United States Eventing Association

James Alliston and Jolie Wentworth were the stars of the California eventing season in 2011, and they’re each aiming a pair of horses for the CIC3* at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, on March 29-April 1. And they’re each hoping that Galway Downs will set them on a path toward this year’s Olympic Games in London.

In 2011, Alliston, 27, climbed to new stardom by winning the CIC3* at The International Event at Woodside in October and then winning the CCI3* at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in November. He scored both victories on Jumbo’s Jake, while riding Parker to third at Woodside and seventh at Galway Downs. Alliston plans to ride both horses in the Galway Downs CIC3*.

Wentworth, 30, rode GoodKnight, a relatively new mount, to second place at both Woodside and Galway Downs. Her experienced campaigner, Killian O’Connor, missed most of the 2011 season with an injury, but he’s now back in action, and Wentworth is aiming both horses for Galway Downs.

For Alliston and Wentworth, Galway Downs is the first of the necessary competitive steps toward their Olympic dream. For both, it’s their final preparation for the Olympic observation trial at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on April 26-29.

“Galway Downs is always a big occasion, and it will be my last run before Kentucky, just as it was last year. It’s a big track and competitive field there, and if you put in a good show, then you go to Kentucky full of confidence,” said Alliston. “The cross-country is big enough that’s a real test. You have to attack it and go for it. You can’t just go for a quiet school around, so it makes you ride, like you have to when you get to Kentucky.”

Alliston believes that Galway Downs prepared him and his horses perfectly for his debut at Rolex Kentucky in 2011. Jumbo’s Jake claimed third in last year’s Galway Downs CIC3*, and “I could easily have won it, but he had stop and a bit of time in show jumping.” Alliston entered Parker in the advanced horse trial that runs concurrently with the CIC3*, because he didn’t think Parker’s dressage test would be as competitive, but he won the horse trial. “So it was good to go to Kentucky on that note,” said Alliston.

To Wentworth, “Galway Downs is always a definite event for me. It’s intense. It has the atmosphere you need to get ready, and the jumps are big and imposing. I don’t have the funds to go the East Coast to prepare for Kentucky, so I’m so grateful I have Galway Downs as a lead up to it.”

Even though Alliston has lived in Castro Valley, Calif., since 2007, he’s still a citizen of Great Britain. Consequently, he knows that making the British team for these Olympics is “a long shot.” He said that British team coach Yogi Breisner called him after he won Galway Downs last November to advise him on his 2012 plans. “There’s a very long list of candidates in Britain above me, but Yogi will be at Kentucky to watch me and the other British riders who are there. It’s going to be very tough to break into that group, so I’m pretty realistic about it,” Alliston said.

Wentworth, of Martinez, Calif., considers herself a longshot too. “I’d love to think that we’re in some sort of contention for the Olympics,” she said. ”We’re definitely going to gear everything toward doing the Olympics, but I know we’re longshots. We’re very hopeful, but also very realistic.”

Alliston said that he has thought about applying for U.S. citizenship. “I’m really happy here in America, and it feels like home to me now, so who knows what will happen down the line? But it’s very tough to make the American team as well,” he said.

The Galway Downs International Horse Trials is a member event of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, which includes seven of the top eventing competitions all around the United States. Horses and riders earn points together as a pair at the designated Gold Cup events to determine the annual series winners. A victory is worth 200 points, and horses and riders can also earn bonus points at each event: 50 bonus points for double-clear cross-country rounds, and 40 bonus points for double-clear show jumping rounds.

In 2011 Alliston finished seventh on Jumbo’s Jake and tied for 19^th on Parker in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup standings. Wentworth on Goodknight were one of the other three pairs tied for 19^th. In 2010, Alliston and Jumbo’s Jake also placed seventh in the season-long standings.

The generous sponsors of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials include: American Medical Response, Auburn Laboratories, Inc., Big Horse Feed, Embassy Suites—Temecula, Equine Comfort Products, Equine Insurance Of California, Holiday Inn Express, MdBarnmaster, Geranium Street Equestrian, Horsetrader, Point Two USA, Professionals Choice, Riding’s Publications, Inc., Smartpak Equine, Sunsprite Warmbloods and Voltaire Design.

General admission for the Galway Downs International Horse Trials is $8 per day in advance, $10 at the gate. VIP tickets—which include seating in the ringside tent, 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 Horse Trials, 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).