For Immediate Release
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Previous Winners Aim To Repeat At Galway Downs International Horse Trials
Temecula, Calif., March 20, 2012 — The riders of six horses who’ve previously won international events at Galway Downs are hoping they’ll be able to once again emerge victorious at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials on March 29-April 1.
A total of 47 horses are entered to start in the three international divisions at Galway Downs. Competition will begin with the inspection by the ground jury and head veterinarian on Thursday, March 29. The horses will perform their dressage and show jumping tests on Friday, March 30, concluding with the CIC3* in late afternoon.
And then Saturday afternoon will feature the climax of the international divisions, as horses and riders attack Ian Stark’s cross-country course in the reverse order of their two-phase standing. The leader will start last, knowing how fast he or she will have to go to maintain the lead.
The odds are good that, in the CIC3*, that person will be James Alliston, of Castro Valley, Calif. With Jumbo’s Jake, he finished third in the CIC3* in April 2011 but then he won the CCI3* in November 2011 at he Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. Alliston will also be riding the promising younger horse Tivoli in this CIC3*.
“The reverse-order format makes for quite an exciting show, when you know what you have to do. It makes things exciting, and it builds pressure on us riders,” said Alliston.
But Alliston will be facing stiff competition, including Jolie Wentworth, of Martinez, Calif., on GoodKnight, the pair who finished just behind Alliston and Jumbo’s Jake in November. And this time Wentworth will also be riding her more experienced mount Killian O’Connor, who’s placed in several international events at Galway Downs.
Barbara Crabo, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and MacKenna Shea, of Tacoma, Wash., should also be putting the pressure on Alliston. Crabo and Eveready II took third in the CCI3* last November and won the advanced division at the Twin Rivers Horse Trials (Calif.) in early March. Shea and Landioso won the classic-format CCI1* at Galway Downs in 2009 and have placed second to Crabo and Eveready II at Twin Rivers. Some 14 horses are currently entered in the CIC3*.
The CIC2* will see three previous winners of Galway Downs international events face off: Julie Ann Boyer, a Los Angeles police officer, and Rumor Hazit won this CIC2* in 2009, and the mare is making her international return after recovering from an injury; Katie Groesbeck, of Canyon County, Calif., and Oz The Tin Man won the classic-format CCI1* in November 2010; and Andrea Baxter, of San Miguel, Calif., and Indy 500 won the classic-format CCI1* in November 2011.
A total of 13 horses are currently entered in the CIC2*.
Rafflasia Z, winner of the CIC1* in 2011 with Karen O’Neal, will start as the favorite for the CCI1*. This time, though, Brigit Rossbach will ride the mare. Her major challenger may be Roxabelle, winner of the Preliminary Challenge at The Event At Woodside (Calif.) in May 2011. All told, 20 horses are entered in the CIC1*.
The Galway Downs International Horse Trials is one of the seven events in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, which includes the top horse trials all around the United States. Horses and riders earn points as a pair at the designated Gold Cup events to determine the annual series winners and divide up the prize money.
The generous sponsors of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials include: American Medical Response, Auburn Laboratories, Inc., Big Horse Feed, Devoucoux, Embassy Suites -Temecula, Equine Comfort Products, Equine Insurance of California, Holiday Inn Express, MdBarnmaster, Geranium Street Equestrian, Horsetrader, Point Two USA, Professionals Choice, Riding’s Publications, Inc., Smartpak Equine, Sunsprite Warmbloods and Voltaire Design.
General admission for the Galway Downs International Horse Trials is $8 per day in advance, $10 at the gate. VIP tickets—which include seating in the ringside tent, lunch and a full selection of beverages—are also available for $55 per day or $150 for the weekend in advance. For advance reservations, go to www.galwaydowns.com.
For more information on the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, visit www.galwaydowns.com or call 951-303-0405. To learn more about eventing, visit the U.S. Eventing Association’s website (www.useventing.com).
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