It took eleven days to determine the 2003 European Quarter Horse Champions. September 13, 2003 -- It took eleven days of qualifications and finals to determine the 2003 European Quarter Horse Champions.

Three hundred and twenty riders and 292 horses competed in the 14th edition of this event. This was nearly double the horse and rider combinations that were in Reggio Emilia, Italy, for the other important international events that were held concurrently with the Quarter Horse Show. These were the first FEI European Reining Championship, the first NRHA approved Snaffle-Bit Reining Futurity, the NSBA show, the European Reined Cow Horse Futurity and two European Barrel Racing and Team Penning Championships.

Some riders were seen competing in more than 35 classes during the show and the first disciplines held were the Cutting and Working Cow Horse approved competitions. The Senior Cutting saw a large number of entries, 27, with Be A Smart Hunter (Dual Pep per Little Lynx Huntress), owned by Roberto Cuoghi, and ridden by Gianluca Munarini winning with a composite score of 298. The Italian rider also took the lead in the Junior Cutting, which saw 10 entries, riding Mr Pepto Fletch, an own son of Peptoboonsmall owned by Marco Salvatori. With 291 points he won the second gold medal. Italian rider Moreno Fontanesi won the Amateur Cutting which saw 24 entries and a score of 297,5 astride Arc Play With Prizes, by Surprise Enterprise.

An increase in entries was also shown in the Working Cow Horse where junior, senior and amateur classes where offered as well as the Futurity. With a composite score of 554 punti, Eugenio Latorre won the Junior class with the athletic sorrel stallion Ml Smart In Nike (Joe Smart Lena x Melon Kaly Blonde) owned by Stephan Strub. This horse and rider combination had already won the European Reined Cow Horse Association Derby which was held during the 2003 Salone del Cavallo Americano in Reggio Emilia. The Senior class gold medal, with a composite score of 541.5, went to Reminic Surprise (Reminic x Napa An by Continental King Out Of) owned by Petra Zeitler and ridden by Harper Conner. He is from Houston, TX, and is the head trainer in the past years of Herzghof Quarter Horses owned by Petra Zeitler in Germany. With only two entries in the Amateur class, both pupils of Carol Telford, the minimum number of participants for a European title was not reached.

The Youth Shomanship saw fourteen entries of which eight went through to the finals on September 1st. Five were Italians, two from Israel and one from Switzerland, even though the latter all ride with trainers based in Italy. The European Champion Youth Shomanship was won by Italian Sara d¹Imperio with her gelding New Olena. During the Championships this combination also claimed other two titles: the European Youth Hunt Seat Equitation Championship and Geldings Three and Over Championship. Swiss rider Isabella Naef riding Berry Best Hotrod, a ten year old mare, won the gold in the Youth Mares Three and Over.

The gold medal in the Youth Reining went to Belgian Cira Baeck on her eight year old mare by Hollywood Dun It and out of Codys Cat Balleu, Hollywood Balloues. This class saw 15 entries with the silver and bronze medals conquered by two Austrian riders -- Cathrin Maric astride Melon Kali Whiz (silver) and Sarah Koo astride Jacs Monroe Miss (bronze).

Israeli rider Donna Milo who rides in Italy with Stefania Ugolini and Keith Long, won the gold medal in the European Youth Hunter Under Saddle class riding Rosie Rodder (Slow Movin Hotrodder x Rosies Reflection).

The Youth Western Horsemanship All Ages saw 13 entries and the gold was won by young rider Steve Ouellet, son of trainers Pierre Ouellet and Guylaine Deschenes, with his Mate Prise Destava (Enterprise Destava x Miss Ribbon del Maso). This class truly saw horses of all ages, from the three year old horses La Garenne Tommy owned by Barbara Ceusters and Katies Time owned by Roni Slavin to the 22 year old mare, Half Bar Jule, owned by Alessandra Ouellet.

The Youth Trail class had eleven entries and eight finalists and was won by Italian Ambra Barone, who rides with Linda Long, astride Lady Be Exotic, a ten year old mare by Stany Brick out of Exotic Bee. On the second but last day of the event, this horse and rider combination obtained another important title, that of European Senior Trail Champion where she competed against nine professional finalists.

Eight riders rode for the Youth Western Pleasure title and these were unfortunately disturbed by noise from the stands. Katies Time (Zippo Pine Time, by Zippo Pine Bar out of Katies Zipper, by Zippo Jack Bar) ridden by Israeli Roni Slavin who rides under the guidance of Linda Long, kept her cool and took home the gold medal.

The halter classes saw few participants, with the exception of the Yearling Mares class which had 6 horses entered. The European Open Yearling Filly class was won by Translusive (Telusive x Tracendency), owned by Marco Bertazzoni, a breeder from Verona, Italy, who also won the gold with A Kid For Sure (The Two Timming King x Roxana Review) in the Yearling Stallion Class, and with Tq Terry Clue (Tq Kid x Miss Terry Clue) in the Open Two Year Old Mares class both times presented by Patrisha Shorten. Marco himself took the gold with this mare in the Amateur Two Year Old and Under class.

The most beautiful in the three year old mares class was Excinderella, owned by Antonio Giraudini, while France won the gold in the Aged Mares Class with Wink At Me Page, owned by Daniel Jacquine, the European Three Year Old Stallion Championship with Versi, owned by Chris Pensec and the European Open Aged Gelding Championship with Coverup Page, owned by Jacquard Roland. Five horses were shown in the Open Aged Stallion class which was won by Chic Olena Partee owned by Italy¹s Fabiano Alberici.

Gold once again for Italy and Mate Prise Destava (Enterprise Destava x Miss Ribbon del Maso), owned by Steve Ouellet and ridden by Guylaine Deschenes in the Open Western Riding class. This had 8 finalists, and France placed second with Istant Impulse, owned by David Maisonnette. Germany placed third with Hints Wimpy Dear, owned by Von Der Osten and Monica Sacken.

The winners of this class also took home the European Junior Trail Champion title which had five finalists.

Steel Sassy Sorrel and Alfonso Pasquale claimed the fastest time in the Open Barre Racing, with a composite time of 33 seconds and 999 which guaranteed him the win over the ten contestants that made the finals.

The gold medal in the Senior Hunter Under Saddle was won by Stefania Ugolini who showed Certifiable Peach, by I Am Certifiable, for owner Salvatore Malcangio, who in the 2002 edition of the Championships had already collected a memorable number of titles.

Stefania also won the Junior Hunter Under Saddle, which had four entries, astride Hotroding Invitation (Invitaion Only x Jet Set Five), a bay stallion owned by Giovanni Cozzo.

The Gold went to Germany in the five entry Senior Western Pleasure with Katrin Ahlemeyer showing her Principles Deluxe, a seven year old chestnut stallion by Principle Investiment and Sable Deluxe, also co-owned by Herwing Ahlemeyer claiming the win.

The European Junior Western Pleasure Championship went to Mirjam Giraudini riding Chocolate Chiplette, for owner Antonio Giraudini. Chocolate Chiplette is a five year old mare by Zips Chocolate Chip and out of Paddy O Phinny, who since 2001 has already collected many a European title.

Dutch Rieky Young rode Great Kid Whiz a five year old stallion by Topsail Whiz and out of Rosa Bonheur for Burgmeijer Quarter Horses to the win in the ten entry Junior Reining class by scoring a 215,5. The other reining classes see Italy in first place position thanks to Markus Schopfer who rode Nics Gay Bar, a six year old sorrel mare by Remininc and out of Genuine Gay Jay to win the Senior Reining for owner Paolo Marasso.

Germany won the gold in the Hackamore Snaffle Bit Reining with Lenas Lil Rainman, a three year old gelding by Lenas Lil Rainbow and out of Brinks Royal Lee, owned by 14 year old Heike Strambach, who was shown by Harper Conner.

In the Amateur classes Italians Antonio and Mirjam Giraudini collected various titles. Antonio Giraudini won the gold in the Halter Mares Three and Over with Excinderella and with Cpr Coolest Dream in the Geldings Three and Over. Mirjam, with Cpr Zippin Red (Red Sonny Rider x Cpr Zippos Maid), a five year old sorrel mare born in the family breeding facility, won the European Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation Champion and the European Amateur Western Horsemanship Champion in the ten entry finals.

The 2003 European Amateur Hunter Under Saddle Championship went to Italian Salvatore Malcangio who showed his Certifiable Peach, who with other riders took the gold in the open classes.

The Amateur Showmanship at Halter gold went to Swiss Laura Stadler and her six year old gelding Sure A Good Choice (Surenuff Duster x Mexicali Choice) who ran the pattern correctly after those who had shown before her had not done the same.

The European Amateur Western Pleasure Championship went to German Katrin Ahlemeyer astride Principles Deluxe, an eight year old brown stallion by Principle Investiment and out of Sable Deluxe who took the lead over ten contestants in the finals.

Italian Claudio Lulli won the European Amateur Trail Championship showing La Signora in Rosso (Zan Par Whiz x Chex J Lena), who is in foal to che Arc Bueyed Redskin.

The last class, Amateur Reining, saw keen competition with seven finalists and a run off between Chex Out This Jay, ridden by Francesca Sternberg of Great Britain and Arc King Cal Bar ridden by German Petra Zeitler. Each had scored a 209,5 but the win finally went to Petra who scored a 205 with her six year old gelding by Snapper cal Bar and out of Cutter Lizzy King, an own daughter of Cutter Bill.