Temecula, CA—Tiana Coudray of Carmel Valley, CA, parlayed a penalty-free run in show jumping to capture top honors at FEI World Cup Qualifier (CIC3*-W) at Galway Downs.
An appreciative crowd of more than 3,000 saw Coudray and King Street, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, finish the three days of competition with a score of 54.8. She was the only CIC3*-W rider in the field of 16 with a clean run in show jumping.
“It was a very hard course,” the 18-year-old from Northern California said. “But we didn’t come here to win. We were just trying to get ready for [Rolex] Kentucky.”
Coudray previously won the CIC2* title at Galway Downs in 2005 on the same horse after strong performances in dressage and cross country. “It was identical to this,” she said. “I've gone through every level with him.”
Moving up a spot from Saturday was second-place finisher Kelly Prather, Bodega Bay, CA, aboard Ballinakill Glory, a seven-year-old Irish Sports Horse mare. They had a score of 61.7. Jennifer Wooten, Bullerton, CA, was third with a score of 61.9 with The Good Witch, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred mare.
Debbie Rosen, Calabasas, CA, captured top spot in the CIC2* division with a clean run in show jumping with a score 53.8 aboard The Alchemyst, a seven-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding. Rosen edged out Canadian Hawley Bennett, who lives in Temecula, the leader after the cross country. Hawley finished with a score of 54.6 on board SplendoroftheSun, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. Andrea Baxter of Atascadero, CA, finished third on Estrella, a seven-year-old Thoroughbred Cross mare, with a score of 62.3.
Julie Ann Boyer of Agua Dulce, CA, was the pole to pole winner of the CIC1* division with a final score of 47.1 aboard Rumor Hazit, a six-year-old Thoroughbred. Second was Tara McKenna Polkabla of Briones Valley, CA, on Current Leader, an eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, with a score of 52.6. Canadian Jennifer Miller of Cave Creek, AZ, moved up two spots overnight to finish third with Jeepers, a six-year-old Oldenburg gelding, with a score of 55.
Show jumping was the final phase of the three-day competition at Galway Downs for the FEI Eventing World Cup, which ran from March 30 to April 1.
An international field, which included more than 300 riders from around the world and their very talented horses, competed for more than $21,000 in prize money at Galway Downs, a world-class equestrian facility in Temecula that sits in the heart of the 2,000-acre Valle de los Caballos (Valley of the Horses).
The event his year included a touch of nearby Wine Country. Keyways Vineyard & Winery poured its wine and provided its Wine Club members VIP seating at the FEI Eventing World Cup.
Those in the VIP tent on Sunday enjoyed Presto’s catered cuisine at the Keyways Wine Pairing Luncheon.
Event organizer Robert Kellerhouse was pleased with the turnout on Sunday and hoped that Keyways and Wine Country would become a regular part of the annual event.
“Everybody who had a chance to try the gourmet food and award-winning wines had a great time,” he said. “We hope this is the start of a long-standing tradition at Galway Downs.”
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