Kentucky Three-Day Event Explained

The Kentucky Three-Day Event, currently the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event due to sponsorship, is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Land Rover Kentucky is a CCI5*-L eventing competition. Five stars is the highest level of competition in the sport, the same level of competition as Eventing at the Olympics and the World Equestrian Games. The event is sponsored by Land Rover. Prize money of $ is distributed among the top placings with $ as well as a Rolex watch awarded to the first place horse and rider.The winning rider also gets a 12-month lease of a Land Rover (2023 Defender Model)

Although the event's name continues to reflect its roots as a three-day competition, the Kentucky Three-Day Event currently takes place over four days (Thursday through Sunday). Due to large number of entries, both Thursday and Friday are devoted to the dressage test. Cross-country is on Saturday, and show jumping is on Sunday.

The Kentucky Three-Day Event is held the last weekend of April, the week before the Kentucky Derby. It is one of the three events in the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

History

In 1974, Bruce Davidson and the United States Equestrian Team won individual and team gold at the World Championships held in Burghley, England. This gave the United States the right to hold the next World Championships four years later, in 1978. The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky was due to open around the same time, and plans were made to hold the World Championships there.

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) was formed to as a non-profit organization to help plan the competition and raise public awareness. The first horse trials at the Kentucky Horse Park was held in 1976, to prepare. In 1977, the National Pony Club Rally and the North American Junior Three-Day Event Championships were also held there.

The 1978 event had more than 170,000 spectators and added more than $4 million to the local economy. The event was broadcast worldwide, as well as nationally on CBS. The success of the World Championships helped to convince the EEU to continue the event annually. Today, the event is broadcast worldwide in 18 languages.

Although the event began as an advanced three-day, and later included open intermediate and preliminary competitions, today it only holds the highest level: the CCI****. Intermediate-level competition was held in 1979 and from 1985 to 1981. An Advanced-level CCI was held from 1980 to 1999 up to the *** level, with Advanced Horse Trials (non-CCI) also held from 1992 to 1996. The CCI**** was begun in 1998, and has been held annually since. Since 2000, the CCI**** is the only competition held during this time, and the preliminary, intermediate, and CCI*** levels are not offered.

The Kentucky Three-Day Event also hoped to continue the classic format, despite the other major events around the world switching to the short format. Originally, the plan was to alternate years, offering the short format in even-numbered years as preparation for the Olympic games or the World Championship, while running the classic format in odd-numbered years. However, in 2006 it was announced that, due to lack of funds and interest from upper level riders, the event would only offer the short format. Therefore, all competition run before 2005 (excluding the 2004 Modified division) was run "classic format," and from the 2006 event onward has been run in the "short format."

The CCI****

The CCI**** competition was first suggested in 1994 by Denny Emerson, who believed the United States had enough competitors at this high level to warrant the development of a four-star. Previously, American riders trained in England when they were preparing for international competition, as the country had the only two annual CCI**** at that time: Badminton and Burghley. The USET began making plans in 1996, and held the country's first and the world's third annual four-star competition at the Kentucky Horse Park in 1998.

The CCI*****

After the 2018 season, the FEI added an introductory level below CCI*, bumping all subsequent levels upward. While there was no change to the difficulty of the competition, the added level forced all former CCI**** competitions to re-classify as CCI*****.

Physicality of the sport

This sport takes many different precautions concerning the horse's health. Two horses died of a heart attack on the course in April 2008.[1]

Self-efficacy is a way to assess themselves and the horse using a scientific method. Evaluating the health of the horse is important because the horse could easily get injured.[2]

A study was done to compare the heart rate between a trained and untrained horse. The results show that trained horses do not have more stress or pain in comparison with untrained horses. However, if evaluated 30 minutes before competition, the trained horse would show less stress. According to this experiment the training method, "Deep and Round", put more stress on the horse.[3]

Winners

Notes
1978Bruce Davidson (USA)Might TangoEventing World Championships
1978Team CanadaEventing World Championships
1979Juliet Bishop (CAN)TaxiModified Open Intermediate 3-Day
1980Torrance Watkins (USA)PoltroonModified Advanced 3-Day
1981James C. Wofford (USA)CarawichModified Advanced 3-DayUSET Selection Trials
1982Kim Walnes (USA)The Gray GooseAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1983Bruce Davidson (USA)JJ BabuAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1984Bruce Davidson (USA)Dr. PeachesAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1985Derek di Grazia (USA)SasquatchAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1986James C. Wofford (USA)The OptimistAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1987Kerry Millikin (USA)The PirateAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1988Bruce Davidson (USA)Dr. PeachesAdvanced 3-Day (CCI), Olympic Selection Trial
1989Bruce Davidson (USA)Dr. PeachesAdvanced 3-Day (CCI)
1990David O'Connor (USA)Wilton FairAdvanced 3-Day (CCI**)
1991Karen Lende (USA)Mr. MaxwellAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)
1992Stuart Young-Black (CAN)Von PerrierAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)Olympic Selection Trial
1993Bruce Davidson (USA)Happy TalkAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)
1994Julie Gomena (USA)TreatyAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)
1995David O'Connor (USA)Custom MadeAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)Olympic Qualifying Competition
1996Stephen Bradley (USA)Dr. DolittleAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)USET Selection Trial
1997Karen O'Connor (USA)Worth the TrustAdvanced 3-Day (CCI***)
1998Nick Larkin (NZL)RedCCI****
1998Tiffani Loudon (USA)MakabiCCI***
1999Karen O'Connor (USA)Prince PanacheCCI****
1999Kimberly Vinoski (USA)Over the LimitCCI***
2000Blyth Tait (NZL)Welton EnvoyBegan running as solely a CCI**** event
2001David O'Connor (USA)Giltedge
2001Kimberly Severson (USA)Winsome Adante
2003Pippa Funnell (GBR)Primmore's PrideWon as the first leg of eventual Rolex Grand Slam win
2004Kimberly Severson (USA)Winsome Adante
2004Darren Chiacchia (USA)Windfall IIModified CCI**** Division
2005Kimberly Severson (USA)Winsome Adante
2006Andrew Hoy (AUS)Master MonarchRun without steeplechase
2007Clayton Fredericks (AUS)Ben Along Time
2008Phillip Dutton (USA)Connaught
2009Lucinda Fredericks (AUS)Headley Britannia
2010William Fox-Pitt (GBR)Cool Mountain
2011Mary King (GBR)King's TemptressAlso finished 2nd on Fernhill Urco
2012William Fox-Pitt (GBR)Parklane Hawk
2013Andrew Nicholson (NZL)Quimbo
2014William Fox-Pitt (GBR)Bay My Hero
2015Michael Jung (GER)fischerRocana FST
2016Michael Jung (GER)fischerRocana FSTWon as the second leg on the way to winning the Rolex Grand Slam
2017Michael Jung (GER)fischerRocana FSTFirst person to win 3x in a row on same horse
2018Oliver Townend (GBR)Cooley Master Class
2019Oliver Townend (GBR)Cooley Master ClassFirst year of CCI5* classification
2020Not Held Due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021Oliver Townend (GBR)Ballaghmor Class
2022Michael Jung (GER)fischerChipmunk FRH
2023Tamie Smith (USA)Mai Baumbecoming the first US winner of the event since 2008 and the first female winner since 2011.

Casualties and incidents

Riders

Horses

Notes and References

  1. Thomas, Katie. "Equestrians' Deaths Spread Unease in Sports Growing Ranks." New York Times. April 9, 2008.
  2. Beauchamp, Mark R. "Self-efficacy and Other-Efficacy in Dyadic Performance: Riding as one in Equestrian Eventing." Journal of Sported and Exercise Psychology. June 2008.
  3. van Breda, Eric. "A Nonnatural head-neck Position (Rollkur) during Training Results in Less Acute Stress in Elite, Trained, Dressage horses." Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 2006.
  4. Web site: Oliver Townend Transported To Hospital After Fall At Rolex Kentucky - The Chronicle of the Horse . 2024-05-13 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Dyer . A. J. . Ashdale Cruise Master is put down - Eventing Nation - Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary . 2024-05-13 . eventingnation.com . en-US.
  6. Web site: Release . Press . 1998-05-01 . Official Statement On Horse's Rolex Event Death . 2024-05-13 . The Horse . en-US.
  7. Web site: Equisearch . 2002-04-28 . Rolex Kentucky: Cross Country . 2024-05-14 . EquiSearch . en-US.
  8. Web site: Jurga . Fran . 2007-04-29 . Rolex Relay: Amy Tryon's Le Samurai Injured at Last Obstacle on Cross-Country Course . 2024-05-13 . Equus Magazine . en-US.
  9. Web site: 20 July 2007 . Decision of the FEI Tribunal Alleged Abuse Case No.: 2007/1 . May 13, 2024 . FEI.org.
  10. Web site: 2008-04-30 . Early Reports Show Rolex Accident Was an Error . 2024-05-13 . Horse Illustrated Magazine . en-US.
  11. Web site: Kingpin Suffers Fatal Hemorrhage At Rolex Kentucky - The Chronicle of the Horse . 2024-05-13 . en-US.
  12. Web site: John . Dambala Euthanized Due to Cross Country Injury at Rolex - Eventing Nation - Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary . 2024-05-13 . eventingnation.com . en-US.
  13. Web site: Opinion: Good Decisions, Bad Ones, And Ones That Didn't Happen At Kentucky - The Chronicle of the Horse . 2024-05-13 . en-US.
  14. Web site: 2024-04-27 . Phillip Dutton gives update on horse who fell at final fence at Kentucky five-star . 2024-05-13 . Horse & Hound . en.
  15. News: Loushin . Kimberly . May 2, 2024 . Two Riders Sanctioned At Defender Kentucky . May 13, 2024 . The Chronicle of the Horse.