Open Reining Champion Kyle Schurig

The Warm Up Futurity held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas on October 9-12, treated their Italian visitors to Texas hospitality and Cajun cooking. The show inaugurated the TRHA and LR Reining Trophy event, a showdown between Italy and Texas, dreamed up by TRHA’s (Texas Reining Horse Association) Dave Archer and his old friend Paolo Morandotti of Lombardia Reining (LR). Phase II of this great American/Italian competition will take place in Italy in July of 2009.

Non Pro Champion Kelly Hale on right of awards Max Valente reserve on left awards picture

In order to level the playing field, Texans supplied the horses and rode the same horses as their Italian counterparts. Like good hosts, the Texans gave the Italians the first turn in the pen. Kelly Hale, president of TRHA, won the Non Pro on the mare Paulis Dixie Chic.

“We started the program with the Italians and made up the rules as we went along,” he said. “I spent two or three days helping my Italian counterpart. The horses ran really hard and were whipped. Instead of getting the horses ready to go, we had to get tired horses ready.”

They plan to make this an annual event. After this series, they hope to hold competitions to pick the team for Italy.

Reserve Champion Max Reggeri

“We’ll have a special class at the next show for people who want to go to Italy,” he said. “We had to do it as an individual deal this time to get it started. The riders have to pay for themselves; we’re not funding it. We made it up as we went along. It’s a fun competition and pretty fair. Next time (in Italy), we don’t have to show tired horses. It’s a bigger advantage then we thought.”

Kyle Schurig was the Open Reining champion of the Italian/American competition on Hart Times Du Impress; he let his Italian counterpart ride the horse for three days.

Gloria Spiaggi/Italy, Krista Persinger/US, Anna Pistoni/Italy, and Brooke Kaiser/US

“I helped him and didn’t ride the horse for those days,” he said. “I coached him for two hours every day so he would have all the capability to ride the horse in the pen. Our scores would have marked the same except that he over spun. It’s awesome to be able to train a horse and watch somebody else ride and do well. It was a lot of fun. The reining was incredible.”

Open Reining Champion Kyle Schurig and Reserve Champion Max Reggeri

And then afterwards there was the party with real down home Texas/Louisiana hospitality. Schurig’s Texas bar band, the County Line Band, played for the dance. Alisha Reine and her family cooked gumbo and crayfish stew. They expected 50, cooked for 90, and fed 110.

“The Italians ate first,” she said. “We shared our Cajun cuisine with them. Texas and Louisiana added a little spice to their life with a taste of Louisiana and authentic Cajun cooks. My husband Mike and his father Mac were the chefs. We overcooked to start with and the gumbo had a lot of meat. We added water. They loved it.”

Suzanne Hale green as grass champion of champions- LeeAnn Upton

The event was a success with Texans as well as Italians.

“I noticed that this stimulated interest in the association,” said Schurig. “Twice as many people came to watch as we expected. They were loud and cheering; there was great camaraderie – like a mini NRBC.”

Next stop – Italy to see if the Italians can match this. For more information and for entry forms for future Warm Up Futurities visit www.dunit98.com and click on the links button or call Dave Archer at 281-639-5183.

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