.

More information is available on the official website of the NRHA European Futurity at nrha-european-futurity.com, on the Online Reiner at reiner.nrha.com and on NRHA’s Facebook Fan Page at facebook.com/nrhareining.

For all those who cannot visit Kreuth and watch the NRHA European Futurity in person, NRHA offers free Livestreaming and Livescoring on nrha-european-futurity.com.

ENDS