News
European Non-Pro and Youth Qualifiers Set for 2025 The Run For A Million Competition in Las Vegas as Nico Sicuro and Colonels Dancing Gun Race Closer to Top 10 Open World Championship Finish Line
Lyon, November 3 – The 2024 NRHA European Derby concluded on Sunday at the Equita Lyon International show in Lyon, France. Alongside NRHA ancillary action, qualifiers were held for the 2025 The Run For A Million (TRFAM) $50,000-Added Non Pro Championship and Youth Reining Championship, featuring riders from five European countries. These events will take place in Las Vegas on August 11–16, 2025.
GL EVENTS NRHA Grand Prix Open
The renowned Italian duo, Nico Sicuro and Colonels Dancing Gun (NRHA Fifteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner x Dance Little Spook), a 10-year-old stallion owned and bred by Quarter Dream Srl, secured the $11,000-Added GL Events NRHA Grand Prix Open win with a score of 219. Sicuro expressed his pride, saying, “He’s always been an incredible athlete for everyone who has shown him, and I am so proud of what we achieved together. It’s been a long year as we’ve been hauling for the NRHA Open World Championship and currently lead the Top Ten rankings. This would be an amazing way to close out Colonels Dancing Gun’s career and is a well-deserved result for owner and breeder Pietro Marseglia of Quarter Dream. As our motto says, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it!’”
Nico Sicuro
GL EVENTS NRHA Grand Prix Intermediate Open
In the $5,500-Added GL Events NRHA Grand Prix Intermediate Open, two riders shared the top podium spot with a score of 216: Anders Josefsson of Sweden, aboard KR Ima Dream (NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream x KR Ima Tejon), owned by Annemanna AB, and Johannes Hasenauer of Austria, riding Daniela Fuith’s Psychokiller (Tinseltownsmokingun x Hot Ice Surprise).
Anders Josefsson
Johannes Hasenauer
APHA Chrome Cash Open
Hasenauer and Psychokiller also triumphed in the $1,250-Added APHA Chrome Cash Open. “My horse felt great in the warm up pen, so I went in confident,” Hasenauer said. “I was unsure about our right spins, but overall, I’m thrilled with how everything went. We entered today because we had a mishap in the Open Derby qualifier and I wanted to redeem myself since it was my only horse that didn’t make the finals. Winning the APHA Chrome Cash was a bonus. It’s wonderful to have opportunities that promote the breed and offer extra earnings for Paint Horses.”
Gunna Sparkle NRHA Grand Prix Non-Pro & Euro-Horse Limited Non-Pro
Casey Reynaud of France rode his homebred gelding, Sparkin Step (Horizons Big Step x Shining Sparktolena), to a score of 217, claiming the $7,700-Added Gunna Sparkle NRHA Grand Prix Non-Pro and the Euro-Horse $495-Added Limited Non-Pro. The duo also earned their spot for the 2025 TRFAM Non Pro Championship.
Casey Reynaud
“It’s an amazing feeling to win on a ‘home made’ horse,” Reynaud shared. “Clémence Neveux trained him, and I recall him being a late bloomer. Waiting for him to develop was the right choice, and her role in his success has been significant.” Reynaud, who initially wasn’t interested in reining despite his family’s involvement, said, “Watching my sister show sparked my own passion. Competing at The Run For A Million has been a dream, and it will be my first time showing in the U.S. I’m looking forward to the experience.”
2025 TRFAM $50,000-Added Non-Pro Championship Qualifiers:
Casey Reynaud (FRA)
Nikolai Stiller (GER)
Francesca Sternberg (GB)
Wolfgang Hammer (AUT)
Bo Brutsaert (BEL)
APHA Chrome Cash Non-Pro
Germany’s Nikolai Stiller and his mare, Hollywood Gunrunner (NRHA Fifteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner x Dun It For Missy), scored 216.5 to win the $1,250-Added APHA Chrome Cash Non-Pro. The two-time NRHA Non-Pro World Champion was delighted, saying, “My mare performed wonderfully. I was a bit slow, but she delivered on everything I asked.” Stiller added, “The Chrome Cash classes are great for promoting Paint Horses, and the earnings contribute to their lifetime earnings.”
Nikolai Stiller
NRHA Youth 14–18
Tobia Cesare Lonati of Italy and Sevenchextocash (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Big Chex To Cash x Lil Chic Peppy) scored 216 to win the NRHA Grand Prix Youth 14–18, presented by NRHA France, and placed second in the TRFAM 2025 Youth Championship Qualifier. “My horse was perfect today,” Lonati said. “Our run went smoothly, and I’m thrilled to compete in the U.S. for the first time.”
Tobia Cesare Lonati
NRHA Youth 13 & Under
Germany’s Emanuel Gebert delivered an impressive run with Wimpys Wanna Dance (NRHA Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step x Dance Little Spook), scoring 218 to win the NRHA Grand Prix Youth 13 & Under, presented by NRHA France, and secure a spot in the TRFAM 2025 Youth Championship. “My horse was amazing, and our performance came together perfectly,” Gebert said. Excited to return to Las Vegas, he added, “Competing at TRFAM in 2023 was incredible, and I’m excited to go back.”
Emanuel Gebert
2025 TRFAM Youth Reining Championship Qualifiers:
Emanuel Gebert (GER)
Tobia Cesare Lonati (ITA)
Federica Faccincani (ITA)
Sarah Koegler (GER)
Lavinia Padrini (ITA)
For full results and further information: NRHAEUROPEANDERBY.com.
Photos by Wanted Photo
NRHA European Derby Media Contact
Simona Diale / International Horse Press
Mail: internationalhorsepress@gmail.com