The eventing dressage just keeps getting better, and Nicholas Cwick and Asterix were a good example of this as they glided through the two-star test at Galway Downs on Friday, Nov. 4.
There was one miscommunication when Asterix broke to canter, but in the rest of the test the 8-year-old Oldenburg appeared to be focused, but relaxed, as he floated through the movements.
“I thought that was one of his best tests,” said a proud Cwick, who’s trained Asterix since he was four. “I made a few mistakes, but he was giving me everything that he could.”
Cwick took the lead in the short format CCI** with a 45.6, but Jolie Sexson and Killian O’Connor are less than a point behind them. Beth Temkin aboard Silver Spring and Allyson Green on Thomas lie in the third and fourth spots respectively.
But Michael Etherington-Smith’s cross-country course might shake things up a bit tomorrow. What the course lacks in terrain, it makes up for in the technical difficulty over lots of skinnies, sunken roads and several water crossings.
“I feel confident,” said Cwick. “[Asterix has] run three or four advanced courses. I need to push myself to make time.”
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The Galway Downs CCI is unique in that organizer Robert Kellerhouse offers competitors the option of riding either the new Olympic format or the traditional endurance day with roads and tracks and steeplechase.
Many riders chose the short format two-star, but Debbie Rosen opted to run both her horses in the long format. She led the division after dressage with Quito 10 (50.6) and also placed second aboard Gina Miles’ Phillipa (55.8).
Miles just gave birth to her second child, so she gave her friend the ride on the mare.
Forty-six riders at the one-star level chose to compete in the traditional format. Junior rider Fiona Dodson headed up the division with Happy Go Lucky III (44.8). Barbara Crabo followed her on Eveready (45.7) and Fiona Graham took third with San Salvador (46.0).
Robyn Fisher topped the 16 competitors in the short format one-star with Lady Calido (45.7). David Adamo and Edward Jordan currently hold second (46.2) and junior rider Kelly Pugh and For Kicks grabbed third (50.7).
For full results go to www.galwaydowns.com
