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Californian rider Robyn Fisher has burst into fifth place on the 2006 FEI Eventing World Cup leaderboard after triumphing in the fifth qualifier of the series which was held at the Galway Downs equestrian facility in the heart of the Valley of the Horses, in Temecula, USA, from 31 March to 2
April.

Fisher, 26, riding her 11-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred Le Samurai, began the competition with a luxurious lead of more than 20 penalties over her seven rivals in the Dressage phase, but then nearly squandered victory by accruing 24 time penalties in the very wet conditions on Cross-Country day. (Robyn and Le Samurai are pictured at the right competing at the Fair Hill International CCI*** last fall.)

Fisher's compatriot Jennifer Wooten, riding the Irish-bred mare The Good Witch, dramatically closed the gap with the fastest time - 5.2 penalties - which left Fisher with no margin for error on the final, stadium, day. There she incurred 3 time penalties, which would have lost her the title but for Wooten having a single rail down. She finished on 75.6 penalties.

"I've had a great day," said Fisher, who has campaigned on the European circuit, including at last year's FEI Eventing World Cup Final at Malmö (SWE). "I had no room for error and my aim was to finish clean." She won USD 4,500 and the inaugural Augie Handley Memorial Trophy donated by Santa Fe Hunt of Del Mar.

Wooten, 28, of Buelton, California, was competing in her first FEI Eventing World Cup qualifier and finished only 2.4 penalties behind Fisher (78). "The rain didn't bother me," she said. "I liked the cross-country course [designed by Mike Etherington-Smith] even though it was challenging in
places."

Lauren Whitlock, 21, also from California, was third on her 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Kipling on 78.7 penalties; Canadian Hawley Bennett was fourth on Livingstone (80.3 penalties) and Hungarian rider Ildiko Hites was fifth on Ben Fox (108.4).

The full results from this event and the up-to-date FEI Eventing World Cup standings are available on www.feiworldcup.org. For more information on this event, please check www.galwaydowns.com.

The 2006 FEI World Cup series next moves east across the USA to Norwood, in North Carolina this weekend (6-9 April), where Australian rider Phillip Dutton, currently lying second in the FEI Eventing World Cup rankings behind Karin Donckers (BEL) has five horses entered. The exciting 40-plus entry also includes the father-son combination of Bruce and Buck Davidson and the Olympic silver medallists Kim Severson and Winsome Adante.

Malina Gueorguiev
Communications Department

Fédération Equestre Internationale
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NEW: www.feiworldcup.org

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Contact: Amy J. Daum, (703) 779-0440 ext. 3017, amy@useventing.com

Fisher Takes Both Galway Gold Cup Divisions

Robyn Fisher pulled a “Dutton” taking the top spots in both divisions of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series held at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials March 31-April 2 in Temecula, California. Phillip Dutton, her top Gold Cup competition, performed the same feat two weekends ago at the Southern Pines Horse Trials, and the weekend before that at the Red Hills Horse Trials.

After winning the CIC***-W division, she and longtime partner Le Samurai, her 11-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred gelding, now stand tied with Dutton and House Doctor on the Gold Cup Advanced Leaderboard, with 305 points. The pair put in a tight wire-to-wire finish, due largely to their dressage score, which gave them an initial 16.6-penalty lead—a lead that came in handy after they posted 24 time penalties on cross-country. They were just 1.4 penalties ahead of Jennifer Wooten and The Good Witch going into show jumping. Wooten and the ten-year-old Thoroughbred mare dropped a rail, while Fisher and Le Samurai went double clear, giving them the win on a final score of 75.6.

Fisher, who hails from West Hills, California, put in another stellar performance in the CIC** with her ten-year-old Holsteiner mare, Lady Calido. They took a slight lead after dressage, and then went double clear on cross-country (one of only two pairs that managed that feat, out of a field of 25). Still, less than a rail separated them from Kelly Prather and Ballinakill Glory going into show jumping. Their double clear round secured the win on a final score of 53.8, with Prather and Ballinakill Glory dropping a rail and for a second place finish with 61.5.

This put Fisher and Lady Calido into the second spot on the Gold Cup Intermediate Leaderboard, with 225 points, just ten points behind Dutton and Happy as Larry. Their performance at Galway should be no surprise, considering in her last 14 starts, Lady Calido has finished out of the top three just once, and tallied nine wins. Expect great things from both these ladies!

The Cup's next destination is 3,000 miles east, to Norwood, North Carolina for The Fork Stables Horse Trials, now known as the BB&T Outdoor Heritage Days, April 6-9. This event is another World Cup qualifier, and festivities are planned throughout the weekend, including a falconry show, retriever demonstration, and other entertainment for both kids and adults. Visit www.forkstables.com to learn more about the farm and the event.

The USEA is pleased to welcome back many of our 2005 sponsors, including Title sponsor Adequan, Presenting sponsors Nunn Finer, Amerigo, and Nutrena, and Contributing sponsors Cover-All and UlcerGard. A new Contributing sponsor, Premier Equestrian, has joined us this year, along with Patron sponsor, Mountain Horse.

Winners of the Gold Cup divisions at each event take home a seven-dose pack of Adequan, a Mountain Horse jacket with Gold Cup logo, and a front and hind pair of Nunn Finer American Style brushing boots. The second and third place finishers at each event will receive a front and hind pair of Nunn Finer brushing boots.

This December at the 2006 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, a grand prize Gold Cup trophy and Amerigo saddle will be awarded to the rider from each division with the most points at the end of the year. In addition, the Gold Cup champion at the Advanced level will receive a check from the USEA for $6,000, and the Intermediate champion receives a check for $4,000. Both winners will also receive an additional supply of Adequan. The second placed rider at Advanced wins a $3,500 Bit of Britain gift certificate, and their Intermediate counterpart wins a $2,500 gift certificate.

For more information on the Gold Cup, visit the USEA website (www.useventing.com) and click on the Gold Cup logo on the home page.