Men are from Mars, women are from Venus

04/01/2026 – In an interview dated 2021, Belgian reining rider Bernard Fonck referred to a book with the above mentioned title, written by John Gray. The underlying thought is that working successfully together with your partner requires mutual understanding and effort, because men and women simply differ from each other. For Bernard and Ann Fonck the application of this theory definitely paid off.
For the 9th time in history Bernard piloted a horse to the NRHA Open World Champion title. The 2025 NRHA Open World Champion is the 7-year-old stallion GD Peptos Olena Blue [Spat A Blue x Miss Peptos Jacky] owned by Domenico Giannetti (ITA). In 2022 Bernard piloted ND Pop Gun Trash owned by Nathalie Derua (BEL) to the title; in 2018 Missedouttinseltown owned by Golden Paint Ranch (BEL); in 2017, 2016 and 2015 What A Wave owned by Steven Vannietvelt and Gina de Pauw (BEL); in 2012 Sail On Top Whizzard in owned by Danny Cerato (BEL) and in 2011 and 2010 Great Sun Burst owned by Manuel Bonzano (ITA).
These are just samples of the many successes the 52-year-old sports icon has to his name, of which winning individual gold with What A Wave at the World Equestrian Games 2018 in Tryon is an absolute highlight.
It is expected that Bernard will write history again in 2026. His NRHA lifetime earnings as per 31-12-2025 amount $ 2.893.127. The next milestone is sight.

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Photo: GD Peptos Olena Blue and Bernard Fonck. Photo: Andrea Bonaga, ITA