The below articles are thanks to Heather Bailey and John
Strassburger, the Press Officers for Galway Downs Horse Trials
(Except for the Amber Heintzberger Wrap, which appears second.)

Miles and McKinlaigh Keep
Galway Downs Top Spot

Temecula, Calif., March30 - Gina Miles and her eight-year partner McKinlaigh finished today what they started on Friday at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. With a perfectly clear show jumping round, they kept the lead they'd held since the dressage phase to win the CIC***.

Miles and McKinlaigh also took home to Creston, Calif., an Adequan/USEA Gold Cup as the winners of the first Pacific League competition of the year. Both the CIC*** and CIC** at Galway Downs are member events of the U.S. Eventing Association's Adequan Gold Cup Series. The overall Gold Cup Series victors are determined by a cumulative points system throughout the year, with horse-rider pairs earning prize money and points at each of the 13 designated events in three leagues across the United States. (Gina and Mckinlaigh are pictured at the right. McCool Photo)

The CIC*** and CIC** split a total of $10,000 in prize money.

Jennifer Wooten, of Ramona, Calif., used the opposite strategy to secure second place, although it wasn't the strategy she'd planned on using. Riding The Good Witch, Wooten climbed from ninth in dressage by jumping faultless cross-country and show jumping rounds. Canadian Hawley Bennett held on to third place with Livingstone, despite lowering three rails on the course designed by international course designer Richard Jeffery.

Miles, 34, said that she didn't know before she began her round that other competitors' mistakes had given her a cushion of three rails. Still, she said, her goal was to notch a clear round to prepare for her next event after Galway Downs, the Rolex Kentucky CCI****, and for her shot at the U.S. Olympic team. "You always have to push yourself, to put pressure on yourself to perform well," she said. "And McKinlaigh really knows his job."

When she crossed the finish line, the loudest cheers came from her husband, her 2-year-old daughter and her 9-year-old son.

McKinlaigh is a 14-year-old, Irish-bred gelding.

The three top finishers in the CIC*** are each aiming for Rolex Kentucky on April 24-27, and all three horses will fly together to Lexington, Ky., on April 21. "I'm pleased to see the California riders do so well here as a preparation for Kentucky," said Miles, the individual bronze and team gold medalist at the 2007 Pan Am Games. "I really want to encourage West Coast eventing and to prove we riders can make teams from out here."

Like Miles, Wooten, 30, is on the U.S. eventing team's Olympic training list. She said she was disappointed with her dressage performance, but she believes that jumping faultlessly showed that she can perform when she has to. "Yesterday I had to go fast, I had to make the time," she said. "I feel like I can be pretty hard on myself and take the pressure, and it's taken me a lot of years to do that."

Bennett was glad to just finish the show jumping course after recovering from a frightening stumble on landing after fence No. 1. "I thought I was going down!" exclaimed Bennett, 30. "That would have been embarrassing if I'd fallen off at the first fence."

The Olympic veteran wasn't sure what happened, but she thought the mishap might have contributed to the three knockdowns. "I think he just jumped so big over the oxer and he couldn't quite stick the landing, and I think it rattled him a little bit. It certainly rattled me," said Bennett.

Bennett cried tears of joy after student Alexandra Knowles jumped without error on Last Call, a 9-year-old Mecklenberg mare, to hold on to the lead in the CIC**. "It's better for me to see one of my kids win than it is to do it myself," said Bennett, who grew up in British Columbia but has lived in Temecula for the last four years.

Knowles, 21, of Auburn, Calif., said she was "on top of the world." But she wasn't surprised to win the blue ribbon and the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup emblematic of her victory in the two-star series event. (Alexandra and Last Call are pictured at the right. McCool Photo.)

"Usually I get really, really nervous, but for some reason this time I wasn't nervous. I think it's because that mare can really jump. I knew as soon as I walked in the ring that everything was going to be fine," said Knowles.

Julie Ann Boyer, on Rumor Hazit, and Alexis Helffrich, on Spike, claimed second and third by also jumping faultless rounds.

Nicholas Cwick, of Saratoga, Calif., had hoped for a top placing in the CIC*** after riding Asterix to second place in dressage, until a run-out late in the course compromised his hopes. But he recovered to ride his own Sir Donovan to the narrowest of victories in the CIC*. Just 5.7 points separated the first eight horses as show jumping began, and the five horses before Sir Donovan jumped had all posted zeroes.

"The pressure made me ride better. It makes me be on my game," said Cwick.

Sir Donovan is a 6-year-old, Irish-bred gelding he bought as a 4-year-old from the woman who imported him. "He's a really neat horse. He's got a great attitude and is very mature for his age," said Cwick, who hopes to progress up the levels with him.

For complete results, go to www.galwaydowns.com.

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Story by Amber Heintzberger

Even though she had a comfortable lead going into the final phase at the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Galway Downs CIC3* in Temecula, CA, Gina Miles wanted to give McKinlaigh a good solid round since their next event will be the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* at the end of April. Though she thought she had only one rail to spare, she actually could have had three down and still won the event. McKinlaigh was rhythmical and balanced as he performed a hunter-like round over the Richard Jeffery-designed course.

In spite of announcer Michael Tucker's constant reminders that Miles and McKinlaigh are contenders for this summer's Olympic Games, she said that she stayed relaxed and focused on the job at hand. "I'm so confident in McKinlaigh - he really does know his job," she said. "It's always nice when you have a rail in hand. I didn't know I had three - it makes you breathe a little easier. But Kentucky will be 'clean round necessary' so you have to put pressure on yourself. You have to psyche yourself up for that."

McKinlaigh will fly to Kentucky the Monday before the event along with Hawley Bennett's Livingstone and Jennifer Wooten's The Good Witch. The three horses should be familiar with each other by now, since they stood together in the lineup today: The Good Witch finished second with a clear round, and Livingstone was third in spite of two rails down. Jolie Sexson and Killian O'Connor, second after yesterday's cross-country, had an unfortunate three rails that knocked them out of the top three and into a final sixth place, behind Tory Smith on Bantry Bay in third and Debbie Rosen on The Alchemyst in fifth.

Wooten, who represented the U.S. at the World Cup Finals in Pau, France last year where she was the top American finisher in 11th place, will be competing at Rolex for the first time. "I was really using this event as a prep for Rolex and I wanted to focus on riding the plan," she said. The pair got their season off to a good start two weeks ago by winning their first outing at Three-Day Ranch Horse Trials. Wooten then celebrated her 30th birthday on March 21st.
"I was content in our personal progress this weekend," she said. "Moving up from 9th to second place was icing on the cake. I'm going to be celebrating when I get home!"

The Good Witch is a 10-year-old black Irish Thoroughbred owned by Donn and Daisy Tognazzini of Los Olivos, CA. In 2006 Wooten relocated her business to Ramona, CA to become head trainer at Copper Meadows. This placed her closer to her coach Ginnie Bryant's barn in San Juan Capistrano so she can focus on furthering her own riding at the upper levels. As a member of the USEF Winter Training List she is also under the scrutiny of Olympic selectors.

"At Rolex I am aiming to complete, first of all, and to take the same attitude as this weekend and take it one day at a time. I believe we can put in a competitive dressage test in the 50's, on cross-country I'd like to be able to make the time, and in stadium handle the pressure to jump around clean. I can honestly say I feel ready to go."

Hawley Bennett, who lives and trains in Temecula but rides for Canada, had a hairy start to her round when Livingstone went down on his knees after the first fence. "I thought I was going down!" said Bennett. "His face was on the ground and his knees were in the dirt. It rattled me a little and I think it rattled him too. He jumped so big I think he just stumbled. He had a mouthful of dirt but he just got up and kept going. I think that's why we had the rails down - he felt good in the warm-up, and last weekend we jumped two days with Buck (Davidson) and didn't touch a thing. It probably stung his knees when he went down."
Lucky for Bennett, she had a strong enough lead that when Sexson had three rails down Bennett stayed in third place. Sexson had some consolation in the fact that she placed second in the CIC* riding Fade to Black.

Bennett had even more reason to celebrate when her student Alexandra Knowles, riding Last Call had a clean and clear round to win their first CIC** on their dressage score of 53.2. Bennett broke into tears as she said, "I take a lot of pride in what I do and I'm so proud of her. Allie's improvement in the last year was pretty amazing."

Knowles said, "Usually I get nervous before stadium. Today I knew we were all within two points of each other, and no one before me knocked a rail. The pressure was on, but I wasn't nervous - my horse warmed up great and I got her a little pumped up. I rode the best I could and it worked." Knowles was quick to point out, "I would not be where I am today without Hawley."

After a successful weekend the West Coast riders have taken a stronghold of the Gold Cup leaderboard. Miles and McKinlaigh jump to the top of the Advanced standings with 290 points, earning 200 for their first place win and 50 bonus points for a double-clear cross-country round, and an additional 40 points for a double-clear show jumping round on Sunday. Jennifer Wooten and The Good Witch followed closely behind with 265, after gaining 175 for their second place finish, and gaining all 90 bonus points as well. Hawley Bennett and Livingstone rounded out the top three with a 210 for third place (160 points for placing and 50 points extra for a double-clear cross-country round).

West Coast riders are dominating the Intermediate division leaderboard as well with Alexandra Knowles and Last Call adding 170 points to their name to take the top position. They won 100 points for their win in the CIC2* and 40 points for double-clear cross-country round and 30 for a fault-free stadium trip. Julie Ann Boyer and Rumor Hazit head up the second place, while Alexis Helffrich and Spike are tied for third with Becky Holder and Rejuvenate.

Visit the Gold Cup Leaderboard on the USEA website to see the complete line-up and check out the Gold Cup Point System for a complete explanation of the point distribution.
For her win, Miles received $500 in cash, Mountain Horse SCS3 boots, a box of Adequan, two tubes of UlcerGard, two pairs of Nunn Finer American Style boots, a three-month supply of Wellpride, two bags of Nutrena feed, Back on Track pillow wraps and polo wraps. Second place finishers win Nunn Finer brushing boots and a Back on Track saddle pad, and third place also takes home Nunn Finer brushing boots and a Back on Track saddle pad. Not to be left empty-handed, fourth place finishers get a Back on Track saddle pad for their efforts. The Intermediate division gets the exact same prizes, but instead of the Mountain Horse boots, they receive a Mountain Horse Cirrus jacket.

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors: Title: Adequan; Legacy: Nunn Finer, Nutrena, and World Equestrian Brands; Contributing: Cover-All, UlcerGard, and Wellpride; and Patron: Back on Track, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Mountain Horse, and Succeed.

For more information on the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, including the final leaderboard and coverage from each event, click on the Gold Cup link on the USEA website homepage at www.useventing.com.

Miles Extends Her Lead In
Galway Downs CIC***

Temecula, Calif., March 29 - Gina Miles and McKinlaigh galloped to a perfect cross-country round at today's Galway Downs International Horse Trials to extend the lead they took during yesterday's dressage phase in the CIC***.

With a score of 47.0, Miles, of Creston, Calif., leads Jolie Sexson, of Martinez, Calif., on Killian O'Connor by 7.4 penalties (54.4). But Canadian Hawley Bennett is just behind on her Olympic veteran Livingstone (55.2). (Gina and McKinlaigh are pictured at the right. McCool Photo) Jennifer Wooten, of, Ramona, Calif., moved up from ninth place to claim fourth place on The Good Witch (60.7).?

"He was amazing. He's the best cross-country horse in the whole, wide word. At least, that's what I think," said Miles of McKinlaigh, a 14-year-old Irish-bred gelding owned by Thom Schulz.

Miles said the cross-country course, designed for the first time by Ian Stark of Great Britain, was, ". . . definitely a real three-star track. He really gave us some good tests to get us ready." What Miles is getting ready for next is the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** at the end of April. She's aiming to run McKinlaigh there for the fifth time. And her goal after Kentucky is to be selected for the Olympics for the first time. Miles and McKinlaigh rode as individuals at the 2002 World Championships and earned the individual bronze and team gold medals at the 2007 Pan Am Games, but she said riding in the Olympics would be, ". . .the pinnacle" of her career.?

Miles is one of two riders in the three-star division whose previous performances have put them on the U.S. eventing team's Olympic TrainingList. Wooten is the other, and team coach Capt. Mark Phillips is on the grounds to advise them and to evaluate their performances.

Bennett, who's hoping to ride for Canada in the Olympics for the second time on Livingstone, 18, shared Miles' enthusiasm for Stark's new course. "I"ll be honest, I was a little bit nervous - nervous about everything because it was all different," said Bennett. "Ian made some great changes, and the course rode much better than many people thought it would."

Bennett added, "But afterward I asked myself, 'Why did I get nervous'"? [Livingstone] was unbelievable - like a spring chicken. I swear, he just gets better and better."?

All told, 11 of the 17 CIC*** starters finished with no jumping penalties, although eight of them had time penalties, ranging from 4.0 to 26.0. Sandy Shoes and Matthias Schwarz of Germany were eliminated for three refusals, and Bennett retired Gin N' Juice after two run-outs at the second water complex. Claire Roper of Canada withdrew Royal Holly before cross-country. ?

Sexson, of Martinez, Calif., isn't bound for the Olympics, but she has her own goal with Killian O'Connor, 9. Sexson plans to ship the gray gelding across the country to compete in the Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.) in early June. (Jolie and Killian O'Connor are pictured at the left. McCool Photo)) This is Killian O'Connor's second season at the advanced level and his first start in a CCI***. (A CCI, or international three-day event, has a longer and more challenging cross-country course than a CIC, or international horse trial.)

"The change in the course was very noticeable, because Ian brought some new and different ideas. There were a lot of fresh, new things out there," said Sexson.

Sexson said that running at Galway Downs is always a vital part of her preparation. "To compete on the East Coast or anywhere internationally, you have to jump the big courses, but there are so few events at this level here in California, and we appreciate the dedication of [organizer] Robert Kellerhouse and all the people here," said Sexson. ?

Stark's new course shook up the CIC**: First-placed Max McManamy and Beacon Hill suffered a run-out at fence 4; second-placed Kate Gillespie and Renegade Reno suffered a run-out at fence 15; and fourth-placed Trisha Jaracz on Myster E retired early on the course. That left Alexandra Knowles, of Auburn, Calif., on Last Call with a one-point lead over Julie Ann Boyer, of Agua Dolce, Calif., on Rumor Hazit.

Knowles, who's been training with Bennett for just over a year, had placed third in dressage, and Boyer had placed fifth.

"I'm so proud of her," said Bennett of Knowles, 21. Last Call is a 9-year-old Mecklenberg mare.

Bennett trains her horses and students at Kingsway Farm, which borders the Galway Downs event grounds, and Knowles rode with Stark in a clinic he conducted on the grounds in January. "His course made you ride forward, which is the way he teaches. And you couldn?t take any of the jumps for granted. I didn't think it was over until I rode through the finish flags," said Knowles. (Alexandra and Last call are pictured at the right. McCool Photo.)

Chelsea Schaefer, of Santa Rosa, Calif., moved up from second to first place in the CIC* on Danny Max, when overnight leader Chloe McNally accrued 9.2 time penalties on Lad's Night Out and dropped to 15th place.

The Galway Downs International Horse Trials concludes on Sunday with the show jumping phase, which begins with the CIC* at 11:30 a.m.

[Complete results are available at www.galwaydowns.com.]

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Gina Miles and McKinlaigh Lead Galway Downs CIC-W*** Dressage