The 20th edition of the Reining By The Bay spotlight stays on Andrea and Luca Fappani

Special to the Horsetrader

WOODSIDE—This summer’s Reining By The Bay marked the event’s 20th anniversary, so it was appropriate to have the past and future so well represented in the present.

Andrea Fappani, whose victories in this reining over the years helped push him to Elite $5 Million Rider status, and teen-aged son Luca, who once again scored major non-pro wins, made this year’s Reining By The Bay a Fappani family affair July 22-28.

Luca ended this year’s show with more than $25,000 in prize money, taking the Derby Levels 4, 3 and 2 Non-Pro. The 15-year old marked a 226.5 on Sharp Dressed Spook, a 2014 gelding sired by Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of the mare Dolittle Lena (by Shining Spark). His multiple wins on Sharp Dressed Spook, along with a third place in Level 4 and the Reserve Championship in Levels 3 and 2 on his other horse, Spooks N Jewels (Smart Spook x Whiz Jewels x Topsail Whiz) were big money-earning performances.

“It’s my first year with him and he’s never ceased to amaze me,” Fappani said of Sharp Dressed Spook, calling their runs “probably the best I’ve ever shown him.”

Luca said Reining By The Bay’s large outdoor arena is suited for him because he can make use of both his horses’ speed and power, pushing them in their circles and laying down spectacular stops.

“Sharp Dressed Spook—he really amazed me,” he added. “I didn’t expect it. He’s a little horse in a big pen and I didn’t know how he would handle it. I’ve never shown him in something this big. He handled it great.”

After a solid performance at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby last June, Fappani is pleased that his horses have continued to get better. He feels he is making the most of his non-pro time as he ascends through the levels.

His papa wasn’t about to be outdone.

Andrea tied himself for the championships in the Futurity Level 4 Open and 3-Year-Old Developing Horse Open with Cocktails N Dreams and Gotta Get Diamonds. Each horse scored a 218.5 and earned $3,412. Cocktails N Dreams (Wimpyneedsacocktail x Myo Starlight x Paddys Irish Whiskey) is owned by Janet Peterson, while Gotta Get Diamonds belongs to Rancho Oso Rio.

The Reserve Champions in the Derby Level 4 Non-Pro were Xtra Voodoo Step and Rick Christen. Xtra Voodoo Step (Wimpys Little Step x Voodoo Chic x Smart Chic Olena) is 2012 mare owned by Christen himself. Together the pair cruised to a 220 in the reining pen, earning them $5,784. Christen won the Prime Time and Masters divisions, adding another $1,636 to his Reining By The Bay paycheck.

The seven days of top competition had many other stars and stellar performances.

In the non-pro battle of the 4-year-old Stakes Level 2, Kelly Moran of Laguna and Dana Avila, who recently relocated to Arizona from her longtime Southern California home, tied with 216 that paid out $1,677 to each rider.

Moran took Joe and Karen Moran’s Pale Conquistador (Pale Face Dunnit x Luz Del Conquistador x Conquistador Whiz) to the co-title, whil Avila rode her mare, Whiskeymakesmefrisky (Whiskey N Diamonds x One Smart Pepto x One Time Pepto).

More online: http://bit.ly/909_RBB