The Happy Horse Riding School doesn't exist anymore. But the memories from along County Road 96 in Davis took on a lot more meaning Tuesday.

When she was 7, Gina Ostini Miles began her journey to an Olympic medal there. On Tuesday, the 34-year-old Davis High School graduate put an exclamation point on her horse-centered life by winning the silver medal in equestrian eventing.

"It was my dream just to be in the individual final, to be fourth or fifth," Miles told the U.S. Equestrian Foundation Web site. "This is the reward for a lifetime of work." Her performance with McKinlaigh, her Irish sport horse, in the Hong Kong competition, which included dressage, cross country and jumping, sent e-mails abuzzing and touched off plenty of celebration among Yolo County horse enthusiasts.

"I'm just absolutely so happy for her," said Barbara Kendrick, who owned Happy Horse when Miles took lessons there. "She was a kid that really stuck to it. That impressed me from the beginning. She's always been that way.

"I've been absolutely ecstatic all day." Miles learned to groom and saddle a horse, took field trips to UC Davis, listened to lectures and learned to ride at Happy Horse, where she stood out by working so hard.

Hooray for Gina!!...California's own Gina Miles today won a Silver Medal at the Olympic Games on her wonderful horse McKinlaigh. Gina came from the clouds with a perfect show jumping round. We send out the heartiest congratulations to Gina, the magnificent McKinlaigh and everyone that has been involved in their success including co-owners Tom Schulz and Laura Coats.

Gina after accepting he Silver Medal.

Gina is hugged by Gold Medalist Hinrich Romeike on the victory dias with Bronze Medalist Kristina Cook also getting a hug.

Gina shows her joy of success with her victory lap around the arena in Hong Kong.

Read more about Gina on her website. www.mileseventing.com

Gina Miles is heading to Hong Kong for the Olympics with her 14-year-old Irish Sport horse, McKinlaigh. Together, they have found much success on the international stage already. In 2007 they contributed to a team gold medal at the Pan American Games, and earned themselves and individual bronze. In 2003, Miles won a bronze at the World Cup in Pau, France, and the pair competed together at the 2002 Worlds.

The combination out of Creston CA, will join Phillip Dutton on Connaught who is riding for the USA for the first time after winning gold medals for his native Australia in Atlanta and Sydney. Becky Holder and Courageous Comet, Amy Tryon and Poggio II and Heidi White with Northern Spy make up the rest of the five combinations for the Beijing  Olympic Eventing team. 

 Photo courtesy: www.useventing.com

This weekend, July 10-13, marks the first summer event of the 2008 Adequan United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup Series at the Maui Jim Horse Trials at the scenic Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. So far this year, the Gold Cup Series has five successful events under its belt, with eight more prestigious venues still slated to host events throughout the summer and fall.