European Championship of American Quarter Horses in Kreuth:

The first Finalists

15 horses qualified for the Junior Western Pleasure Open final. The best horse of the go rounds was A Winning Wisely, owned by Sybil von der Schulenburg and ridden by Matteo Sala. Made Of Potential and Steve Hackaman placed second, Gold Styled VP and Karin Prevedel third. Gold Styled VP won the 2008 Pleasure Celebration a few weeks ago. Other superb finalists are e.g. Likely Exchange (owner Gabi Hagl), shown by Hubertus Jagfeld and CPR Blazin Callas (third at the 2007 Pleasure Celebration), shown by Mirjam Giraudini.

There will also be 15 horses in Senior Trail Open. The best competitors of the go rounds were Shesa KC Leaguer, owned and shown by Annemarie Brieger (AUT). Imagimotion and Alexandra Jagfeld placed second, Techniques Hot News and Marleen Coppens (NED) third. Techniques Hot News is one of the most successful sons of DQHA Leading Sire With Technique. The gelding was e.g. 2007 Dutch High Point Champion in this class. Then, there will be the great stallion Nite Chip, owned by Jens Eric Udsen (DEN) and shown by Hubertus Jagfeld and Hesa San Jo with Anna Limmer, a stallion that became Bavarian Golden Series Trail Champion this year.

Techniques Hot News and Marleen Coppens are also leading in Trail Amateur, class with 12 finalists. Ostinato Jac and Nina Kienreich placed second, Scotch Pepsi and Julia Moosbrugger (AUT) third.

In Senior Western Riding, there will be eight horses. The best of the go rounds of this class were Blaze Em On and Sara D’Imperio, followed by Jadasa Jablonowski’s Chiaroscuro, shown by Matteo Sala, and Artistica with Guylaines Deschenes in the saddle. Chiaroscuro was also the best horse of the Western Riding Amateur go rounds – this time shown by his owner. Here, Cee Taris Sunshine and Silke Woitaschek placed second and QHV Blazing Gold and Giulietta Cassani (SUI) third.

In Trail Select, the best competitors were LV Larks Investment and Gerold Dautzenberg, for whom this was the first select class ever as he said himself. The Austrian entrepreneur and multiple European Champion already won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the cattle classes during this European Championship. Technical Nat Image and Philipp Roos placed second, Certifiable Peach and Salvatore Malcangio (ITA) third.

There are ten competitors in the Reining Youth 14 - 18 final. The best of the go rounds were Lenas Lil Rainman and Heike Strambach, followed by Sashimi and Jessica Sternberg (GBR) resp. Magic Two Step and Marcel Schadt.

In Reining Youth up to 13, there will be five competitors. The best competitor of the go rounds was Jacs Royal Paco and Melina Hugelshofer, with Light Little Flo and Sophia Wintschnig and Thiscatsacat and Nadine Stroitz placing second and third.

Tomorrow will be the first day of the finals which will start at 8 a.m. in the Ostbayernhalle with the Showmanship at Halter. Then there will be Amateur Trail and Junior Trail Open, Western Pleasure and Western Riding Youth, Senior Western Riding, Western Horsemanship Amateur and Junior Bit Reining Open.

On Saturday and Sunday, the finals start at 9 a.m.. The detailed schedule as well as the results are available at: www.ecqh.euThere is no entry fee for visitors. Also, AK-Video provides free livestream from the Ostbayernhalle at http://www.turnier-stream.de/ . The European Championship will end on Sunday, August 24, the last class being the Senior Reining Open. .