McManamy, Levine grab early Galway lead
By John Strassburger November 4, 2011The first day of competition at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in Temecula saw two riders tie for the lead in the dressage phase of the CCI2*. Maxance McManamy, on Project Runway, and Amber Levine, on Oz Poof Of Purchase, each rode to 47.8 in the dressage ring today, topping a field of 15 horses. The other half of the CCI2* competition, which had 29 entrants, ride their dressage tests tomorrow.
Max McManamy and Project Runway, a pinto Trakehner, ride the dressage test.
McManamy and Levine actually received the same scores from the two judges, but in a different order. Angela Tucker of Great Britain, at C, awarded Project Runway 65.93 percent, the same score Cara Whitham of Canada, at E, gave Oz Poof of Purchase. Whitham warded Project Runway 70.37 percent, the same score that Tucker gave Oz Poof Of Purchase.
“He was fantastic today,” said McManamy, Templeton, CA, of Project Runway, a pinto Trakehner. “We’ve been working really hard on getting him more energetic and expressive, and he was energetic and not lazy.”
Levine, Santa Rosa, CA, was similarly pleased with the performance of Oz Poof Of Purchase, a black Thoroughbred-Arabian cross. “I was really happy with him—he was relaxed but energetic. I just wish he would hold still in the halt. He wiggles!” she said.
McManamy has been training and competing Project Runway, 7, since buying him as a 3-year-old. But Levine has only been riding Oz Poof Of Purchase, 16, for two months and this is only their third competition together.
The two CC1* divisions also performed their dressage tests today. Barbara Crabo of Scottsdale, AZ, leads the classic-format CCI1*, scoring 50.3 penalties on Over Easy, and Sara Mittleider leads the short-format CCI1*, scoring 46.6 penalties on Harry Houdini.
Riding a horse bred by her father-in-law, Bob Crabo, Barbara Crabo said she was “thrilled” with her 5-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare’s performance today. “She’s very young and extremely talented but still doesn’t know what to do with herself,” Crabo said. “She tried really hard, and the only mistake she made was that she spooked a little at the guy holding the gate open at the start of the test—she tucked her butt and scooted for a second.”
The remaining horses in the CCI2* and short-format CCI1* will perform tomorrow (Friday) from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Then the featured CCI3* will move to center stage, performing from 10:40 to 11:45 and then resuming from 12:45 to 4:35. As the last U.S. qualifier prior to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event CCI4*, April 26-29, the Galway Downs CCI3* has drawn riders from around the country and a few from overseas. The training three-day will compete from 10:40 until 5:30. The weekend also includes classes for Novice, Training and Preliminary level riders, as well as competition in the “Classic” three-day format (with steeplechase and roads and tracks) at the Training and CCI1* levels.
The total prize money for this year’s Galway Downs International Three-Day Event is $33,000, with a $21,000 purse in the CCI3*.
Land Rover, the Professional Riders Organization, Del Mar Eventing and Professional’s Choice are the presenting sponsors of the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. A portion of the general admission and patron’s ticket revenue at Galway Downs will benefit Operation Homefront, the official charitable partner of the Professional Riders Organization Tour and of Galway Downs.
For complete results for this week’s events at Galway Downs, click here.
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