PrintIt may've been April Fool's Day, but Robyn Fisher wasn't fooling around at Galway Downs in Temecula, Calif., March 31-April 2. She garnered a big win in the CIC*** FEI World Cup qualifier on Le Samurai and followed it up with another triumph in the CIC** aboard Lady Calido.
It was a hard-fought victory for Fisher and Le Samurai. The 11-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred has all the talent for the big leagues, but harnessing his enthusiasm takes skill and energy.
"When I've got him, he's great," said Fisher, of Topanga, Calif. But frustrating rides at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** and the 2005 FEI World Cup sent her to Phillip Dutton for some help.
They had a great run at the Fair Hill CCI*** (Md.) last October, winning the dressage and finishing fourth overall.
"Sparky" won the dressage at Galway as well and beat out the competition by more than 16 points, the only horse to break 60 penalties. "He was really good," said Fisher. "When he needs to pull it off, he pulls it off."
Only eight competitors rode in the three-star. Many advanced riders from the West Coast had already headed east to get a jump-start on their preparation for the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** on April 27-30.
And cold, windy weather added to the atmosphere to make many of the less experienced horses tense in their tests. But Fisher said the weather doesn't affect Sparky.
"I lived in France with him for two years, and there were mistral winds there," she said. "They could be very strong."
But they needed their entire point cushion when Sparky got strong on cross-country. "It was a hard day," said Fisher. "I had to throw in a few circles to make him rideable."
They added 24 time penalties to their score, but retained a slim lead.
Fisher, 26, was a bit worried about certain aspects of Michael Etherington-Smith's course. Fences 18 and 19 were double brush corners, which reminded her of the corners at Rolex where she fell last year.
Despite her worries and Sparky's speed, they were able to negotiate the obstacles without difficulty, even though the skies opened just as they started their ride.
The sun peaked out for the first time on Sunday in time for show jumping, where Fisher and Le Samurai neatly left the rails in the cups. They did add 3 time penalties to finish on 75.6, but her closest competitors had pulled rails, giving her some breathing room.
Fisher's win qualified her for the FEI World Cup in Malmo, Sweden. She took home a new Devoucoux saddle, $4,500 and the inaugural Augie Handley Memorial Trophy donated by the Santa Fe Hunt of Del Mar. She also earned points toward the Adequan U.S. Eventing Association Gold Cup series, for which Galway Downs is the first of four qualifiers in the Pacific League.
But it was her victory in the two-star competition with her 10-year-old mare, Lady Calido, that really thrilled Fisher.
The pair won the CCI* last November at Galway Downs, but this was only "Cali's" fourth intermediate with Fisher. The competition in the two-star was far bigger than the three-star, with 25 entries, and was also part of the Gold Cup series at the two-star level.
Fisher and Cali led from the start in that division as well, scoring 53.8 in dressage. They added no penalties throughout the competition.
It was a hard-fought victory for Fisher and Le Samurai. The 11-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred has all the talent for the big leagues, but harnessing his enthusiasm takes skill and energy.
"When I've got him, he's great," said Fisher, of Topanga, Calif. But frustrating rides at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** and the 2005 FEI World Cup sent her to Phillip Dutton for some help.
They had a great run at the Fair Hill CCI*** (Md.) last October, winning the dressage and finishing fourth overall.
"Sparky" won the dressage at Galway as well and beat out the competition by more than 16 points, the only horse to break 60 penalties. "He was really good," said Fisher. "When he needs to pull it off, he pulls it off."
Only eight competitors rode in the three-star. Many advanced riders from the West Coast had already headed east to get a jump-start on their preparation for the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** on April 27-30.
And cold, windy weather added to the atmosphere to make many of the less experienced horses tense in their tests. But Fisher said the weather doesn't affect Sparky.
"I lived in France with him for two years, and there were mistral winds there," she said. "They could be very strong."
But they needed their entire point cushion when Sparky got strong on cross-country. "It was a hard day," said Fisher. "I had to throw in a few circles to make him rideable."
They added 24 time penalties to their score, but retained a slim lead.
Fisher, 26, was a bit worried about certain aspects of Michael Etherington-Smith's course. Fences 18 and 19 were double brush corners, which reminded her of the corners at Rolex where she fell last year.
Despite her worries and Sparky's speed, they were able to negotiate the obstacles without difficulty, even though the skies opened just as they started their ride.
The sun peaked out for the first time on Sunday in time for show jumping, where Fisher and Le Samurai neatly left the rails in the cups. They did add 3 time penalties to finish on 75.6, but her closest competitors had pulled rails, giving her some breathing room.
Fisher's win qualified her for the FEI World Cup in Malmo, Sweden. She took home a new Devoucoux saddle, $4,500 and the inaugural Augie Handley Memorial Trophy donated by the Santa Fe Hunt of Del Mar. She also earned points toward the Adequan U.S. Eventing Association Gold Cup series, for which Galway Downs is the first of four qualifiers in the Pacific League.
But it was her victory in the two-star competition with her 10-year-old mare, Lady Calido, that really thrilled Fisher.
The pair won the CCI* last November at Galway Downs, but this was only "Cali's" fourth intermediate with Fisher. The competition in the two-star was far bigger than the three-star, with 25 entries, and was also part of the Gold Cup series at the two-star level.
Fisher and Cali led from the start in that division as well, scoring 53.8 in dressage. They added no penalties throughout the competition.
