Oklahoma City (Usa), December 9, 2020 – Ten days of intense, world-class competition culminated with the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity Open Finals at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Thanks to the Futurity Challenge donors, for the first time in NRHA history the 2020 Level (L) 4 Open Futurity Champion earned $250,000.
With a precise and powerful performance, NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani rode All Bettss Are Off to a score of 225, which earned the prestigious championship and a quarter-million dollars.
Owned, bred and nominated by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, All Bettss Are Off is by NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Wimpys Little Chic. Fappani’s win tonight helped push Wimpys Little Chic to NRHA Million Dollar Dam status. Wimpys Little Chic won more than a half-million dollars in her career, including the NRHA Futurity, Derby, and National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC).
Fappani dedicated his win to Eleuterio Arcese of Arcese Quarter Horses, saying, «Mr. Arcese said it would be a dream come true for him to win another one. He has been such a big player, and I really want to dedicate this to him. I’ve got a huge group of people who support me and I want to thank everybody».
In a year rife with unpredictability, Fappani is thrilled to earn the fourth NRHA Open Futurity Championship of his career. «This year has been so crazy, but with the Futurity paying a record $250,000 for the first time, it’s just amazing to win it» he said.
Having three horses out of his Scottsdale, Arizona-based program secure top 10 finishes in the Open Futurity was a proud achievement for Fappani, who added that he is grateful the Futurity was able to proceed without interruption.
«I enjoy all the other shows, but the young horses are why I wake up in the morning. To come to the Futurity and show is why I do what I do» he said.
Fappani chose All Bettss Are Off from a group of prospects and said the horse stood out to him from the beginning. «He’s a super-talented horse,” Fappani said. “He’s a little different than what I’m used to and I think that pushed me. He was so talented. I really had to push myself to adapt to him rather than ask him to adapt to me».
Achieving scores of 220 in the preliminaries, 220.5 in the L4 Semi-Finals presented by Not Ruf At All and Tamarack Ranch, and finally a 225 in the MS Diamonds TX Finals, Fappani accomplished his goal of steadily building momentum toward winning the title. He added that one aspect of shows being canceled in 2020 enabled him to have more time at home to ride and train.
«We had a great group of horses, but I think because we were home so much, we were able to prepare them really well. I told Tish, ‘I think I’m set up to do as good as I’ve ever done at the Futurity, so I think I’m just going to enjoy it» Fappani said.
The L4 Open Champion has the option to receive a one-year lease for a gooseneck trailer or a $10,000 credit toward a new trailer build from Kyle Zanetti Trailers, Official Trailer of the NRHA.
MS Diamonds TX, Official Diamond Jeweler of NRHA, presented the L4 Open Champion rider and the owner of the winning horse with custom-made handcrafted NRHA Futurity Open Championship rings. Each L4 Open finalist owner was presented a commemorative pin from MS Diamonds TX during last night’s rider introductions.
Fappani was awarded a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles with silver from Montana Silversmith’s, a Montana Silversmith’s trophy buckle, Anderson Bean boots, Classic Equine product, a Platinum Performance gift certificate, a Bluebonnet Feeds gift certificate, a SmartPak gift card, one stomach scope from Dr. Joe Carter and Oklahoma Equine Hospital, a Shorty’s Caboy Hattery certificate, and a garment bag by Brandt Blankets.
Source Nrha