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Andrea Fappani sweeps Top 3 spots at Reining By The Bay Derby Open

From Horsetrader staff reports - August 20th, 2009 - Cover Story
Andrea Fappani and Shiner Olena win the Reining By The Bay Derby Open.

John O’Hara photo

Andrea Fappani and Shiner Olena win the Reining By The Bay Derby Open.

WOODSIDE — Andrea Fappani successfully pulled a hat trick by winning first, second and third places at the Reining By The Bay Derby Open. The event at the Horsepark at Woodside was one of the biggest reining events annually on the West Coast.

The competition from July 21-26 featured more than $150,000 in total added money and prizes, and it was also an FEI qualifying event. The proceeds from this year’s event benefited the Peninsula Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Elite rider/trainer Andrea Fappani of San Marcos, Calif., was the leading rider at the 2009 competition, sweeping all three of the top positions in the $70,000 Added Derby event. He scored 226.5 to win the one-run Derby Open aboard Shiner Olena, placed second with Chromed Out Mercedes, and earned the third-place award with Custom Harley.

“I took three really good horses this year; they are the best of all the horses I have in the barn,” Fappani said. “I think that the competition was a little bit tougher this year than it has been before. We had a few new people showing up from the Midwest, and that really made things interesting because there were quite a few good riders with high scores.”

Fappani said Shiner Olena (Smart Chic Olena x Miss Shiner Dear x Shining Spark), owned by Katarzyna Roleski, is a very unique horse and he has to be careful not to over-prepare the stallion. “He’s an amazingly talented horse, but he can be a little bit of an over-thinker,” Fappani said. “Before the show, I back-off and let him relax. I didn’t prepare him for the pattern the way I normally do with the other horses, but it worked out really well. I never really have to ride him that hard.”

He also said he was a little bit concerned because Shiner Olena “is a pretty small horse, and it’s such a big arena. I didn’t know if the judges would like the look of him in the circles,” Fappani continued. “It probably didn’t look like he was going as fast as some of the other horses, but he has really good stops, so I wanted to highlight those–and it worked out.”

Riding Chromed Out Mercedes (Custom Crome x Princess In Diamonds x Shining Spark) to also earn Reining By The Bay’s Derby Open Reserve Championship, Fappani scored 226 on the 4-year-old stallion, who he owns with his wife Tish. Fappani and Cromed Out Mercedes keep continuing their success; they won the National Reining Breeders Classic Open Champion earlier in April.

He has been attending Reining By The Bay for the last six years and has always enjoyed the unique competition. “It’s a little bit more relaxed than other shows,” Fappani said. “It’s a good place to take young horses to get their feet wet. The facility is beautiful, and there is always good weather. I always enjoy going to that show.”

Fappani also clinched the co-third-place spot on Custom Harley, owned by Rancho El Fortin of Del Rio, Texas.

Randy Paul and Starbucks Finest win the FEI Qualifying event at Reining By The Bay.

John O’Hara photo

Randy Paul and Starbucks Finest win the FEI Qualifying event at Reining By The Bay.

The other tied for third place finisher with a 225.5 score was Randy Paul aboard Taris Designer Genes, owned by Rancho Oso Rio of Scottsdale, Ariz.

In the FEI Qualifying event, Randy Paul was victorious with his mount, Starbucks Finest, also owned by Rancho Oso Rio.

“I was really happy with his run; Starbucks Finest is a neat little horse,” Paul said. “He’s one of those that doesn’t take a lot of training; he’s pretty broke and pretty finished.”

“He’s one of those horses that you can’t get after too much or he gets a little scared,” Paul added. “He’s already trained; it’s just a matter of getting him in good condition. I was really happy with him at Reining By The Bay; he was really good and just went out there and did it.”

Paul said he enjoyed showing in the large outdoor arena at Reining By The Bay. “It’s a great place to show,” he said. “It has a nice big arena, and if you have a hard run you can really get running fast without getting nervous. You’re also up on the hill overlooking the bay, which is beautiful.”

Fappani also was a champion in Reining By The Bay’s Futurity Open. He scored 148 riding Dual Rey Roo (Dual Rey x Roosters Chicaroo x Gallo Del Cielo), owned by Rancho El Fortin. Fappani said he was very pleased with the horse’s performance, since the mare was bred as a cutter.

Sean McBurney took the Futurity Open Reserve with a 144.5 score on CD Shiner, owned by Rhodes River Ranch of Arlington, Wash. Fappani further claimed the third-place Futurity Open honors with a 144 score aboard Nic Tuck, owned by Koby Kempel of Boston, Mass.

JoAnne Carrollo and Smooth And Quick Cat win the Futurity Non Pro.

John O’Hara photo

JoAnne Carrollo and Smooth And Quick Cat win the Futurity Non Pro.

In the Futurity Non Pro, JoAnne Carrollo of Atascadero, Calif., also rode a cutting-bred horse, Smooth And Quick Cat (Smooth As A Cat x Solanos Acre Doc x Big Red Solano), to the championship.

Kim Dooley and her Nu Cash For Romeo earned the Futurity Non Pro Reserve. Brandon Boyle and Grand Slammin Whiz, owned by Mike Boyle of Ione, Calif., placed third.

Representatives from sponsors Peninsula Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were in attendance and also brought animals that were available for adoption to event.

“It was a very successful event for the PHS/SPCA’s homeless animals,” said Ken White, PHS/SPCA president. “Animals found homes, funds were raised to help us help more homeless animals, we met new friends, and I believe we came away with a bunch of folks now wanting to help us in the future. All our staff and volunteers celebrated this amazing success, and we are deeply appreciative that Reining By The Bay made this possible.”

For complete show results, visit: www.reiningbythebay.com

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