United States Eventing Association

Temecula, Calif., April 1, 2011—Alexandra Slusher and Last Call came within a hair’s breadth of winning at the Galway Downs CCI3* in November 2010, and this spring Slusher isn’t willing to settle for second place. She and Christie Campbell’s bay Mecklenberg mare lead the CIC3* after two phases of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. The CIC3* is serving as the designated division for the $20,000 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, where horses and riders from coast to coast compete for cash, prizes, and points towards the year-end purse.

Slusher, Auburn, Calif., took the lead after a strong dressage test this morning (43.0), which highlighted the partnership between horse and rider. “It was the best I’ve ever ridden her,” she said. “Both of us [were] working together for a common goal.”

Show jumping took place in the main arena this afternoon, where clear rounds were hard to come by. Only Olympians Jil Walton on My Sedona and Hawley Bennett-Awad on Gin ‘N Juice managed faultless rounds, while Tamra Smith and Mar De Amor left all the rails up but added 4 time penalties to their score. Slusher dropped the last fence of the triple combination (fence 9C) to add 4 penalties to their score, leaving them with 47.0 penalty points. Bennett-Awad’s and Smith’s clear rounds moved them in to second place (48.2) and third place (49.6), respectively.

“I thought it was a tough enough course,” said Slusher ruefully. “The turns and accuracy were tough enough. I should have ridden a little bit better. I thought those jumps looked big.”

Although Bennett-Awad had a stellar round and is well-placed, she’s been struggling with what might be termed a home-field disadvantage—“Ginny,” as Gin ‘N Juice is known, lives directly across the street from Galway Downs, at breeder/owner Linda Paine’s Kingsway Farm.

“She halted and looked right into her field,” said Bennett-Awad. “I rode her four times today, but I can’t get her tired. There isn’t a bottom to her. It’s a good thing, but it’s also a fault.”

Bennett-Awad and the 10-year-old Thoroughbred mare are slated to compete at the Badminton CCI4* (England) next month, and she believes some of these challenges will be easier to meet there.

“Hopefully when we’re on another continent, she won’t be thinking about her friends in the field,” she said with a laugh.

Smith, of Murrieta, Calif., is riding Mar De Amor for her friend Leigh Mesher, who is currently pregnant. But Mesher informed Smith this week that she could continue riding the horse through 2012, with plans to try for the Olympics. “He’s a fabulous horse, so I’m really excited,” said Smith.

Her time faults were part of the plan, as she’s only been riding Mar De Amor for about a month. She chose to make an especially wide turn, because “we’re just trying to figure each other out.”

Mesher has owned the 10-year-old bay Selle Francais gelding since he was 3 and developed him to the Advanced level.

For the cross-country phase tomorrow, riders will go in reverse order of standing, meaning the pressure will be on for the top three, as exactly 6 points separate the top five. None of the riders are taking Ian Stark’s course for granted.

“The stuff they added is tough,” said Slusher. “I’m going to have to ride out there. [But] I’m really excited to get out there.

“I think a lot about the water jumps,” she continued. “So having the Normandy bank into it and with a rails before it is different. It’s going to be a different ride for ‘Fergie.’”

“I’m excited,” said Bennett-Awad. “It’s going to be a good test for me, to make sure we’re on our game. My biggest issue is the gallop back toward Kingsway—Ginny will be flying.”

Smith doesn’t have enough experience with Mar De Amor to predict tomorrow’s outcome, but Mesher told her the course would suit her horse. “So I’m going to trust her,” Smith said with a laugh.

In the CIC2*, a familiar name is atop the standings— Anna Collier and her spectacular chestnut Dutch Warmblood Upper Crust D were second after a flowing dressage test, and a clean show jumping round moved them in to first after dressage leader Bennett-Awad dropped a rail with Gin ‘N Juice’s full brother Five O’Clock Somewhere.

Collier, Vancouver, Wash., and Upper Crust D won this event in 2008, but an injury to the horse in the spring of 2009 has kept them out of the international ring since. “I was very conservative in bringing him back,” she said. “It’s so fun to have him back. He just has so many special qualities that make him so unique.”

Even though she received a 9 for rider and a perfect 10 for the simple change of lead from judge Wayne Quarles, Collier humbly she stated, “I was somewhat happy with my dressage.”

She added, “There is a lot to do to get him to the next level, I need to get things a little more consistent. [The 10] was so great because it used to be so hard for us. I’ve gotten lots of 4s.”

Upper Crust D’s spectacular aerial style in the show jumping ring left her smiling. “I was just thrilled with him. We had great warm-up, and he didn’t touch a thing in the ring.”

She too is looking forward to the cross-country tomorrow. “The course looks really fun and challenging. It’s technical, yet very straightforward and horse friendly.”

In the CIC* Courtney Olenik and Porto Banus (47.3) hold a narrow lead over Jolie Wentworth on Bally Quinn (47.9) and Karen O’Neal on Rafflasia Z (49.0).

Point Two Air Jackets, Professional’s Choice, Equine Comfort Products, and the USEA Gold Cup Series are the presenting sponsors of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials.

Other generous sponsors of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials include: CWD Saddlery, Sunsprite Warmbloods, Voltaire Design, Advanced Protection Formula by Auburn Laboratories Inc., Big Horse Feed, Equine Insurance of California, Doug Hannum Equine Therapy, Riding’s Publications Inc., Smartpak Equine, and the California Horse Trader.

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 online to www.galwaydowns.com.

For more information on the Galway Downs Horse Trials, visit www.galwaydowns.com or call 951-303-0405.

If Slusher and Last Call can hang onto their lead tomorrow, from the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series they'll win a Gold Cup trophy, $500 in prize money, 7-dose box of Adequan, a three-month supply of SUCCEED, and a pair of Nunn Finer American Style open front boots. The second placed finisher will receive: a 7-dose box of Adequan and a pair of Nunn Finer American Style open front boots. Top finishers in this division also earn valuable points towards the year-end purse.

Thank you to the wonderful Adequan USEA Gold Cup Sponsors for this continued support of this exciting series: Adequan, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Broadstone Equine Insurance, and SUCCEED.