Pierluigi Chioldo & Spooks O Lena (Photo: Andrea Bonaga)

The 2015 edition of the IRHA/NRHA Derby once again attracted close to 350 horses. Open to 4-5 and 6-year-old horses, the Derby is run in a qualifying go-round and clean slate finals and the show offers a full-slate of NRHA approved classes. During the show, the Italian Senior, Junior and Young Rider CRI qualifiers for the 2015 FEI European Reining Championship will also be held.

The Open Derby go-round counted 116 entries who made their way in the Fiere di Reggio Emilia arena vying for a spot in the finals which will be held on Saturday, May 16. Earning top honors in the €32,000-added Level 4 Open division was Italian Pierluigi Chioldo riding Spooks O Lena (Spooks Gotta Gun x Lonesome Sally Lena x Doc O Lena) for owners Ambrosini QH ASD/Davide Rossi. Aboard the talented 6-year-old mare who boasts close to $28,000 in NRHA LTE, Chioldo scored a 222.5. In the L 4 division, the second highest score was posted by Dominik Reminder. The German NRHA Professional, who works out of the Luga Quarter Horses facility in Italy, rode Susanna Sodi’s Gotta Nifty Gun (Dunnit Gotta Gun x Custom Nifty Nic x Custom Crome)  to a 220.5. Gotta Nifty Gun, a 5-year-old stallion, was ridden by NRHA Professional Duane Latimer to the reserve championship in the 2014 NRHA European Open L 4 Futurity and boasts over $23,000 LTE in NRHA competition.

Massimiliano Ruggeri & Mister Little Uno (Photo: Andrea Bonaga)

Chioldo and his mount are also leading the €13,500-added Level 3 Open division where the second highest score was earned by Massimiliano Ruggeri. Aboard Paolo Morandotti’s Mister Little Uno (Mister Uno x Bonita Bahia x Gallo Del Cielo), Ruggeri closed his run with a 218.5 which also saw him lead the €4,000-added Level 2 Open division.

Posting the highest score in the €1,500-added Level 1 Open division, a 213.5, was Italy’s Giacomo Polo Barberis riding CF Frozen Smart Jaba (RS Little Red Jaba x Chic Sailor x Frozen Sailor) for owner Francesca Polito.