Kentucky Three-Day Event Granted Five-Star Status by FEI, Names 2019 Official Charity

Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class, winners of the 2018 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event announced two items of interest this morning. The first: Kentucky has officially been granted five-star status by the FEI, in accordance with the new event classification star system that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2019. Goodbye Kentucky CCI4* … hello Kentucky CCI5*-L! This event sure does keep changing up its name on us lately. It’s OK — we’ll get used to it.

The official granting of CCI5* status is more formality than anything at this point, as all the current CCI4* competitions — Kentucky, Badminton, Luhmühlen, Burghley, Pau and Adelaide — will receive the new category designation in 2019. However, they must fulfill new requirements over a period of two years to retain the designation.

CCI5* Requirements:

  • Minimum level of prize money: €150,000 Euro ($175,000 USD)
  • Mandatory closed-circuit television for public, athletes, owners and ground jury
  • A minimum of 30 starters, maximum of 75 starters
  • 11-12 minute cross country course (6,270-6,840 meters in length with 40-45 efforts)
  • All-weather dressage arena is strongly recommended

A yearly review will take place to evaluate each CCI5* event in regards to performance against the established criteria. A pre-assessment will take place at the end of 2019, with a formal evaluation at the end of 2020.The Risk Management Steering Group will also be involved in the yearly review to assess the fall rate on cross country and other safety measures.

Starting in 2020, all CCI5* competitions will be reviewed on an annual basis, with CCI5* status renewed or revoked accordingly for the following year.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the FEI as one of the world’s elite events with the new Five Star status,” says Stewart Perry, president of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), organizer of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. “It solidifies our longstanding position as one of the world’s leading equestrian events. A distinction we work hard to deliver on every year.”

A second announcement: The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is committed to showing love to charities that support equine organizations and serve the local community, and names a different official charity to benefit each year. Bluegrass Land Conservancy has been named the official charity of the 2019 event. 

Bluegrass Land Conservancy’s mission is to protect land in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region through permanent conservation easements. The organization accomplishes this through education and by promoting the preservation of land for agriculture, historic and cultural heritage, wildlife habitat, natural resources, water quality, and scenic open space, in order to sustain a high quality of life. Since 1998 it has protected over 27,000 acres of 126 farms in 24 counties across the greater Bluegrass Region.

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L returns to the Kentucky Horse Park April 25-28, 2019. Early bird ticket prices end Dec. 6, so purchase those tickets today. (EN #protip: They make great Christmas gifts!) Visit the website for more information, and we hope to see you there!

Go Eventing.