Reining in Europe has been prouder than ever in the past two years, in a period that is reaching its peak with the 2025 edition of the great IRHA-IRHBA Futurity — known as the European “Big One” — once again scheduled in the prestigious oval arena of Cremona from November 7 to 16. The “big game” of European reiners — and beyond — kicks off today with the open 4-year-old go-round and will reach its glorious conclusion on Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th with the very refined Non Pro and Open 3-year-old finals.
By the end of 2024, the horses and riders of the Old Continent dominated the top classes in the world standings of the discipline. This year, the great French champion Arnaud Girinon clinched the world’s richest prize money riding a Belgian-owned horse entirely trained in Europe, at the famous Las Vegas competition, “The Run for a Million.” While we have already boasted many of our own super-talents who made their mark after moving and naturalizing in the States — first among them 9 million dollars Andrea Fappani, the trainer with the highest career earnings — Arnaud’s feat creates even greater excitement. With the magnificent Flexing Guns N Town, they formed an invincible horse-rider duo born and bred in Europe, and crossing the Atlantic, Arnaud brought home the highly coveted title that all the world’s greatest reiners aim for, doubling his money earnings in one shot.
What Arnaud can do will be on full display during the Reining Futurity in Cremona in a few days, together with the talent of many other European — and not only European — riders and horses representing technical excellence in this sport. Alongside the skill and refinement of the competing pairs, the event’s ambiance will also change, drawing ever closer to the atmosphere of major international finals in other sports. New scenic setups, lights, music, and an organization have been carefully designed to enhance every moment of competition and entertainment. It will be a show within a show, where sport, passion, and spectacle meet, with absolute respect for the horses, their welfare, and the peace necessary for delivering their best performances.
The ten days of competition will bring to life, as already in 2024, the successful experiment of an “All Futurities,” as the NCHA European Cutting Futurity joins the reining one. This makes the event unbeatable for those who want to get an overview of Europe’s most promising young horses, as those selected for the two most important Western disciplines in the world compete in two arenas.
Numbers tell a success story
Even before the event opens, it boasts absolute records in entries, exhibitors, and partners, with double-digit growth compared to 2024 (a year which already marked significant increases), sustained notably by a strong rise in cutting contenders. The international presence has also grown, both among riders and exhibitors, confirming the global appeal of the Cremona Futurity. Sixteen nations will be represented at the fair, in competition, or among exhibitors, coming from various continents.
With an added money of 700,000 dollars only for the Reining Futurity, 1,000 riders expected, 220 exhibitors, and over 35,000 visitors from 25 countries, the 2025 Futurity is set to become an unmatchable meeting and an exchange point for professionals, enthusiasts, and stakeholders. A place where sport and business meet with the same excellence in a glam atmosphere that highlights the natural elegance of equestrian sports.
Going back to event figures, they overtook the already significant ones scored in 2024 edition: 7 arenas for competition and warm-up, 3,500 total seats in the two main stands, plus about 200 more at the prestigious buvette tables. For reining, seats for the finals can be booked online at futurity.it: benches or cushioned armchairs branded by one of the event’s sponsors. Most tickets have already been sold, but a share remains available at the box office for last-minute attendees.
The estimated economic impact on the host city is about 15 million euros, with at least 1,200 guests traveling from all over Europe who will spend more than one day in Cremona and be welcomed in the city’s accommodations. Ten refreshment points serve the public and competitors, including self-service, pizzerias, bars, and street food, with night-time service for those taking care of horses during late hours. Additionally, there will be some gourmet food stands in the new pavilion 1B.
The challenging logistic for the event involves 5 kilometers of barriers, 7,000 cubic meters of sand and soil, 85 organizational staff members, and over 60 sports staff including secretaries, stewards, judges, arena maintenance workers, and more.
Sporting program
Besides the two headline competitions — the reining and cutting Futurities with all categories and levels for professional and amateur riders — Cremona will host some other interesting contests.
FISE-IRHA Absolute Italian Championship finals return after a year’s absence, featuring only the main classes: Open, Non Pro, and Youth, held class in class with the NRHA Ancillary Finals. This ensures the most prestigious categories remain on the schedule without changing the relaxed, well-structured timing of arena and practice field rotations, successfully tested last edition.
An important end of the season awaits the FISE Parareining athletes, a discipline that is growing in numbers and level thanks to the dedication and perseverance of riders, families, and federal coach Alessandro Pavoni. Also the space that Giancarlo Doardo — organizer of Italy’s major reining events — has always wanted to ensure for the parareing classes has grown. In order to offer a wider visibility to the parareining, competitions have been scheduled just before the big Open final on Saturday night.
Regarding cutting, the Futurity surpasses $50,000 in added prize money this year, and the winning 2024 format repeats with also all categories from the European Circuit, plus two real highlights: the Bridleless Cutting (Saturday 15th, afternoon), where competitors enter the show pen without bridles or bits and compete using only a rope around the horse’s neck, and the Reiners in Cutting (Friday 14th, afternoon), featuring sliding horses working alongside cattle!
The finals
The two reining Futurity finals — Non Pro on Friday night and Open concluding the event Saturday with thrilling crescendo — may be the moments when the atmosphere worthy of major sporting events developed over years by Giancarlo Doardo shines brightest in 2025: light effects, music, and show moments will masterfully mark not only the finals’ openings and awards but every interlude, each top score achieved, even each arena drag. “We are dedicating a whole new theatrical element to this Big Show,” explains the organizer. “We have created a sophisticated lighting and sound system that will generate a very glamorous atmosphere in the QD Arena oval with color variations matching different moments. Of course, the large suspended scoreboard that was so popular last year and adds a very ‘USA’ touch will be present.”
Among the most exciting moments adding charm to the Futurity finals like great international sports finals will be those underscored by the beautiful voice of Eleonora Filipponi, a young and talented mezzo-soprano. Her curriculum is already impressive, but this will be her debut in a setting so different from the theaters and concert halls she is used to, performing two special versions of the American anthem (a cappella, at the start of the Open final) and of “Run For The Roses,” the famous country song always accompanying the winner’s honor gallop. “I didn’t know this piece,” Eleonora says, “but as soon as I heard it, I was moved: beyond being a masterpiece musically, it has a very touching text. I think everyone, metaphor aside, has felt at least once in life like the colt in the story, called to face its frailties, weaknesses, and prove its worth to the world. I hope to do it justice with my performance, which will surely be more ‘classical’ but will definitely be full of all the heart and passion this song transmits to me.”
Futurity Blazing Sale: great Futurity Sales come to Europe too!
The grand tradition of auctions — for prospects and more — at season-end Futurities has now arrived on this side of the Atlantic as well. Named the Blazing Futurity Sale, it is a dream that comes true for many enthusiasts worldwide who until now only had the iconic, spectacular Oklahoma auctions as reference.
In the USA, the home of Western disciplines, Futurities represent the most prestigious and important showcase for selling young horses. It is there that future champions find their new owners thanks to the famous auctions that far from been considered only commercial events are true shows loved by all fans.
In Europe, true horse auctions have never been easy due to bureaucratic issues; but Tfy and Giancarlo Doardo have long sought a way to create a major reference sale here during the end-of-year competition, and collaboration with 5 Star Equine Sales, an online auction house based in Northern Ireland, finally paved the way.
During the 2025 Futurity, the Futurity Blazing Sale will take place, closely linked to the third edition of the Acme Prospects & Stallions Presentation, sponsored by the well-known veterinary pharmaceutical company Acme. The presentation of 1- and 2-year-old horses and the stallions who sired them will happen once again just before the Saturday Open final (November 15) right after the Parareining competition. It will also be streamed live for free, accessible from both 5 Star Equine Sales’ and Bonaga Communications’ websites.
These foals will be auctioned during the Blazing Sale, open for bids at 8 a.m. on November 13 and closing at 4 p.m. on November 15. Many horses competing in the Futurity will be up for sale as well; potential buyers can follow them via the live stream, with contestants identified by a yellow-colored bridle number. Pedigrees and all details of the horses on sale will be available worldwide in the digital sale catalog, along with videos and photographs.
For breeding enthusiasts or anyone seeking the ideal stallion for their mare or the right horse for next season’s competitions, pavilion 2 at CremonaFiere remains unmissable. It houses the Premiere Barns — the most prominent European breeders’ stables. Here visitors can not only see the magnificent products of these expert hands but also discuss and learn about them directly from their “creators.”
