Ireland Cofrancesco and Vincenzo Zini Win Aged Geldings at 2014 AQHYA World

By: Brittany Bevis

In his first year in the Aged Geldings division, Vincenzo Zini, led by Ireland Cofrancesco, won the World Championship title this afternoon at the 2014 AQHYA World Show. Last year, Cofrancesco and “Vinny” were the World Champions in the 3-Year-Old Geldings class.

Coming into the class today, Cofrancesco knew she’d have to get around some formidable competition if she had any hopes of claiming the top spot.

“There were a lot of previous World Champions,” she says. “I believe there were ten of them, so I knew it was going to be a very tough class. When it came down to the last three, the third and second place horses had beat me before, so I was wondering how it was going to work out. I was happy that I got to come out on top.”

Cofrancesco had many family members and supporters in the stands today, but perhaps her biggest fan wasn’t able to attend.

“My dad wasn’t feeling well, so we thought it was best if he stayed home,” she says. “He was definitely watching, and he was already on the phone with my mom when it came down to the last three of us!”

“He’s probably my number one supporter with anything I do, and he’s always cheering me on. Even if I come out last place, he says I did a good job because I tried.”

Vinny is very special to the Cofrancesco family because he’s a homebred horse by Fabio Zini, a World Champion Performance Halter Stallion, and out of Sheza Virtuous Lady. Cofrancesco explains the unique origins of the Zini name.

“Vinny’s dad was Fabio Zini, and he is named after a guitar player from Argentina that my grandmother really, really likes,” she says. “They are really close friends, and he will even come up to my grandma’s house in the winter for a party. Vincenzo Zini is Fabio’s dad. So, we decided to name Vinny after Fabio’s dad.”

Today, Cofrancesco relied on the guidance of horse trainer, Mitch Leonarski, or as she likes to call him, “Uncle Mitch.”

“When my dad was my age, he and Mitch were best friends,” she says. “He’s like my Uncle Mitch.”

Now that Vinny has fulfilled his duties for the day, his reward will be a clean stall and plenty of alfalfa hay. What more could a halter horse ask for?

Aged Geldings–

1-Vincenzo Zini/Ireland Cofrancesco

2-Boys N Toys/Kaylee Hamm

3-RPL My Te Cheerful/Monica Hamm

4-Vendicated/Justin Ware

5-Image of Design/Aubrey Alderman

6- Kid B Styling/Miranda Peck

7-Ugonnakissmeornot/Cade Prime

8-Amazin Secret/Christopher Trahan

9-Ima Handsome Clu/Alexis Lege

10-Ace of Cool/Kale Eversull