Category Archives: Kentucky Three-Day

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King Reigns Supreme at Second Leg of HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky

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Mary King (GBR) finishes first and second in the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky (USA). (c) Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA) – Mary King (GBR), a regular visit to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event for many years, at last goes home with a coveted Rolex watch, plus the lion’s share of the prize-money. In a superb display of cool horsemanship, she finished first and second and now has a convincing 10-point lead over Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL) after the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

King, 49, who was third at Badminton last weekend on Imperial Cavalier, has made history as the first rider in modern times to win a CCI4* on a home-bred horse, Kings Temptress by Primitive Rising, coincidentally the sire of last year’s winner, Cool Mountain, out of King’s own mare Kings Mistress.

In addition, King joins an elite band of riders – Ian Stark (Badminton 1988), Mark Todd (Burghley 1987) and Blyth Tait (Burghley 1998) – to finish first and second at a CCI4*.

She jumped clear on both her horses, and, having ridden out of order on the Davies family’s 10-year-old Fernhill Urco, at his first CCI4*, had the luxury of knowing she was unbeatable before she entered the stadium on Derek Baden’s Kings Temptress.

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King Crowned Champion of 2011 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*

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Halpin Takes USEF National CCI4* Championship on First Try

Mary King and Kings Temptress. Photo by Shannon Brinkman/USEF.

Lexington, KY – Mary King was not going to be stopped in her quest to take a Rolex watch back to Great Britain. Lying first and second after the cross-country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone –  with Kings Temptress and Fernhill Urco – she did not flinch in the final show jumping phase and jumped an immaculate double-clear round on both horses.

For the first time in history, the champion and reserve champion of America’s only CCI4* was the same rider. King was confident and excited coming into the show jumping, and she rode with a professionalism that was inspiring.

Kings Temptress added nothing to her fourth-placed dressage score of 47.7, they jumped immaculately around Saturday’s cross-country course and then sealed the win over today’s jumping track. King took home top honors with her 11-year-old homebred mare, who is now owned by Derek Rostron Baden. Her closest competition was her stablemate, Fernhill Urco, who emerged from his first CCI4* with second-place honors after only adding eight time faults to his dressage score. The Portuguese-bred grey gelding owned by Sue and Edwin Davies and Janette Chinn, jumped an immaculate clear round and really proved himself at the level. His clear round, jumped out of order due to the proximity of the placings, gave King great confidence to know that whatever happened with the second horse, the top honors were going home with the British veteran.

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Eventing Radio Episode 139 by Bit of Britain – Rolex Final, Mary King 1 and 2

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Third Place Sinead Halpin joins Chris to recap the weekend, Mary King in first and second place. It was a great weekend with some real twists; tune in right here…

Eventing Radio Episode 139 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

  • Show Host: Chris Stafford
  • Photo Credit: Chronicle of the Horse
  • Guest: James Alliston
  • Guest: Sinead Halpin
  • News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING show will be live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011 from 4-5:30pm Eastern.

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Mary King Takes 1st and 2nd at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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Mary King, riding Kings Temptress. Photos credit Stock Image Services.com, provided by Rolex.

Mary King (GBR) today, Sunday 1st May 2011, held her nerve, and her overnight lead, to finish in first and second position after the final Show Jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt riding Neuf Des Coeurs finished in 4th position and Oliver Townend riding ODT Sonas Rovatio was 6th, with both riding clear rounds in the Show Jumping.

Quotes from Mary King/Kings Temptress: “I was much too excited to get much sleep last night – I ended up watching a film at 2am in the morning! I was fairly calm today, I always feel that with three day events that yesterday is the big day, you want to get through it and your horses to be well, and today whatever will be will be – you just have to go in there, try and keep calm, ride each fence and try and forget about all the crowds around, and you sort of feel whatever’s going to happen is going to happen and hope they are going to pick up their feet and that it all works out!”

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Mary King on Song for a One-Two at the Second Leg of the HSBC FEI Classics

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Mary King (GBR) is lying in both first and second position after the Cross-Country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. © Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA), 30 April 2011 – Great Britain’s Mary King is the one to beat in tomorrow’s final jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics. The Devon-based rider holds the lead aboard Kings Temptress while the Portuguese-bred Fernhill Urco is two penalties behind in second.

“I never dreamed that I would be in this position when I left England,” said King. “They are two very different horses. Kings Temptress is very experienced at this level and was fluent all the way round. Fernhill Urco has no experience at this level and he was a bit green at the first water but he improved the further he went.”

A clear jumping round for 2.8 time penalties sees Australia’s Clayton Fredericks in third with Be My Guest, a rise of seven places through the scoreboard following the Dressage.

“The first time I walked the course this week it was under water but today I thought it was perfect going,” said Fredericks. “After watching Mary spin round inside the time I thought the ground was going to be fast but actually it did take its toll, particularly later in the day.”

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King Is Queen at 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event; Halpin Leads American Effort

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USA's Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Lexington, KY – Great Britain’s Mary King was unstoppable on cross-country day at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. She guided two horses around Derek di Grazia’s course to claim the top two places on the leaderboard. Australia’s 2007 winner, Clayton Fredericks, sits third on Be My Guest and Sinead Halpin jumped up to fourth in her first CCI4* with Manoir de Carneville, to lead the assault on the USEF National CCI4* Championship.

King cruised around on Kings Temptress, her 11-year-old homebred mare. She was one of only three double-clear rounds all day and jumped her way from fourth after the dressage, to the top of the leaderboard on a score of 47.7. With her less experienced horse, Fernhill Urco, she used all of her expertise to guide the Portuguese-bred gelding home for owners Sue and Edwin Davies in his first try at this level. Second after the dressage behind American rider Tiana Coudray, Fernhill Urco kept his position even after he picked up eight time faults. His score of 49.7 means his stablemate doesn’t have a rail in hand.

“The mare was pretty fluid all the way around,” said King. “I was amazed, galloping along thinking how good the ground was. The mare had a fairly fault-free round and she was quite easy with the time.”

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Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Cross Country Day

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Mary King and Kings Temptress. All photos credit Stock Image Services.com, provided by Rolex.

Mary King (GBR) today, 30th April 2011, is currently lying in both first and second position after the Cross-Country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington. Rolex Grand Slam contender Mark Todd (NZL) is lying in 18th with his horse Grass Valley after a run out late on in the course.

William Fox-Pitt riding Neuf Des Coeurs is lying in 6th position and Oliver Townend riding ODT Sonas Rovatio is in 7th place.

Quotes from Mary King/Kings Temptress: “I was a bit too fast. I was slightly back at nine minutes, and I pressed her and she really responded!” “The ground was amazing. If this had been a horse trial in England, it would have been cancelled days ago!” [Horse’s third 4-star]: “I bred this mare, and looking back on how awkward she was at her first event, and how she’s adapted to make it work is very rewarding. The course rode very much as it walked, which shows what a fabulous course designer he is.”

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Eventing Radio Episode 137 by Bit of Britain – Rolex Day 2 Dressage

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The second day wrap up show done live from the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. Listen as Chris reviews the day with Mark Todd, Oliver Townend and the leader Tiana Coudray. Tune in right here…

Eventing Radio Episode 137 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

  • Show Host: Chris Stafford
  • Photo Credit: Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister Lead at Rolex after Dressage, Credit: USEA
  • Guest: Mark Todd
  • Guest: Oliver Townend
  • Guest: Doug Payne
  • Guest: Tiana Coudray
  • Guest: Joe Meyer
  • News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING show will be live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011 from 4-5:30pm Eastern.

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USA’s Coudray Springs into Lead after Dressage at 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Lexington, KY – There was one new name added to the top three riders after the dressage at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, but it was an important one. Tiana Coudray made the trip from California worth the effort when she wowed the judges in the Rolex Stadium with Ringwood Magister. Their score of 40.8 leaves them with a narrow margin over Mary King, from Great Britain who lies second on 41.7. Thursday’s winner, Allison Springer, holds on to a top-three placing with Arthur on 42.3.

Ringwood Magister, an elegant and flashy 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse, has excellent paces and presence. Coudray coaxed him down the ramp into the Rolex Stadium and into the electric environment, managing him beautifully in the ring.

“He’d been really good in warm up,” said Coudray. “And I started down the ramp so he kind of knew something was up.”

Ringwood Magister misbehaved quite exuberantly on the way to the ring and found relaxing quite difficult, but Coudray is confident that once he gets in the ring, he goes to work. “When I got him down into the ring,” said Coudray, “I still wasn’t quite sure which way this was going to go. But he really put it together and went to work.”

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American Tiana Coudray in the Lead Going into Today’s Cross Country at the Second Leg of the HSBC FEI Classics

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Tiana Coudray (USA) and Ringwood Magister are in the lead after Dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

Lexington, KY (USA), 30 April 2011 – Following two days of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, America’s Tiana Coudray is in pole position with her Jersey Fresh CCI*** 2010 winner Ringwood Magister.

The duo earned the best marks from the judges for a penalty score of 40.8.

“The trot work was tidy but maybe a bit conservative. It was during the canter work that I felt confident enough to show off what Magister can do – that’s the best bit for him,” said Coudray. “When we cantered down the centre line for the final time that’s when it hit me we’d done a good test.”

Britain’s Mary King is less than a penalty behind the leading duo with her four-star first timer Fernhill Urco.

“I wasn’t expecting such a good test from him. He’s a positive-thinking horse who is always forward and I find him strong but in the last month he’s really improved,” said King, who also occupies fourth with her home-bred bay mare Kings Temptress.

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