Galway Downs International Horse Trials is preparing to host a major event on April 1-3 worth $15,000 in prize money and featuring both a World Cup Qualifier and USEA Gold Cup Series Qualifier. Now in its 8th year, Galway Downs near Temecula, California will be offering twelve divisions running concurrently through the three days of competition from Novice to World Cup level with the International (CIC) Two-star class incorporating the Gold Cup Series Qualifier.

Galway Downs, host to a World Cup Qualifier for the past two years, is one of only four World Cup Qualifiers in the country in which riders will be vying for a place in the final to be held in Malmo, Sweden from August 11-14th, 2005.

Galway Downs joins an elite selection of ten venues nationwide to host a Gold Cup Series Qualifier and is one of four in the Pacific Group. The Gold Cup Series presented by the sport’s governing body, the United States Eventing Association (USEA), offer competitors an opportunity to vie for the title of Gold Cup Champion in all levels of competition, and a place in the finals to be held at the Carolina Horse Park in North Carolina in September.

Galway Downs Organizer, Robert Kellerhouse, said, “Our event has grown enormously since it started in 1998 and it’s particularly exciting to host both a World Cup Qualifier and now a national qualifier for the new Gold Cup Series. We’re enormously grateful to our sponsors for enabling the event to achieve this status.”

Leading international and local sponsors who are once again supporting the Galway Downs International Horse Trials event include the prestigious French saddlery company, Devoucoux, (www.devoucoux.com <http://www.devoucoux.com/> ) which will be awarding a saddle to the winner of the World Cup Qualifier. Devoucoux is the only saddle manufacturer, which also offers a large range of harness including girth, bridles, boots, reins, stirrups and leather care. Toklat Originals, a manufacturer and distributor products for both the English and Western horse markets, (www.toklat.com <http://www.toklat.com/> ) is providing Saddle Pads while Performance Horse Supply, an English Tack Store and featured sponsor for the third consecutive year, is contributing halters and Mary’s Tack & Feed Store (www.marystack.com <http://www.marystack.com/> ) is providing gift certificates.

Other division sponsors featured are SmartPak Equine (www.smartpackequine.com ; Jump 4 Joy www.jump4joy.com and the California Horse Trader www.horsetrader.com