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Temecula, Calif., Nov. 2 — Heather Morris, of Lewisville, Texas, has taken the early lead in the CCI** at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event by scoring 46.3 penalties in today’s dressage phase on Genial. Morris leads Nicholas Cwik on Asterix by 0.9 penalties.

“He was great today, just so rideable,” said Morris of Genial, an 8-year-old Trakehner gelding. Morris purchased Genial in Virginia during the spring of 2006 from Olympic rider Mara Dean. “Once I figured out how to ride him, he’s been spectacular,” said Morris, who won the Galway Downs CCI* on Genial in 2006.

Since Morris grew up in near Temecula, and her parents still live in Southern California, last week’s fires didn’t concern her before she and her horse left Texas. “When you’re from here, fires don’t really bother you,” she said.

The trip from Texas takes 22 hours, a trip Morris made over two days.

Max McManamy, 15, is leading the long-format CCI* by 3.5 penalties after earning an excellent score of 47.9 on her horse Beacon Hill, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. Kristi Nunnink, of Auburn, Calif., produced a lovely test on R-Star, a Dutch-bred mare, to take the lead in the short-format CCI* by scoring 42.1 penalties.

McManamy, of Templeton, Calif., is competing for the first time in a long-format CCI (in which horses complete two phases of roads and tracks and a steeplechase phase prior to starting on the cross-country course). She has already placed in two short-format one-star events, including finishing fourth at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships in Virginia in late July.

“I wanted to get the experience of doing the long format,” said McManamy.

But she said that Beacon Hill’s status as a starter became uncertain a few weeks ago, when he developed hives and then some undiagnosed complications. She said you can still see scabs from the hives on his left side, but they didn’t bother him in today’s test. “He was amazing,” said McManamy with a broad smile.

Morris and McManamy are each similarly ecstatic about the cross-country course designed for the first time by Ian Stark of Great Britain.

“I love it,” enthused Morris. “I think Ian has done a great job, and I especially love the end, where he’s lightened the questions up a little bit to get the horses home.”

McManamy sees “a lot of challenges. I like that there are a lot of harder questions that make you ride and pay attention every moment. I like the way he’s changed it all around.”

The Galway Downs International Three-Day Event continues tomorrow with a day of exciting cross-country action, starting at 8:30 a.m. with the short-format CCI*. The long-format CCI* goes next, concluding at 11:35. The CCI** begins at 12:10, running until 1:22.

General admission to the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event is $8 per day in advance, $10 per day at the door. Patron tickets—which include parking, a program and a catered lunch with beer, wine or soft drinks—are also available.

To order patron or general admission tickets, or for more information on the Galway Downs Three-Day Event, visit their website (www.galwaydowns.com) or call 951-303-0405. To learn more about eventing, visit the U.S. Eventing Association’s website (www.useventing.com).

(Complete results are available at www.galwaydowns.com.)
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