Galway Downs International Horse Trials, held in picturesque Temecula, California, will host the West Coast’s top riders this weekend as they prepare for their spring three-days, along with horse trials divisions from Advanced through Beginner Novice. This year features record turnout, with 320 entries across all divisions.
The CCI4*-S Field
Last spring, just four entries started the feature class, but this year there are 12 pairs set to start.
2022 FEI World Eventing Championship (Pratoni, Italy) U.S. team rider Tamie Smith has chosen to prepare her top string closer to home this year, and she has four entered—Ruth Bley’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding Danito (Dancier x Wie Musik), the Elliot V Partnership’s 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Elliot V (Zavall VDL x Vera R), Alex Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell’s 17-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Mai Baum (Loredano 2 x Ramiro), and David and Julianne Guariglia’s 12-year-old Silla Argentina mare Sologuayre California (Casparo x Sologuayre Calandria).
Smith has Danito, Elliot V, and Mai Baum entered at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in April. She’ll be joined in Kentucky by fellow California-based rider James Alliston on Alliston Equestrian’s 9-year-old Canadian Sport Horse Nemesis (Novalis 46 x Maesy) and Missy Miller and Quinn, her own 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Quirado x Maleika II), both of whom are competing in the CCI4*-S at Galway.
This will be the first CCI4*-S for Sophie Click and Tarantino 4. Click is also the youngest rider at 23.
Natalie Valente’s Toska, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Singapore x Tovita) will make her CCI4*-S debut with Emilee Libby in the irons.
Katherine Robinson and her own 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Outrageous Dance (Outrageous Limit x I Wanna Dance) are the only pair who also competed in 2022.
In the CCI4*-S, California-based Rebecca Braitling will ride under her native Australian flag. She’ll head to Kentucky next to contest the CCI4*-S.
The CCI3*-S field has 13 entries, while the CCI2*-S has 13.
Aiken, South Carolina-based Missy Miller has been keeping her four-star ride Quinn at Smith's barn in training and flying back and forth to compete. She's coming off a second place finish in the Advanced at at Ram Tap National Horse Trials (Fresno, California) earlier this month.
The Facts
The FEI divisions will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with dressage taking place on Thursday, show jumping on Friday, and cross-country on Saturday for the CCI4*-S.
Andrew Temkin (USA) will serve as the Technical Delegate for the FEI levels, assisted by Wendy Wergeles (USA).
The president of the ground jury for the CCI4*-S is Helen Bretell (GBR) with Robin Fisher (USA) as the other member.
Clayton Fredericks (AUS) designed the FEI cross-country courses and the Intermediate and Advanced national courses. Alessandra Allen-Shinn (USA) designed Preliminary through Beginner Novice.
Marc Donovan will design the show jumping courses for all levels.
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