Buck Davidson and Titanium at the jog. Photo by Joanie Morris/USEF Archives
Lexington, KY – The weather has been the topic of conversation at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone as a rain-plagued Kentucky was battered once again on Wednesday morning.
But the show goes on at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The first horse inspection was delayed one hour from its rescheduled 10 a.m. start time and about halfway through the inspection the sun even began to shine. Due to tornadic activity in the area, the eventing horses were moved from their stabling to the Alltech Arena where they peacefully coexisted with the reining horses (in town for the inaugural Kentucky Reining Cup CRI5*) while the storm passed.
Forty-five horses were presented for America’s only CCI4* and of those, 29 are vying for USEF National CCI4* Championship honors.
Buck Davidson, USEF National Champion from 2003 and 2009, just returned from the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials where he rode BallyNoe Castle RM to 21st place. He’ll ride Titanium in Kentucky this weekend. The pair was 16th in 2010 in the horse’s first CCI4* and Davidson is looking forward to one of his favorite events.
Lexington, KY (USA), 27 April 2011 – Mark Todd (NZL) has flown to the US for this weekend’s Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (April 28 – May 1) in a bid to keep up momentum in the HSBC FEI Classics.
Todd interrupted celebrations for his magnificent win at Badminton last weekend and within 24 hours was on a plane en route to Kentucky, where today he will trot up NZB Grass Valley, a horse that knows its way around the Kentucky Horse Park having been a key member of New Zealand’s bronze medal team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last year.
Both Todd and fellow traveller Mary King (GBR), third at Badminton, have said that the lure of the generous prize-money on offer in the HSBC FEI Classics is making them plan their CCI4* seasons carefully.
King, a member of Britain’s triumphant gold medal team last year, is making a two-pronged attack: she rides her home-bred mare Kings Temptress, seventh at Burghley last year, and the exciting prospect Fernhill Urco, a horse that had clocked up useful CCI3* results before spending most of last year on the sidelines.
Other overseas visitors in the 53-strong field are former (2006) Kentucky winner Clayton Fredericks (AUS) with the German-bred mare Be My Guest, third at Burghley last year, and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Oliver Townend (GBR) who have three HSBC FEI Classics titles between them.
Lexington, KY – Join USEFNetwork.com for two days of LIVE, world-class reining, with the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup, April 29-30, 2011. The CRI5* and the Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment World Freestyle Championship will air live from the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, featuring reiners from around the world, including U.S. favorites Tim McQuay, Craig Schmersal, Tom McCutcheon and Shawn Flarida, all members of the Gold Medal-winning 2010 Adequan U.S. Reining Team.
The inaugural Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup will take place alongside the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, April 28 – May 1, the only CCI4* eventing competition in the United States.
April 29: LIVE CRI5*, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. EDT
April 30: LIVE Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment World Freestyle Championship, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. EDT
Broadcast Schedule for the Rolex Equestrian Championships presented by Land Rover:
April 28: LIVE Dressage on USEFNetwork.com
April 29: LIVE Dressage on USEFNetwork.com
April 30: LIVE Cross-Country on USEFNetwork.com
May 1: LIVE Show Jumping on USEFNetwork.com (off air from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT)
LIVE Show Jumping and highlights on NBC Sports, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT
All broadcast times subject to change.
To find out more about the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, visit www.rk3de.org. To find out more about the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup, visit www.kentuckyreining.com.
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Lexington, KY — March 7, 2011 — The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, has been named one of the Top 10 Festivals and Events for Spring 2011 by the Kentucky Tourism Council.
The Rolex Kentucky, part of the HSBC FEI Classics and a perennial winner of this prestigious award, is set to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 28-May 1. It was named as one of the Top 10 Events for Spring because this premier event is the only Four Star, Three-Day Event in the Western Hemisphere and because it brings international attention to Lexington and the Bluegrass State each spring. While attracting crowds in excess of 100,000 spectators and millions of viewers on international telecasts including a 60-minute domestic broadcast on NBC, the Rolex Kentucky also features an International Sponsor Village and Trade Fair with more than 150 booths and various exciting demonstrations.
Enhancing this year’s event are several new opportunities for spectators! For the first time, spectators may purchase reserved Tailgating spaces along portions of the famed Cross-Country Course at the Kentucky Horse Park, giving them a chance to experience the action as never before. The purchase of a Tailgating space provides a reserved location for a passenger vehicle plus general admission for up to eight people.
Lexington, Kentucky, USA – Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) have announced that the Kentucky Reining Cup, which includes international Reining and the first-ever World Championship Freestyle, will be held in addition to this year’s event at the Kentucky Horse Park, April 28 – May 1.
One of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and the only CCI**** in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, annually attracts 50-100,000 spectators and millions of viewers on international telecasts including a 60-minute domestic broadcast on NBC.
The Kentucky Reining Cup competition, currently pending final approval by the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), will be managed by HorsePower, Inc., Reining’s leading event production firm, and will include a Five Star Reining competition, known as a CRI5* (Concours de Reining International), the sport’s highest level, as well as the first-ever World Championship Freestyle. The CRI5* will offer $50,000US in prize money and will be the only Five Star Reining event in the western hemisphere in 2011.
Karen O’Connor (USA), aboard Mandiba, is joint second after the Dressage phase of the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ at Lexington, KY (USA). (c) Amy Dragoo/FEI
23 April 2010, FEI TV (www.feitv.org) will offer live streaming and extensive Video on Demand coverage from the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™, the Rolex Three Day Event. The provisional schedule for the live broadcasts is as follows:
Saturday, 24 April 2010: 15:00-22:00 CEST / 13:00-20:00 GMT Cross Country
Sunday, 25 April 2010: 19:00–20:30 CEST / 17:00-18:30 GMT Jumping
Please check www.feitv.org for broadcasting times and further details!
FOX-PITT BEGINS ASSAULT ON HSBC FEI CLASSICS™
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) has made the best possible start to the 2010 HSBC FEI Classics™ season and is poised to add the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (USA) to his many other 4-star trophies. A perennial visit to Kentucky, he leads the Dressage phase on the rising star Cool Mountain, a 10-year-old gelding by Primitive Rising and already a 3-star winner (at Blair Castle last year).
However, Fox-Pitt, who won the inaugural HSBC FEI Classics™ in 2008, has snapping at his heels the senior US rider here, Karen O’Connor on the 10-year-old Irish Thoroughbred Mandiba, who has clearly matured since he was sprung into the frontline as a youngster at the 2008 Olympics. O’Connor is in joint second place with Allison Springer (USA) on the handsome Arthur, one of the smartest Dressage horses in the business.
“He’s more confirmed in his flatwork than he’s ever been, for sure, so I can ride down the centreline with more confidence than ever before,” said O’Connor, an Olympic team silver medallist in 1996. “Plus, he’s such an elegant horse and has such try in him, so I was just over the moon.”
Kimberly Severson, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist, is in close contention, in 4th place on Tipperary Liadhnan, ahead of 2008 Olympian Becky Holder on the consistent grey Courageous Comet.
Phillip Dutton (USA) probably the most prolifically successful rider in the States, has three horses in the top 10: The Foreman, 7th, Woodburn, who has been withdrawn from the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials due to the volcanic ash crisis, in 8th and Waterfront in 10th.
Townend’s travels
The organisers took pity on Oliver Townend (GBR) after his marathon 55-hour journey to Kentucky and rescheduled his first horse, ODT Master Rose, to the second day of Dressage. Bidding to be only the second rider to achieve the Rolex Grand Slam, he is lying 6th on new ride Ashdale Cruise Master and 9th on ODT Master Rose.
Townend, who won the 2009 HSBC FEI Classics™, travelled from his home in Shropshire by several trains to Paris, where he found there was a train strike. Undaunted – and unable to speak any French – he struck a bargain with a taxi driver to take him on a 14-hour drive to Madrid, where he met up with William Fox-Pitt and Ireland’s Geoff Curran and flew on to Miami.
“My entire career has been building up to this and I wasn’t going to let it slip away just because of a volcano in Iceland!” said Townend, who was 8th at Kentucky last year on Carousel Quest. “I’m going to stay positive and see how I get on. It’s all a bit of a chance, but they’re good horses.
“Ashdale Cruise Master is potentially the best Cross Country horse I’ve ever had, but there’s still some work to do on the Dressage.”
Official changes
There had to be a hasty switch round of Ground Jury at Kentucky, due to the lack of flights from Europe. Marilyn Payne (USA) has replaced Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) and Christian Landolt (SUI) has taken over from Sue Baxter (GBR), both of them joining Ulrich Schmiz (USA). Technical Delegate Tom Ryckewaert (BEL) was also delayed – Gretchen Butts (USA) was holding the fort until he arrived, and Derek di Grazia (USA) was performing Course Designer duties until Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR) could arrive.
Statistics
There are 3 former Kentucky winners in the field, all US: Karen O’Connor (1999, Prince Panache), Kim Severson (2002, 2004, 2005, Winsome Adante) and Phillip Dutton (2008, Connaught)
William Fox-Pitt, 41, a member of the British team since 1993, won the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in 2004 and has won the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 5 times
52 horses go through to the Cross Country
1 withdrawal (Phillip Dutton on Kheops du Quesnay)
The Rolex Grand Slam (worth $350’000 to the winner) is for the rider who can win Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley consecutively; it has only been won once before, by Pippa Funnell (GBR) in 2003. Last year, Oliver Townend won Badminton and Burghley
Results (Click on thumbnail images below to open into larger view. Click image to close & return to post.)
Prize Money
HSBC will contribute US$ 1million to the series over three years. Prize-money is awarded, as follows, to the top five riders on the leaderboard after the fifth and final event:
WINNERS OF THE 2009 SEASON
1. Oliver Townend (GBR) – US$ 150,000 (Series champion);
2. Dirk Schrade (GER) – US$ 75,000;
3. Andreas Dibowski – (GER) US$ 50,000;
4. William Fox-Pitt (GBR) – US$ 33,000;
5. Sam Griffiths (AUS) – US$ 25,000
Notes to Editors
HSBC, the world’s local bank, is a platinum partner of FEI and global sponsor of the eventing discipline.
As part of this partnership, HSBC is title sponsor of the HSBC FEI Classics™ and HSBC FEI World Cup™.
At the centre of all HSBC’s sponsorships is a commitment to youth, education and community. The Pony Club and HSBC have teamed up to create the HSBC Pony Club Eventing Training Programme.
For further information on the HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing, including Rules and Standings, visit www.feiworldcup.org. Previews, reports, results and photographs for each event will be available from the FEI throughout the season.
April 19, 2010 LEXINGTON, KY—The Kentucky Cup Dressage and Kentucky Cup Jumping test events, the official test events of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, will offer spectators a final preview of the world championship competitions coming to the Kentucky Horse Park September 25 – October 10.
The Kentucky Cup Test Events will be held in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, from April 20 through April 25.
For a complete schedule of Kentucky Cup Dressage, Kentucky Cup Jumping, and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, go to www.alltechfeigames.com.
“This final series of test events will be an important test of the planning for many of the competition aspects of the Games,” said Kate Jackson, Vice President of Competition for the World Games 2010 Foundation. “By hosting sessions of different disciplines on several days, we will really be able to test many of our procedures for the actual Games.”
Top riders from around the world will compete in the three disciplines of Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping. Kentucky Cup Dressage entry list includes Ashley Holzer, Olympic veteran and 2009 Canadian Equestrian Athlete of the Year; Oded Shimoni, the first Israeli to qualify for and compete in the World Equestrian Games and the Olympics; and Lexington native, Reese Koffler-Stanfield.
The line-up for Kentucky Cup Jumping includes three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Beezie Madden; Canadian Mac Cone, one of Canada’s most experienced riders having been a steady performer at the international level for over 30 years (both have recently shown at the Jacksonville Winter Series 2009, 2010); and the youngest competitor, Daniel Bluman who will represent Columbia.
This year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is sure to be exciting as Oliver Townend of Great Britain will attempt to become only the second rider in history to win the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Townend has won the first two legs, with wins at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events; and at Rolex Kentucky next week he will seek to join Pippa Funnell of Great Britain, who did it in 2003, as the only riders to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.
In addition to world-class competition, spectators will be able to enjoy a variety shopping and food in the Sponsor Village and International Trade Fair of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, located on the Kentucky Horse Park.
Many Kentucky Cup competition events are free admission. Tickets to some evening Kentucky Cup competitions and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will be sold at the gates of the venue. For a full list of ticketed events, please see the schedule at www.alltechfeigames.com .
About the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are the world championships of eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The Games are held every four years and this will be the first occurrence in the United States.
The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has marked the largest commitment to network coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of more than $150 million, and current sponsors include Alltech, Rolex, John Deere, Ariat International, Inc., Meydan and UK Healthcare. For more information on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, please visit www.alltechfeigames.com.
Buck Davidson reflects on a successful Easter weekend at The Fork as The Chronicle’s Sara Leiser brings us a full report from this influential event which is used as a final preparation for Rolex. Plus, Jim Wolf offers a tribute to Mrs. John B. (Nancy) Hannum. Listen in.
Eventing Radio Episode 71 – Buck Davidson and Lucinda Fredericks:
Chris Stafford with Co-Hosts and Guests Will Provide Unique Reports, Interviews and News from the Kentucky Horse Park
April 20, 2010 Lexington, KY. The Eventing Radio Show, part of the Horse Radio Network, plans to mark its second year of coverage of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event with extensive reporting, interviews, news and views from the 2010 event, which takes place from April 21-25th at the Kentucky Horse Park. This year’s event will also be the test event for the World Equestrian Games so the show will include a preview of what visitors can expect later this year. With the inclusion of Britain’s Oliver Townend in the line-up attempting to be only the second rider to win the $250,000 Rolex Gland Slam, plus a total of seven nations competing for North America’s only four star prize, there will be plenty of action for the Eventing Radio Show team to follow.
“Since our debut event coverage at last year’s event our weekly show has built a worldwide audience in some 37 countries and with that we have created a devoted fan base, which is both dedicated to the sport and eager for event coverage. It’s exciting to be able to offer the show as a valued resource and with our team of experts we look forward to providing all the highlights and more of this prestigious event,” said Chris Stafford, Host.
This year’s event kicks off as usual with the veterinary inspection on Wednesday afternoon, which will launch our daily coverage together with a preview of the record number of entries for this four-star event. One of the Eventing Radio Show’s favorite co-hosts, Max Corcoran, will be preparing Mandiba for her rider, Karen O’Connor. Several of our guests from the past year will also be in the running or officiating so we’ll be sure to catch up with them too. Plus our Rolex Quiz winner will make their special appearance during the event.
Each special episode will review the competition of the day and preview the follow day with interviews and comments for our team of experts. Tune in to www.eventingradio.com each day of Rolex to be sure to catch all the action.
The Eventing Radio Show will also be supporting The Chronicle of the Horse with their live interactive blogging coverage of Rolex. Chronicle staff will provide play-by-play of the events as they unfold and viewers will be able to chat along. You can follow the fun coverage at www.eventingradio.com or www.chronofhorse.com.
We will be doing daily wrap up shows from Rolex beginning Wednesday and running through Sunday. This blog – HorsesintheSouth.com’s blog aka AHorseBlog.com – will receive the code for the shows every evening by 9 or 10 PM Eastern. Also, we will have a link for the Chronicle of the Horse’s CoveritLive live blogging coverage of the Dressage on Thursday and Friday.
(I had to jump ahead of some of the blog posts that I still have as an affiliate of the Horse Radio Network so I can get this online since it is happening this week. More older posts to come. )
