On a bittersweet weekend where the West Coast riders, officials, volunteers and staff celebrated the life of one the Eventing legends, Roger Haller, who lost his battle to cancer on Wednesday evening, blue ribbons could be seen on hundreds of competitors as they rode in his memory.  After the conclusion of competition in the International Divisions, Barb Crabo and her own Eveready proved they are ready for a trip back to the Blue Grass State after making easy work of Ian Stark’s Adequan USEA Gold Cup CIC3* track Saturday. Crabo added just 1.2 time faults to her overnight score to move ahead of Mackenna Shea and Landioso who finished second after added 4.4 time faults.

    Crabo had great things to say about her longtime partner exclaiming, “With my other horses I get a little nervous, but Ready and I know each other so well, it is just a lot of fun to leave the box on him. He was so great today and I was thrilled with how the course rode.” Rounding out the top three, Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 put forth the only double clean round in the CIC3* to move up from fifth place to third.

    New mom Frankie Thieriot Stutes and the Chatwin Group’s Chatwin added nothing to their dressage score after coming just on the optimum time to win the CIC2* division on a score of 40.0, 13.6 points ahead of second place Tamra Smith and Peggy & Chuck Moore’s Lagos Star.  Stutes said she thought Stark’s course was, “a great galloping course, with several good questions,” and that her partner, “answered every question asked of him and that it was so much fun to ride.” Frankie also thanked her cousin Elizabeth Thieriot and The Chatwin Group saying, “I feel incredibly lucky to get to ride this horse.”

    Smith who finished second and third in the CIC2* division aboard Lagos Star and Judith McSwain’s Fleeceworks Royal had a very busy weekend with two horses in the CIC2*, two in the CIC3*, one in the Advanced and a Preliminary mount as well. Smith was happy with all of her rides saying, “I am very fortunate to have some remarkable horses and they were all very good today on Ian’s tracks out there.”

    Fellow new mom Jennifer Wooten-Macouzet led the CIC1* division from start to finish after taking some time off from international competition to have her son last year. Riding Ballingowan Ginger owned by Jordyn Horwitz and previously campaigned by Puerto Rican Team Rider Lauren Billys, Jennifer finished on a score of 43.9. “It was great to be back out there again with a mare that is so much fun to ride,” said Wooten-Macouzet. “I think we both appreciate one another’s experience and it has been very fun getting to ride such a talented mare.” Finishing second in the CIC* division was Emilee Libby and Linda Libby’s Jakobi.

    Course designer Ian Stark was pleasantly surprised with the riding he saw over the international tracks saying, “I thought the 2* and 3* tracks were actually quite tough and was impressed with the riding I saw today. There was only one small hiccup in the 2* division and I thought the 3* division rode quite well. My favorite combination was certainly the first water that we changed quite a bit this weekend.”

    Today’s champions received take home a considerable about of cash and prizes thanks to Galway Down’s generous sponsors at the Competitor’s Awards Celebration Saturday night. The winner of the CIC3* division earned $2,500 in prize money, the August Hanley Memorial Trophy, and a $500 CWD gift certificate along with a 7 dose box Adequan from the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series as well as numerous other prizes. The CIC2* winner received $1,400 dollars in cash, and a $500 Voltaire certificate in addition to other prizes. The CIC1* division winner received $1,000, and a $500 Voltaire certificate. Additionally, the highest placed young rider or amateur in the division, Kelsey Holmes will be awarded a custom Devoucoux Chiberta Lab Saddle.

    Tomorrow will wrap up the Galway Downs International Event with Cross-Country starting for Novice and Training at 8 am PST and Show Jumping starting at 8:30 am PST, with the day concluding with the Advanced division, that also serves as a qualifier for the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final in Tryon, NC at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships.

General admission for the Galway Downs International Event starts at $15 with children under 12 getting in free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Patron's passes include seating in the ringside tent, lunch and a full selection of beverages. They are available for $55 per day on Sunday, $75 for Saturday, or $150 for the weekend in advance. For advance reservations, visit the spectator information page at www.galwaydowns.net.

For more information on the Galway Downs International Event, visit www.galwaydowns.net 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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