Temecula’s Big Event

By Staff Report October 15, 2011

Eventing riders will be converging at Galway Downs Nov. 3-6 for the annual Galway Downs International 3-Day Event & H.T. presented by Land Rover. The week will feature 3-day events ranging from Novice to CCI 3*, with plenty between. The philosophical approach of Galway Downs founder Robert Kellerhouse, as he has expressed often and with great conviction, is “To develop nice events for people to compete at for all levels.”

Kellerhouse has been producing horse shows since the mid-90s and now produces The Event at Woodside in addition to Galway Downs, which he opened in 1999. The 240-acre facility is configured to accommodate the 3-day “classic” or “long format” events that Kellerhouse is so passionate about, and  includes a racecourse for steeplechase as well as meandering dirt paths for the roads and tracks phase.

These tests augment the now-standard dressage/cross country/stadium jumping phases, and fall on day two, just prior to the cross country, for which they serve as something of a “warm up.” The FEI in 2004 eliminated the classic elements from the 3-day format, but as of 2005 Kellerhouse re-instituted the traditional format, offering it in two classes – the Preliminary (CCI 1*) and Training levels.

Training Level is not recognized by the FEI, and was introduced as part of the U.S. national training program circa 2004, as a way to help bridge riders from novice to the more advanced levels, and has become hugely popular. “The Training Level Classic was developed by people who wanted to foster the educational values of

the format specifically for a level of competitor that had not been competing prior to 2004, and therefore had never experienced [roads and tracks and steeplechase]  before,” said John Strassbuger, spokesman for Galway Downs and an avid classic format enthusiast. “It’s been hugely popular, and Robert brought it into Galway Downs in 2008.”

Although eventing is one of the “big three” international Olympic disciplines, the U.S. is the only country to embrace Training Level classes, and they are quite popular. To offer them in the classic format is special. “It’s a big deal to run the long format, because not many facilities are set up to do that,” said Los Angeles rider Melanie Mullens, who will be competing in the short format with her horse McLaren. Of the classic, she said, “It’s more involved, and is quite a testament to the people who run Galway and the volunteers that make it happen.”

The Galway Downs 3-Day classic format training level class is expected to have 40-50 entrants. A CCI 1* classic is also being offered, and is expected to have 10-12 participants. Karen Bristing, who owns Equinox Equestrian Center in La Tuna Canyon is headed to Galway Downs to compete at the  Preliminary Level on her horse First Field. Asked what drew her to eventing, she replied, “Most eventers would respond that they do it for the thrill of cross country. I would add that I do it for the challenge of reaching our personal best in all phases at each competition. It is hard to get bored when you have three disciplines to work on!”

As with any equestrian discipline, hard work is what moves you up the levels, and Bristing – a wife and mother of two – said moving from Training to Preliminary required her to regularly ride five days a week, which wasn’t easy. “My family has been so supportive. I’ve given it my all to get to Galway. There are times I ask myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ I’m almost 50 years old. Then you get out there, and it’s like ‘Oh yeah, because it’s fun!’”

While the Galway Downs event offers something for every rider, it’s the CCI 3* that is the centerpiece of the event. This is only the second year that level has been offered there. It is one of only four 3*s in North America, and the only one west of the Mississippi. “It was a huge achievement last year for Robert to offer it,” Strassburger said. “We had four riders from the East Coast come out to compete – and in fact one of them, Jennie Brannigan, won [on Cambalda].  This year we are expecting as many as 10 or 12.”

Because 2012 is an Olympic year, the timing works well for Galway. One of the requirements to be considered for selection for the U.S. Olympic team is to have competed in a 4* event. There is only one of those held in the country, the Rolex 3-Day Event in Kentucky, April 26-29. And to qualify to compete at Rolex, the FEI requires two 3* scores. “Galway Downs is the last chance before Kentucky to get that second 3* score,” Strassburger said. “We’re in the right place at the right time.”

To learn more about the Galway Downs 3-Day Event click here. To check out a world-class eventing facility in Los Angeles, visit www.equinoxeventers.com.

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