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After the first day of competition at the Galway Downs International CIC*** and Adequan USEA Gold Cup/PRO Tour Series, Kristi Nunnink and her own R-Star find themselves in familiar territory atop the leaderboard.
Nunnink kicked off the day scoring a 47.9 in dressage to sit in first place headed into what would be a very difficult show jumping course.
“I was happy with her dressage today because I feel like I’m getting her back to being relaxed and supple, and that overall she was quite rideable, which I was pleased with,” said Nunnink.
The show jumping course shook up the placings quite a bit, and no rider was able to produce a double clear round. Only Emilee Libby and her gelding Nonsensical were able to leave all the jumps in their cups, but the pair added four time faults.
Only four riders were inside the time with Nunnink being one of them, however each resulted in having one rail down.
“It was important to decide where I could make time on this course and take the inside lines,” said Nunnink. She also praised the course, explaining that, “it rode well and was a big forward course, and you saw rails come down in a variety of places.”
R-Star and Nunnink who are aiming to head to Rolex in a few weeks time have struggled to come inside the time on cross-country in the past. However, the pair will look to change that tomorrow as they go for the win on course designer Ian Stark’s CIC*** track.
“The cross-country looks like a good prep for Rolex and I need to give her a good confident ride leading up to Kentucky,” she said about her long-time partner, R-Star.
Jolie Wentworth and Goodknight sit in second place behind Nunnink as they prepare for the final phase of competition, and have typically been able to produce notable cross-country results. However, Nunnink feels this pressure from herself, not from her fellow competitors, saying, “There is always pressure to go fast for me, and to be competitive.”
Cross-country competition beings tomorrow at 1:50pm Pacific Standard Time, in reverse order of standing. For complete results, click here.
About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series
Qualifying for the 2014 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Plantation Field CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside CIC3* (CA) and features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels. The final will take place at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 2014 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.
The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors:Adequan; Standlee Forage Nunn Finer; SmartPak Equine; Nutrena; Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two;Dubarry; and FITS.
The PRO Tour Series consists of 13 premier destination events in the United States and Canada in 2013/2014 featuring the best riders and most entertainment. Riders and Horses are awarded points on the PRO Tour Rider Leader Board and PRO Tour Horse Leader Board. Riders can also earn points on the PRO Tour Series at the Intermediate or two-star level for the Multi Radiance Intermediate Challenge. The 2014 Multi Radiance Challenge Leader Board Champion will win a Multi Radiance MR4 ACTIVET Portable Laser System.
The Professional Riders Organization would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2014 PRO Tour Series: Martin Collins USA, The Official Footing of PRO; Multi Radiance Medical, The Official Laser Therapy of PRO & Sponsor of the Multi Radiance Medical Intermediate Challenge ; Tex Sutton, the Official US Equine Air Carrier of PRO; SSG Riding Gloves; Finish Line Horse Products; Midlantic Ltd.; and Mythic Landing Events.
