World-class reiners from Austria, Belgium and France took home the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the Restricted Division at the FEI World Reining Masters Finals competition held Saturday, October 21 at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado, USA.
Rudi Kronsteiner, representing Austria, won the Gold medal in the Restricted Division with a score of 219.5. He rode Setting Off Sparks owned by Rosanne Sternberg of East Sussex, England. Along with the Gold Medal, Kronsteiner won $7,640.00 in prize money. Kronsteiner is an Austrian citizen now living in Germany.
Since many of the international competitors couldn’t bring their own horses overseas for the Masters Finals, most rode horses borrowed from American owners. Before the competition, Bernard Fonck of Belgium said it’s a bit of a gamble when you’re not riding your own horse. But apparently that gamble paid off. Fonck took home the Silver medal in the Restricted Division riding Don Quintana owned by Francois Gauthier of Lucama, North Carolina, USA.
Fonck scored 217.5 and also took home $5,252.50 in prize money.
Bronze medalist Eric Laporte of France won $4,536.25 in the Restricted Division with a score of 216.5. Laporte qualified for the Masters Finals in France, but now lives in North Carolina and trains with Brian Bell. Laporte rode Smart Little Thirsty owned by Greg Hill of Huron, Ohio. Laporte said he was grateful to Bell and Hill for letting him ride such a good horse. Before the competition, he said he felt honored to represent France at the Masters Finals and honored to ride with some of the top reiners in the world. “I don’t consider myself at all one of the best riders. I just have the chance to be here and compete with the best.”
There were 18 competitors in this year’s FEI World Reining Masters Finals competition representing 16 countries. The countries that qualified for the Finals of the World Equestrian Games in 2002 were allowed two riders in the 2006 FEI Reining Masters Finals. Those countries are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Italy and Germany. Those countries are only allowed to compete in the Open Division. All other countries are allowed to compete in both the Open Division and the Restricted Division.
