Mittleider, of Kuna, Idaho, was thrilled with her rising star, whom she’s only been riding for a year and half.
“I was very impressed with the maturity and confidence he showed today. The footing was a non-issue, and I was so, so very proud of him.
“What he gave me today gives me confidence there is at least a two-star in his future,” she said with a smile.
Mittleider has spent the last year in Germany, working on her dressage, and she’ll be returning there in April. She will be taking Harry Houdini with her, and she hopes to contest the 7-year-old championship CCI2* at Lyon, France, next year.
“Everything we’ve thrown at him he’s taken in stride,” she said. “Hopefully, that continues.”
In the classic-format CCI1*, Barb Crabo also kept her lead after dressage aboard homebred Over Easy. Crabo was hoping to add some additional impulsion out of the Swedish Warmblood mare, and the classic format did just that.
“She is so easy, but lazy,” said Crabo, of Scottsdale, Ariz. “I entered the classic format hoping to find and extra gear and a gallop, because she’s been going too slowly at all her horse trials.
“I’m actually shocked I made the time on steeplechase, but I’ve never worked that hard for anything in my life,” she said with a laugh. “It made the cross-country time easy to make.”
In the training three-day, the speed and endurance day moved some of the standings around, but some of the dressage leaders stayed on top.
In division A, overnight leader Erin Kellerhouse and Cristal had a stop to open the way for Kathy Cain and Sidecar to slide in to first (28.9), followed by Rebecca Braitling on Elizabeth Fisher’s Jamaica Me Proud (31.5). Overnight second placed Hawley Bennett-Awad, on Michael Morris’ Sienna, garnered 1.2 time penalties to drop to third (32.6).
Braitling is catch riding one of her student’s horses, and today was her first cross-country trip on the pinto Oldenburg mare. Fisher, the mare’s owner, fell and broke her leg last week, and Braitling stepped up to ride the mare in her first classic-format event.
“She’s an amazing teacher—she’s brought her owner from never having evented, right through to training level,” she said. “I really enjoyed doing the long format today. It’s something everybody should do at least once in their career.”
In division B, the standings didn’t change at all, with Julie Flettner and Ping Pong staying on top (27.9), followed by Abigail Read and Hanz (28.6), and Linda Culligan and Reveille (30.0)
Land Rover, the Professional Riders Organization, Del Mar Eventing and Professional’s Choice are the presenting sponsors of the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event.
Other generous sponsors of the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event include: Advanced Protection Formula by Auburn Laboratories Inc., Big Horse Feed, California Horse Trader, Charles Owen, CWD Saddlery, Doug Hannum Equine Therapy, Embassy Suites Hotel, Equine Comfort Products, Equine Insurance of California, Finish Line Products, MDBarnmaster, Ride On Video, Riding’s Publications Inc., Smartpak Equine, Sunsprite Warmbloods and Voltaire Design.
A portion of the general admission and patron's ticket revenue at Galway Downs will benefit Operation Homefront, the official charitable partner of the Professional Riders Organization Tour and of Galway Downs.
The mission of Operation Homefront is to provide emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our nation’s service members. Since its founding in 2002, Operation Homefront has provided more than $92 million to programs that benefit military families.
General admission for the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event is $8 per day in advance, $10 at the gate. Patron’s tickets—which include seating in the ringside tent on Friday and Sunday, with lunch and a full selection of beverages—are also available for $55 per day in advance. For advance reservations, go to www.galwaydowns.com.
For more information on the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, visit www.galwaydowns.com or call 951-303-0405. To learn more about eventing, visit the U.S. Eventing Association’s website (www.useventing.com).