Oklahoma City, OK – April 1, 2008 – The international explosion in the number of National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) approved shows and members have set the stage for another historic event for the association! The NRHA Board of Directors is developing the very first NRHA European Futurity and NRHA European Derby to be held in 2009.
The NRHA European Futurity “Open to the World” will be held March 9-15, 2009, in Manerbio, Italy. The event will showcase four-year-old reining horses and riders will compete for close to half a million dollars in prize money. The event is made possible through a generous offer from NRHA Hall of Fame member, Mr. Eleuterio Arcese, of Verona, Italy. Mr. Arcese has promised backing for 4 years to the NRHA European Futurity and the NRHA European Derby.
Frank Costantini, NRHA Executive Board member and Chair of the RHSF International Development Committee, has worked closely with Mr. Arcese to bring this major NRHA event to Europe. “The European Futurity has been a goal of Eleuterio Arcese for a number of years. Mr. Arcese’s desire was to include the whole world and not just the continent of Europe. To do that, we devised a plan so it would not impede any other futurities, especially the NRHA Futurity.” Riders can show their three-year-olds in other futurities and then they can compete in the NRHA European Futurity in early spring of the following year when they are four year olds.
Costantini continued, “The Arcese family has been very committed not only to being competitive in the sport but also in giving back to the sport. This is another area of the Arcese family’s benevolent contribution and support of the NRHA and Reining.”
The dates for the 2009 NRHA European Derby have not been finalized yet. Both events will be NRHA approved and run under NRHA rules.
The NRHA’s European membership has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2003, there were 1,283 members in Europe and in 2007 that number has more than doubled to 2,877, a 124 % increase in the past four years. The number of NRHA approved shows in Europe has also doubled. In 2003, there were 61 NRHA approved shows compared to 120 in 2007.
