Bernard Fonck is a reining phenomenon. Originally from Belgium, he has quickly risen through the ranks to become the first European-based trainer to achieve the status of National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Two Million Dollar Rider. Bernard has been competing in European and North American NRHA events since 2002, earning multiple titles over those years. He is a seven-time NRHA World Open Champion and a multiple World Equestrian Games medalist, winning Individual Gold in 2018 and Team Silver for Belgium three times.
Bernard credits his wife, Ann Poels, as the key to his success. An accomplished competitor in her on right, Ann is the trainer for “Team Fonck”. “She is very special; she supports me in every way,” says Bernard. “She is the best.”
Currently, Bernard and Ann are working with Metalab to design a progressive series of bits that will take a horse through all levels of training and competition. This bit series will bring a new level to reining. As Bernard relates “I have been using Metalab bits in my barn already, but nothing like what we are designing now. For this series, the bits are designed as steps from one level to the next, a line that you can use forever, with any horse at each level.”
