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California Riding Magazine • May, 2009 Tryon Triumphs
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As the final day of competition dawned, the top three riders in the Galway Downs International Horse Trials were separated by just 3.9 penalties. A faultless show jumping round enabled Olympian Amy Tryon and Leyland to claim the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup as the winner of the CIC3*. Tryon’s perfect round gave her a final score of 51.6 penalties, enough to vault her from third to first after second-placed Kelly Prather lowered one rail on Ballinakill Glory (53.8) and third-placed Jolie Sexson lowered two rails on Killian O’Connor (55.7), to lose the lead she held after cross-country. Victory at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, held March 27-29 at Temecula’s Southern California Equestrian Center (formerly known as Galway Downs), gives Tryon the early lead in the race to the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup title. Horses and riders earn points at the eight member events held throughout the United States from March to September. Galway Downs is one of only two member events in California. Tryon, a two-time Olympian, and Sandra Donnelly on Buenos Aires, members of Canada’s 2008 Olympic team, were the only two riders to complete the show jumping course with no penalties. Donnelly and Buenos Aires finished the CIC3* in fourth place (56.0). “The show jumping course rode really well, but it was definitely up to height, and that’s a big effort after yesterday’s cross-country round,” said Tryon, 38, of Duvall, WA. Prather said the course, designed by Joe Lombardo, was one of the biggest she and Ballinakill Glory have ever attempted. “And she jumped her butt off out there!” said Prather, 25, of Bodega. “She even jumped me out of the tack on the first fence of the triple combination, and that’s why we had the rail down at the second fence.” Sexson, 27, of the Bay Area’s Martinez, wasn’t completely disappointed to lose the lead she’d held. “Two rails down on this big course means I’m doing better than in past years, especially because we have all the top riders on the West Coast here. It’s special to me to be in the top three,” she said. Galway was key in her preparation for the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* at the end of this month. She accomplished her goal of having a fast, clean cross-country round. “He was fantastic,“ Sexson proclaimed of the gray, Irish-bred gelding she co-owns with Tracy Bowman. Cross-country course designer Ian Stark made significant changes to almost half the track at Galway and Sexson had nothing but praise for the result. “Ian has really stepped this course up, and it’s just another example of how Galway Downs helps us West Coast riders be ready to compete in other international events on the East Coast or in Europe,” said Sexson. “My horse is so ready for Kentucky now.” More Great Chases Tryon was a firefighter until 2007, and Julie Ann Boyer, winner of the CIC2*, drives a patrol car as a member of the Los Angeles Police Department. Boyer, 50, lives in Agua Dulce and works the night watch in Hollywood. “I had a really great car chase last week: it was almost as much fun as my clean cross-country round yesterday,” she said with a smile. Boyer’s faultless show jumping round on Rumor Hazit allowed her to hold the lead she took after cross-country and finish with only her dressage penalties of 47.3. Elsie Patterson, 20, of Woodland Hills, climbed from fifth place to second place by also finishing on her Just like the other two international division winners, CIC1* winner Lindsay Connors, 25, of El Granada, recorded a faultless round on Ballingowan Pizazz. Her round allowed her to keep the lead she earned Friday in dressage. “This win is the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication from me, my trainer Dayna Lynd-Pugh and our barn. It’s been a real group effort,” said Connors. “And it’s great to win here because it’s always a lovely event and so well run. We come here every year because of that.” More than a dozen generous sponsors provide prize money, prizes and other support to the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. The sponsors include Succeed, Equine Insurance of California, Toklat Originals, Sonoma Saddle Shop, CWD Saddlery, USEA, American Wood Fibers, Custom Saddlery, SmartPak Equine, Doug Hannum, APF, and the clinicians and participants in Galway Downs annual fund-raiser clinics.
Report provided by press officer John Strassburger. For complete results, go to www.galwaydowns.com.
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