Riders in the Galway Downs International Horse Trials will compete under a different schedule and format than previously announced for the event at the Southern California Equestrian Center on March 26-28.

The 21 horses entered in the CIC***, along with those in the CIC** and CIC*, will still perform their dressage tests on Friday, but now they’ll also show jump on Friday afternoon, starting at 1 p.m. Their competition will climax on Saturday with the now increasingly decisive cross-country phase, in which horses will start on course in reverse order of placing, instead of numerical order.

Awards for the CIC***, as well as the CIC** and CIC*, will be presented at 6 p.m. on Saturday night in the Patrons Tent, at the start of the competitors’ party.

The Galway Downs International Horse Trials won’t be finished on Saturday, though. With more than 250 additional horses entered in the national divisions, Sunday will still be a busy day.

The preliminary (79 starters), intermediate (16 starters) and advanced (six starters) divisions will show jump, starting at 8:00 a.m., in the main arena, right in front of the Patrons Tent. And the training and novice divisions will wind up their competition with the cross-country phase, also starting at 8:00 a.m.

“We had several reasons to make this schedule change a week before the event,” said Organizer Robert Kellerhouse. “We had planned to have the preliminary division show jump on Friday to accommodate the almost 350 total entries, but then we thought a better way to do that would be to change the CIC schedule, to run it in the same format the British use—dressage and show jumping on the first day and cross-country on the second.

“This schedule provides good international experience for our riders, gives us a chance to feature the winners on Saturday night at our big party, and allows us to spotlight the advanced, intermediate and preliminary divisions on Sunday morning. It seemed like a winning deal for everyone,” continued Kellerhouse.

General admission for the Galway Downs International Horse Trials is $5 for Friday and Sunday, and $8 Saturday in advance and $10 at the gate. Patrons’ tickets—which include seating in the ringside tent, lunch and a full selection of beverages—are available for $55 per day in advance. For advance reservations, go to www.galwaydowns.com.

More than a dozen generous sponsors provide prize money, prizes and other support to the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. Those sponsors include: Point Two Air Jackets, Equine Insurance, CWD, Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, Auburn Labs, Advanced Protection Formula, Revere Saddlery, Big Horse Feed, Embassy Suites Hotel Temecula, Doug Hannum Equine Therapy, Riding’s Publications, Inc., SmartPak Equine, and Sonoma Saddle Shop.

Mark your calendars for the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, November 4-7, featuring the brand-new CCI***, the first ever on the West Coast. For more information on the Galway Downs International Horse Trials and the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, visit www.galwaydowns.com or call (951) 303-0405.