For Immediate Release
For More Information:
Contact Press Officers John Strassburger & Heather Bailey
707-217-5072/phoenixenterprisesPR@gmail.com
Ready To Start At The Galway Downs International Horse Trials
Temecula, Calif., March 29, 2012 — The ground jury today approved 41 horses to start in the three international divisions at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. Another 257 horses are scheduled to start in the event’s national divisions.
Riders have brought horses from all over the Western United States and Canada. Riders from throughout California will be competing at Galway Downs, along with riders from Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
The international ground jury consists of judges Wayne Quarles of the United States and Helen Christie of New Zealand, technical delegate Roger Haller of the United States, and veterinary delegate Emily Sandler of the United States.
The international horses will perform both their dressage and show jumping tests on Friday, March 30, concluding with the CIC3*, starting at 4:00 p.m.
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 their lead.
The CIC2* horses will compete from 111:55 to 12:35, with the CIC3* horses competing from 2:00 to 3:15. The CIC1* horses will wrap up the day’s competition, from 2:25 to 4:00. The awards ceremony and dinner will begin at 6:00.
The event will conclude on Sunday with show jumping for the advanced, intermediate and preliminary divisions and cross-country for the training and novice divisions.
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.
In addition to the horse inspection, today the Elite Event Horse Auction presented 15 horses for sale following the horse inspection. This is the fourth year that the Elite Event Horse Auction has been a featured attraction at Galway Downs, and the silent bidding will conclude after the awards are presented on Saturday evening. In addition, there will be a live auction of breeding services to four stallions on Saturday, to benefit the Area VI young riders program. The auctioneer will be Terry Payne, MFH of the nearby Santa Fe Hunt.
Professional’s Choice, one of the Galway Downs sponsors, is offering competitors 15 percent off all products purchased during the event.
The other 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, 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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