Lexington, Ky. – The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (LRK3DE) is set to begin at the Kentucky Horse Park following the first horse inspection on April 25. A total of 46 athlete-and-horse combinations from nine nations will vie for top honors at America’s only CCI4* event, which also serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship, awarded to the highest-placed U.S. athlete. The Roger Haller Trophy, honoring the late, internationally respected eventing official, will be awarded to the national champion.
Competition begins Thursday with the first of two days of dressage. Watch the live stream on the USEF Networkand catch every ride and all the action of the weekend. Get behind-the-scenes coverage on the USEF Network Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, as well as on the USA Eventing Facebook account, and use #USAEventing.
The 2018 field is full of talented combinations, and several returning national champions hope to stake their claim on the overall and national title. Defending Land Rover/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Champion Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) already has the most titles at five, but he could add another to his resume with I’m Sew Ready or Z. Dutton rode I’m Sew Ready, Kristine and John Norton’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, to a 10th-place finish at the 2017 Kentucky event in the horse’s CCI4* debut. This year, they finished fifth in The Fork CIC3*/FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon (WEG) Eventing Test Event to prepare for the LRK3DE. Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Thomas Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Ann Jones, and Caroline Moran, will make his CCI4* debut with Dutton. The pair come to Kentucky in fine form after winning The Fork CIC3*/ WEG Eventing Test Event.
Looking ahead to cross-country day, Dutton said, “We have been around the course this morning and, as we expected, it is big but fair, so I’m sure it will be a great competition.”
Three-time national champion Buck Davidson (Unionville, Pa.) has three mounts at the LRK3DE: Carlevo, Copper Beach, and Park Trader. Park Trader, Carl and Cassandra Segal’s 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, will make his fifth appearance at the LRK3DE, while stablemate Copper Beach, Carl Segal and Sherrie Martin’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, will make his third consecutive appearance. Carlevo, the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Carlevo LLC, makes his CCI4* debut in Kentucky and is coming off a second-place finish in the Chattahoochee Hills CIC3* with Davidson.
Two-time national champion Lauren Kieffer (The Plains, Va.) brings two mounts to Kentucky: Landmark’s Monte Carlo, Jacqueline Mars’s 12-year-old Irish Thoroughbred cross gelding, and Vermiculus, Mars’s 11-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding. Both horses collected top-15 finishes in CIC3* competition this spring in preparation for the LRK3DE.
Kim Severson (Charlottesville, Va.), a three-time Kentucky Three-Day winner and national champion, will aim for a strong showing with Cooley Cross Border, The Cross Syndicate’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. The pair finished second in The Fork CIC3*/ WEG Eventing Test Event behind Dutton and Z and won the 2017 SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CCI3* in England last fall.
Rising stars of the sport hope to gather more experience at the CCI4* level. Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program participants Savannah “Woodge” Fulton (Finksburg, Md.) and Caroline Martin (Miami Beach, Fla.) plan to tackle the LRK3DE for the second time. Fulton brings her 2017 mount, Captain Jack, Full Moon Farm Syndicate’s 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, while Martin has two mounts: The Apprentice, Sherrie Martin’s 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, and Spring Easy, Sherrie and Caroline Martin’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.
“I think this weekend speaks for itself, how much Leslie and the program have helped my riding,” Martin shared when asked how the Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program has helped her development. She added, “Being able to have a camaraderie with all the other riders is great. I wouldn’t know Mackenna Shea [an Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program alum] if it wasn’t for the program.”
Dressage begins Thursday at 9:30 a.m. ET with Davidson and Park Trader.
For more information about the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, visit kentuckythreedayevent.com.
Thursday, April 26
9:00 a.m. Dressage Test Ride (presented by Hylofit) — Rolex Stadium
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Dressage Tests — Rolex Stadium
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sponsor Village & Trade Fair Open
1:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. Dressage Tests Continue — Rolex Stadium
VIEW COMPLETE SCHEDULE
On the Grounds at #LRK3DE
This year’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (LRK3DE) marks the 21st edition of North America’s only four-star event. When the event first began hosting a four-star level competition in 1998, a new US Equestrian (USEF) national championship was also created to recognize the achievements of U.S. athletes. The Land Rover/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship title goes to the highest-placed U.S. athlete in the LRK3DE.
Click the button below to learn more about the Land Rover/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship!
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What is a Dressage Test Ride? Why Does it Matter?
The first day of competition at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event kicks off tomorrow with the dressage phase at Rolex Stadium. Before the tests can get underway, an essential step in preparing the Ground Jury for two days of dressage judging is the dressage test ride. Marilyn Payne, two-time Olympic eventing judge, spoke with us about what the dressage test ride is and why it is important for LRK3DE and all FEI CCI events.
Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp will perform the test ride on Deniro Z this year.
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What You Need to Know About the Changes to FEI Eventing Dressage Scoring
Between the thrills of competition, special events, and changes in the sport, the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is always evolving! This year, one important change involves scoring: the dressage phase is kicking off the competition with revamped FEI scoring rules, changing the way this first phase influences the final score at FEI-level events.
We spoke to Marilyn Payne, a two-time Olympic eventing judge, about what this scoring change is, the benefits of the change, and how it will effect scores from start to finish at the LRK3DE.
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Check out Thursday’s US Equestrian Sponsor and Affiliate Activities at LRK3DE
During a break in competition at the LRK3DE, make sure to check out the many demonstrations and activities organized by US Equestrian sponsors and affiliates. On Thursday, visit the Land Rover “Ultimate Stable” and meet Olympian Lauren Kieffer and Instagram-famous Patrick the Miniature Horse. Platinum Performance will also offer several autograph signings on Thursday; plus, make sure to sign up for a Mirimichi Green Express cross-country course walk hayride for a chance to win Justin Timberlake concert tickets. Sponsor and demonstration details will be added as it becomes available.READ MORE
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