It’s time to play Who Jumped It Best? as we continue to look back at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event! This series of shots comes from the newly-added Walnut Mound question on the CCI5* course, which involved a narrow, wide oxer at A followed by an angled brush off a sharp right handed turn. While we thought this question might elicit some trouble with the added complexity of terrain, the combination actually rode very well and caused no problems for the division.

I’ve collected a few shots here for you to peruse. While I acknowledge they aren’t all exactly taken at the same moment, they should still provide some context to cast your vote below! Happy voting, and Go Eventing.

Miss out on any of our Kentucky coverage, sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products? Click here to look back.

Monica Spencer and Artist. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Andrew McConnon and Ferrie’s Cello. Photo by Sally Spickard.

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]

We always look forward to seeing what Derek di Grazia has brought from his brain to the hallowed grounds of Kentucky Horse Park each spring for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. This year is no different. Derek typically begins planning (scheming?) for the following year nearly as the preceding year’s event concludes, and the undulating terrain here provides ample opportunity for him test out some new lines and questions each year.

For this year’s cross country, we’ll see the direction of the course reversed in comparison to the past few years. While the 4* and 5* riders will start and finish in the same area of the course, they will run in the opposite direction as last year. This changes the terrain significantly, particularly at the beginning and end of the course. Let’s dive in to a preview of the 5* track. You can view the 5* in fence-by-fence detail here on CrossCountryApp and the 4*-S course here, and I’ll also embed both right below:

CCI5*:

CCI4*:

The first quarter of the course will take riders over a handful of rhythm-establishing fences to get their horses thinking forward, as it typical for most tracks. After the first four fences, the riders will come up on the first combination of the day at fence 5ABC, MARS Sustainability Bay. This is the first opportunity for horses to splash into the water, which will come up several more times on the course, and it’s also the first test of turning, particularly to the right which features heavily on this year’s track.

It’s not the biggest test of turns comparatively, but riders will still want to have their lines dialed as there is a steep hill up to the B element of this question, followed by a big brush corner that will demand accuracy to avoid an early problem. There is an alternative route for riders to choose, but Derek believes most will opt for the straight route here to set the tone for the remainder.

After fence 5 comes the first long stretch of galloping as riders pass from the first field into the old steeplechase field, encountering another single fence at 6 (the beautifully decorated Market Table – shout out to the incredible course builders and decorators who’ve made the track look amazing!). They’ll then come to the second water question, the Cosequin Cove at 7 and 8AB. Fence 7 will require a forward ride as a yawning ditch stands in front of a MIM-pinned upright rail.

A supersized corgi will greet riders as they come to 8A, which features a steep drop into water and the first left-handed turn of the course to a suck-it-in skinny triple bar. This is a relatively inviting question here, again an opportunity for riders to insert a jolt of confidence and accurate thinking as they navigate it. Again, there is an option here if a rider has a runout at the B element, but time becomes a factor if you choose this route.

A big uphill pull awaits as the riders begin to head up toward the infield, encountering the third combination at 10AB, the Walnut Bank, which is a new combination this year. Here you’d better have a good rein on that left shoulder as we now get into some of the serious angles that proliferate the course. A narrow oxer comes before a very keen angle to a brush fence a B on a slight downhill.

“It’s an interesting piece of terrain,” Derek explained. “They have to really jump in over the oxer — it’s a bit of a scope question because they won’t want to be going too quick because right away they’re going to have to make a slight bend to a very angled brush, which they’re really going to have to hold their line to.” There’s a big potential to invite a runout to the left here as the downhill slope of the mound will carry the horse’s momentum in that direction, especially if they have a big shot over the oxer at A.

After this, the horses will power up the rest of the hill and then coast down to the infield, an opportunity to get up on the clock as they approach the notorious fly fence, the ditch brush at 11. Definitely mark this one on your list to snag a video on your phone — it usually elicits some epic jumps!

From there, they’ll head to the beautiful Wofford Rails at 12 before going to the crowd-pleasing Defender Head of the Lake at 13ABCD. This is a very intense line, made more complex by both the water, which serves to slow down the horses as well as lengthen their stride, and the size of the brush corner at the CD element. After dropping in over a rolltop, they’ll hit a skinny brush at B and will need to be on their line to make the short distance to the corner on the way out.

A huge element of cross country is quick thinking and reaction speed. Because of the short distance between elements here, a peck on landing at A or any wavering off the line could spell disaster. Of course, there is an option that will eat up the clock, but riders will have a route to take should they encounter difficulty here.

“There are a few different options, but really if you’re in the hunt and you’re trying to win this event, you’re going to do the direct route,” Derek said. “But you’ve got to be brave here, you’ve go to have a good line and really make sure your horse sees what it’s doing and just keep going. I think it will be interesting because I think some of the options will get used because it’s not always going to go perfect on the day.”

Despite the intricacy of the Head of the Lake, you’re not even halfway done at this point, and much terrain awaits in the next part of the course. Riders will next pull up to the infield, hopping the Blade and Bow Bourbon Table at 14 and then galloping uphill to another new feature for the 5*, the EEI Root Cellar at 15ABC. This bank, which is reminiscent of the Burghley Leaf Pit or the Leaf Pit at Morven Park, has been most recently used on the 4*-S track but now makes an appearance for the headlining division.

I asked James Alliston what went through his mind when he jumped down a bank like this when I ran into him on my tour. He wasn’t very helpful honestly — “Well, just long reins and sit up, I think” — ok, simple enough but I think I’ll leave that job to him. I’d be pulling a Jeff Goldblum and holding onto my butt on the way down, but there’s not much time to recollect as two very skinny brush fences await at the base, and of course they aren’t on a totally straight line either, because why would they be? I’d be marking this one down as a fence to watch if I were you.

After this, it’s another major uphill pull to get to the peak of the course at Pete’s Hollow, fence 16ABC. Again, you’re tasked with turning right, having had plenty of practice to this point on the course, navigating three elements on a rollercoaster of terrain. You will see horses who may have run out of some steam getting up to the hill, which would cause some drive-bys. The Hollow tends to be fairly influential for all of these reasons, so it’s worth trekking up there to see the action for yourself.

Here is a chance for the horses to really take a breath and catch a second or third wind, as you now have a relieving downhill gallop and a nice fly fence at 17 (Mick’s Picnic Table) to get back to focusing ahead of the next water challenge at 18ABC, the Rolex Grand Slam Challenge.

This question again tests the horses’ ability to hold a line and move their feet quickly, and a another big ditch in front of a brush awaits after a sharp left turn at the C element. There’s also much to look at here — there are massive crowds gathered in the infield at any given point in time, and there are also several elements from the 4* track situated here, so focus will be key which can be a challenge if a horse is beginning to tire.

Hopefully your horse has taken a breath at this point because the last big uphill pull — and it’s a long one — comes next. You’ll need to get the engines rumbling to make it over the massive Squirrel Tables at 19, which offer a left and a right option depending on what line the riders want to take at the Normandy Bank at 20 ABC.

Once again, to the right, to the right as the horses will need to jump sharply up the Normandy Bank before coming to an angled house at B and a big open corner at C. The alternate route here is a carousel that will likely get a good amount of use at this point in the course but will eat up more precious seconds.

But after this, you’re going back downhill so you’ll get a big of a boost with two single fences before coming to the coffin complex, which is always incredibly influential and should be even more so this year with how late it comes.

A MIM-pinned upright rail welcomes horses to the Park Question at 23ABCDE. We’ve seen a similar-looking coffin question at Carolina (designed by Ian Stark) this year, but the steeper terrain and the addition of a second sharply angled brush makes this a true 5* question. There is not much time to make the turn from the ditch to the angled brushes at CD and E, and again at this point you will see some horses beginning to tire. The downhill gallop can be useful for catching breath, but a fatigued horse will have trouble sitting back on his hocks and moving his feet quickly to avoid engaging the MIM pin at A, and reaction speed could be slower at this point.

At nine and a half minutes in the course, your strategy will be key here. Any type of wiggle or bobble at A or B will cause trouble for the brushes, so here is where the option could come in and I think you’ll see more than one rider opt for the option right away.

“As a rider, you really have to make sure that you’re really helping your horse here,” Derek said. “The riders have to really make sure that they don’t have an unwanted activation [at A] and then once they jump in, they’ve got to make sure that they help their horses here and they get the right line jumping out. Riders will really have to make sure that they really have all the plans here so they can navigate this combination clean.

You’re almost there! By now riders will be really thinking about home, but it’s by no means a coast from here. The Mighty Moguls at 25ABC are the final combination, once again utilizing the terrain to create opportunities for issues, however the use of logs I feel is quite welcoming to the tiring horses as these types of jumps tend to be more forgiving comparatively. Terrain and turning aside, these fences *should* be fairly straightforward, but again remember you will not be sitting on the same horse you left the start box on at this point.

Two more single fences stand between the riders and the finish, so at this point it’s about getting them home safely and as quickly as possible. It’ll be mostly downhill from the Moguls on, which I really like as I think this will put some wind back into the horses so they can finish well.

Take another look in our preview Reel:

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The optimum time for this year’s course is 11 minutes, 15 seconds. It will be a true championship test that will allow the riders to learn much about the effectiveness of their preparation. We wish all riders safe and clear rides tomorrow — it will be a thrilling day of sport and we can’t wait to see you there!

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We had to wait until the final group of the field to see World Champion Yasmin Ingham’s early lead shaken on Friday at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*, presented by MARS Equestrian, and it was a fellow Brit who would eventually topple her into second place.

Tom McEwen is no stranger to pressure or the taste of success, and he’s put himself in the driver’s seat with a lovely and expressive test from the thirteen-year-old JL Dublin (Diarado – Zarinna, by Canto), owned by Mr and Mrs J Lambert and Mrs D Johnston, to earn a penalty mark of 24.6 to slide in front of Yasmin and Banzai du Loir’s 26.0. While Tom admitted that he felt that it didn’t quite live up to some of the tests he and “Dubs” have ever produced, his effort still provides him with the overnight lead ahead of Saturday’s cross country challenge.

“I must say it’s quite atmospheric today,” Tom reflected after his test. “There’s quite a few people in there, it’s quite electric in there, which I think has shown with a lot of the tests here – probably everyone not quite getting scores of what they were hoping for, for example. [Dubs] put everything into it, but it wasn’t our best test work. For me, I think we can be softer, better, clear again, but we went in there and nailed what we had on the day. I’m delighted with him.”

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

When asked why he chose to come to Kentucky this year, Tom noted how much he enjoys coming here — but more importantly, the fact that he knew that in order to stand out to the British Olympic selectors,  he will need to be the cream of the crop this spring season. It’s no secret the defending Olympic gold medal-winning team has depth in spades — arguably more so than any other nation at this point in time — so it’s not hard to imagine that Tom’s idea of ‘cream of the crop’ means nothing lower than a podium finish at the five-star level.

“Honestly, it is actually probably one of the best venues in the world,” Tom continued. “We all hope, and we’d all love to be going to the Olympics in a couple of months time. So realistically,  the best way of doing it is come to the one best places in the world. Realistically, I’ve come here to try — our British team is so strong, as you’ve seen with four Brits inside the top 10 this weekend already so far — and every show we’ve been to, they’re so strong. You’ve actually got to go and show yourself, and everyone’s got a different way of doing it and different ideas on how to go about it — but for me, it’s to come and actually perform on a stage on the biggest day.”

Friday afternoon in the Rolex Stadium certainly felt like the biggest of days, with a palpable atmosphere rippling through the stands: “It really felt very busy in the dressage arena today. It felt very electric for the horses and actually being able to come out and expose them to something like that is perfect preparation.”

Tom has knocked on the door of a five-star win with the former Nicola Wilson ride JL Dublin, with whom he finished second here last year, but has yet to achieve that ultimate success of a 5* victory to add to his 2019 Pau win with Toledo de Kerser. While Kentucky is certainly anything but a dressage competition, it’s no doubt a nice feeling to have that coveted first position in hand. Even so, Tom has just 3.5 seconds in hand tomorrow on a course that’s historically tough on the optimum time, while the stats gurus at EquiRatings have him at a 38% win chance after dressage, followed by current second place holder Yasmin Ingham with a 30% chance. You can read more about how EquiRatings algorithm calculates its statistics here.

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There was a bit of drama during Tom’s test: unbeknownst to him, a hawk captured a squirrel and took it for a screaming spin over the stadium during the test. This caused quite a kerfuffle from the crowd, but luckily Tom and Dubs were focused enough not to notice. The rest of us are fairly traumatized, to be honest.

“I didn’t hear them because last year when I went in, it was quite quiet because there wasn’t really anyone here — and then one person whooped when I did a medium which was a little bit… I was wondering what was going on! So no, this year it was quite peaceful in there,” Tom chuckled when I asked if he’d noticed the aforementioned kerfuffle. I’m not sure the squirrel would agree, though.

Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We have a tie for third place now between two U.S. riders. First up was Lauren Nicholson with the evergreen Vermiculus (Serazim ox – Wake Me Gently xx by Be My Native xx), owned by Ms. Jacqueline Mars, who posted a 30.6 to slide into third earlier in the afternoon. At 17 years old, Vermiculus is among the most experienced horses in the field, and while he’s scored lower before, you wouldn’t have known it from Lauren’s emotions afterward.

“We’ve been very, very lucky,” she said. “He did his first four-long as an eight-year-old and his first five-star here as a ten-year-old and he’s done kind of two, three big three-days a year ever since then, for almost a decade now. Last year was the first season we missed, but we also knew we didn’t want to take any chances with the coming year — and every run on him at this point is just a blessing and fun.”

Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s a testament to Lauren’s program to have a horse of this caliber competing (and, you know, competing) at this level, something Lauren attributes to her team at home as well as the education she has received over the last two decades from David and Karen O’Connor. Lauren, an Olympian in her own right, also knows what it takes to get to a team selection, and she’ll definitely have Paris in mind as she sets out for cross country tomorrow. Vermiculus has a 78% clear jumping rating on EquiRatings at the 5* level and should put his Arabian blood and base of fitness to good use in the hotter temperatures on Saturday.

“If I’m going to go into a team championship at this point, I want to be as sharp as possible, and for me and my horses, I feel like doing a long format five-star and having that extra pressure and intensity is part of that process,” Lauren said on her decision to tackle the 5* — plus, Vermiculus does need a long format to be qualified for Paris since he had a light year in 2023. “But I think it also totally depends on the person and the horse and the four-star short here certainly is not soft by any means — it’s more of a five-star short, so I don’t think anyone in either division is going to leave feeling less than prepared if the Olympics is on the cards later in the year.”

Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tied with Lauren for third, having ridden later in the day in the final group, are Liz Halliday with The Nutcracker Syndicate and Ocala Horse Properties’ Cooley Nutcracker (Tolant R – Ballyshan Cleopatra, by Cobra). This is a first 5* for “Bali”, who Liz has had since the outset of his career. There’s always a notion of ‘prepare, but you don’t really know until you do it’ when it comes to a horse’s suitability for a 5*, but Liz has certainly crossed her t’s in prep for this debut. It was about halfway around the Galway CCI4*-L course last year (which she went on to win) that she knew the 10-year-old Irish gelding was ready for the next step.

“When he’s nervous, he suddenly tries to stop on me,” Liz laughed. “And so that was what he did in the first shoulder in, and so I rode him quite strong in the second one. He also does it sometimes going across the diagonal to change without me doing anything because he goes, ‘how about walk?’ No, no, please don’t walk! I think it’s just his nerves, and he did notice the camera in the extended walk. But he was a very good boy to go ‘oh!’ and just put himself back together again and be a professional. So I was proud of him for that. Like I say, there were plenty of green moments — it was not even close to a polished test. So for him to be in second with that is exciting for his future.”

A 30.6 leaves plenty of room for improvement for Liz, who’s skilled on the flat and well-known for her prowess at collecting sub-30 dressage scores. With a lovely test delivered today, it’s exciting to think about the potential that still lies untapped.

Sharon White and Claus 63. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Also making a stellar debut in the first phase is another rookie horse, Claus 63 (Catoo – Tina II, by Levisto), who is ridden by Pan Ams team silver medalist Sharon White to a score of 30.7 to sit in fifth place tonight. This weekend has been a reasonably long time coming for Sharon, who’s not had a 5* ride since the retirement of the great Cooley On Show and has taken her time producing Claus to this point. Purchased sight unseen as a five-year-old from Dirk Schrade in Germany, Claus has been tactfully produced through his tendency to be emotional and sharp, particularly in this phase. This spring, he’s not achieved the scores he’s capable of, but today he went in and delivered for Sharon.

“I’m so proud of him,” a very smiley Sharon said. “I was there for him and he responded in kind, so it was really, really satisfying that he was just there. And I thought he was so good, so obedient, so with me. Of course, there’s a little bit — or a lot of — distraction in there, but I thought he was really good and quite a professional, which is not always his strong suit, so I’m thrilled with him.”

“What I really wanted, I achieved, which is that we stuck together and he was with me,” she continued, noting that she had set a goal for herself and was slightly disappointed to not quite have gotten the score she hoped for. But slotting into second at the time is nothing to turn your nose up at, and Sharon remains realistic: “I was actually slightly disappointed with the score, but it’s fine and it is what it is and what I really wanted, I achieved, which is that we stuck together and he was with me, and the score is not up to me. It gives me a starting point, and it is so far from a dressage competition.”

Claus has a couple of Advanced and 4*-S wins under his belt, and of course it remains to be seen how he’ll handle the phases to come, but he’s in excellent, experienced hands with Sharon, who’s focus on mental fortitude has been supplemented this season by assistance from sport psychologist Natalie Hummel.

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Also newly added to the top 10 today are multi-Kentucky winner Oliver Townend with Cooley Rosalent (Valent – Bellaney Jewel xx, by Roselier xx), a young talent who impressed at Maryland last year and came in as a top horse to watch for the podium finish. “Rosie” didn’t quite have the test Oliver had hoped for, but he remained pragmatic about the 10-year-old mare’s future.

“I thought the exceptional bits were very good and the mistakes were the mistakes,” he said. “I felt she was good. She’s just still a baby. She’s only nine, coming ten years old still. And it’s the start of her career at this level. So, on to the next thing. I think she’ll learn a lot here and the judging is the judging.”

The Rookie Update

Several other rookie horses went down centerline for the first time at a 5* today, and I always like to check in as it’s often an opportunity to glimpse the future talents of the sport.

Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

D’Accord FRH – Christoph Wahler

This wasn’t quite the rest the German rider would have hoped for. A 34.0 — a shade higher than what the horse typically scores, though of course the 5* test is its own animal — will slot this pair into 15th place overnight.

“The trot work [was] okay. I think it’s not necessarily something that comes very easy for him, but he was with me, he was willing to give as much as he can and I think I also did not such a bad job in the trot work. But then, yes, starting with the walk, he was holding himself back a little bit. Walk is our weakest link. I know that, but I think he did it alright. And then in the canter work, it was a shame that he spooked in front of that camera in the second flying change after the half pass because he’s not a spooky horse. He doesn’t really look at things. So I was a bit taken by surprise that he looked at the camera. So obviously that was a very big mistake and then afterwards, the rest of the canter work was alright. He’s usually very good with the changes. The rest was not as good as we can be. But I think for the first time in the five-star test with this horse, it was alright.”

Doug Payne and Camarillo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Camarillo – Doug Payne

The feral pony officially made his 5* debut this afternoon, and while he didn’t quite get down to Doug’s initial goal of a mid-30s score, earning a 38.0, Doug was pleased with the effort the 10-year-old gelding made.

“You know, [it was his] first time in an arena like that– he’s not seen much of it, and he was exceptionally good. There was one little miscommunication at the very end, he thought halt and we’re talking about changing but aside from that, he was excellent. You know, it’s one of those things — I look at him absolutely as a horse for the future. He’s ten years old now, has just done three four-star longs, which I think just needs a lot of innate strength and confidence, and it’s just getting better and better.”

James Alliston and Karma. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Karma – James Alliston

A 38.5 is on the board for the lovely mare Karma (who yes, has an unofficial theme song sung by Taylor Swift), who’s traveled out from California for this first run. James is another exceptionally experienced rider in the field, having brought multiple horses to this level throughout his careers. Now he debuts Karma, who’s definitely a bit stronger in the jumping phases at this point in her career. She is capable of a lower-30s score, so there is undoubtedly still potential in there as the mare continues to develop her strength at this level.

“I was happy with the horse; she was really relaxed, and I was hoping for a slightly better score but the horse was really, really good. I’m happy with her. She had a good season last year at four-star, and you never know until you do it, obviously, but everything she’s done at four-star she’s done well. So hopefully, we can make the next step.”

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Caravaggio II – Bec Braitling

Bec Braitling did her first 5* centerline in 21 years today, bringing forward the 13-year-old British gelding for his debut today. They earned a 39.3 for 28th place. Despite the higher score — “Ernie” isn’t really the biggest fan of dressage, which is honestly very relatable — Bec was thrilled with her horse.

“I was pretty happy to get through that!” a very positive Bec said afterward. “He was pretty wired in there. He’s been so good all week! And then he got some braids in and came up here and went berserk. And I was like, ‘Cool…!’ Tamie [Smith] was like, ‘he looks great!’ And I’m like, ‘No, he doesn’t!’ And then I was in there just like, ‘oh my god, I have four changes’. I don’t get a change in, usually, and he did almost all of them! And then of course he trotted in the stretchy canter. I was like, ‘Oh, good boy’ and then he trotted. So yeah, a bit of amateur hour in there. But no, he was so good given that he gets so wired about this phase — it’s his nightmare. Small ring, big horse, you know — he doesn’t feel like he fits in there!”

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Harbin – Joe Meyer

New Zealand’s Joe Meyer also brought forward a debutant this weekend in the adorable Harbin, scoring a 40.4 to go into 30th place. Joe’s remaining realistic about the challenge ahead tomorrow, but he feels the experience the 14-year-old Irish Thoroughbred has gained at four-star will serve him well.

“After Blenheim when he went around so well, I thought he was ready, and the other four-stars that he’s done beforehand. I was wondering whether he had the legs, you know, because he does gallop quite high and things like that. But after Blenheim I got him very, very fit and in a really good place. And I think he’s… is he a Burghley horse? I’m not sure. But he is up for stuff like this Kentucky and maybe Badminton? I think that, he’s more than capable of.”

The Last Word

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There was one elimination in the dressage today. Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby were stopped by the judges early in their test and subsequently eliminated. Lillian sent us the following statement:

“The ground jury decided today that Barnaby looked uneven in his test and eliminated me from the competition. The vets have looked him over back at the barn and there is nothing to report. My best guess is that tension made him take some short steps. I am clearly devastated but I also am happy to have a healthy, sound horse and if there is one thing no one can argue, it is that Barnaby owes me nothing. I am here now to cheer on all my friends competing and will be back as a competitor another day.”

We have one withdrawal ahead of cross country in this division: Will Faudree has made the very respectable decision to withdraw Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables’ Mama’s Magic Way after he said the buzz in the ring got the better of him today in the dressage (he scored an uncharacteristic 40.1). “He’s done five five-stars and we want to be more competitive and the atmosphere got the best of him today and there is no point in running him,” Will commented. “We will go back to the 20×60 and get better and be back to win one soon.”

Now we look ahead to cross country, the preview of which I’ll have for you first thing tomorrow (you can also view both the 4* and the 5* track on CrossCountryApp here). It very much remains an open game right now, favorites or not, and the Derek di Grazia design stands to exert its influence. Cross country for the 5* begins at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow following the 4*.

You can listen in on a recap of dressage as well as a preview of the action to come on the EquiRatings Dressage Review Show with myself and Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings here or wherever you get your podcasts.

We’ll be back with much more tomorrow, including full live blogs from both divisions from Cheg Darlington. As always, we appreciate you waiting into the evening while I organize my thoughts, and hope you have enjoyed following along with the #BestWeekendAllYear so far. Go Eventing!

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Ride Times] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’re always pleased to welcome a healthy contingent of international entries here to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian, but the risk we run is that they’ll run the gamut on the dressage leaderboard. Today proved that point, as we’re looking at a top five comprised entirely of horses who’ve come from the UK and Europe for this weekend’s competitions. No complaints here, though — what a treat to get a glimpse of some of these top talents that we don’t often get to see on this side of the Atlantic!

Great Britain’s Yasmin Ingham set sail with Janette Chin’s and the Sue Davies Fund’s Banzai du Loir (Nouma D’Auzay – Gerboise du Cochet, by Livarot), scoring a 25.3 before the score was eventually adjusted to a 26.0 to take a healthy lead on day one of dressage competition. The reigning World Champion after winning individual gold in Pratoni in 2022, Yasmin’s well-known for her icy veins, and her longstanding partnership with “Banzai” has boosted the pair to international fame on the back of multiple competitive results dating back to their junior squad days. The pair competed here at Kentucky last year, but a frustrating and disappointing drive-by late on course saw their hope of a podium finish evaporate in a matter of seconds. This year, Yasmin’s got a clean slate and has set herself in prime position to make a bid for her first 5* win.

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“He felt really good today,” Yasmin commented. “It’s just such a treat to be back here and to be able to perform dressage in the Rolex stadium is very, very special. So incredibly grateful to be here and he’s feeling really good and produced a brilliant score, and now I’m very excited for Saturday to tackle the cross country.”

One tiny bobble on the first centerline earned them the lowest marks of the test — a 5.0 at the lowest from judge at C Robert Stevenson — but they’d trend upward for the remainder to earn the sole sub-30 mark of the first day. “[We] just very slightly had a bit of a waver on the centerline, which is unlike him, but obviously we have to forget about that movement and focus on the rest of the test,” Yasmin said. “So I tried to put that behind me very quickly and just focus on the rest of the test, but he was very obedient and he was super expressive and he’s just a joy to ride. I really enjoy riding him on the flat.”

Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Fellow Brit Kirsty Chabert also hit the top portion of the leaderboard today with the 15-year-old Anglo European mare Classic VI (Calvaro F.C. – India Summer, by unknown), earning a 31.0 to sit second after the first day. Kirsty also came to Kentucky last year, and while she didn’t quite have the result she would’ve wanted, she followed that trip up with a solid sixth place finish at Pau and will be looking to build on that here in Kentucky. She’s put herself into an even better place here, shaving 2.6 penalties off her most recent 5* score with Classic VI, who is owned by Carole Somers, John Johnston, Kate Ward.

Despite some congestion at the end of the ramp that caused a bit of an adrenaline spike for the mare, Kirsty said she was pleased with the test she was able to produce. Kirsty also lamented the poor weather in England that seems to annually push back riders’ various preparations for the spring 5* season. “In England, we’ve had dire weather,” she said “So our run up to this has been very interesting. I did manage to get to Kronenberg, which was fantastic. So she’s had a really great two runs, but two runs that was it!”

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Germany slots into third and fourth position overnight thanks to the efforts of Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s Carlitos Quidditch K (Quiwi Dream – Amsterdam, by San Patrignano Cassini), who scored a 31.1 for third, and Calvin Böckmann riding the Böckmann family’s The Phantom of the Opera (Quo Vados – M-Bunt Jack, by Peking Opera xx) to a 31.4 in their 5* debut for fourth place.

“It was stupid at the beginning. He was a little bit nervous and then I just rode in and tried to relax really and he just started to trot. Ugh, how could that happen at Kentucky!” Malin chuckled in the mixed zone after her test. “But it’s okay, I really took a breath and said, ‘Okay, I would just give my best and stay relaxed and ride and just try to get every point that I can get.’ And I think we did that.”

The result is still a score they can build on as they look for a competitive finish here, “Schimmi’s” debut at the level. “I was really happy that we just brought it together in the end.”

This trip to the U.S. is special for both Malin and Calvin. Malin actually spent some time here in Wisconsin with a host family during an exchange trip following university, and she’d made it a goal to trek over here so that the family, who are in their 80s, could come and see her compete. “It was my biggest dream just to go, and everything fit well with this horse just right because they can join me here,” she said.

Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

As for Calvin, who’s also making a debut at the level alongside The Phantom of the Opera, and will also turn 23 on the day of cross country this weekend (happy early birthday, Calvin!), coming to Kentucky has been a dream of his since his junior years watching on the live stream. As he puts it, “it took me about three days to realize I was finally here!”, describing the grounds as even more lovely than the live stream could ever do justice. “Literally two days ago, driving from the hotel to here was like the first morning where I was like, ‘I’m actually here.’ And I actually get goosebumps again when I think about that. So it’s just incredible. The country is so beautiful. You don’t really see that on video. Just being here now feels quite unreal.”

Calvin may be making his debut here, but he’s quite experienced for his young age: he’s competed for Germany on, count ’em, nine European Championships teams for both show jumping and eventing as a junior/Young Rider. He’s also a member of the German federation’s Warendorf training program — hence the military uniform he’s worn in competition — which provides access to training with riders such as reigning Olympic gold medalist Julia Krajewski.

Monica Spencer and Artist. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Rounding out the top five is New Zealand’s Monica Spencer (but we’re claiming her as our own for at least the next three years, honestly, despite the fact she loves marmite so much she’d eat it for the rest of her life) and her off-track Thoroughbred Artist (Guillotine – Maxamore, by Satin Blush). This pair scored a 31.9 to hold their own despite, as Monica puts it, the difficulty of having to follow the flashy test of Yasmin Ingham.

“He was a really good boy…he stayed with me, which was nice,” Monica commented. “Obviously Yasmin was a hard act to follow, but I’m really happy with it. He’s always been a beautiful mover, especially for a Thoroughbred but he’s definitely getting more trained as he gets older and all the buttons get smaller and the little details and everything. So I think he’s still got more in there and we’ll just keep working away. I’m just happy how he is in the brain that he can go in there when it’s a big atmosphere, and he’s still listening to me.”

Hannah Sue Hollberg finds herself in a somewhat familiar place today as the top-placed U.S. rider (she was also the top U.S. finisher at the Maryland 5 Star last fall). She’ll be in sixth place after the first day with Christa Schmidt’s Capitol H I M (who’s actually named after a line in Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, fun fact I only just learned today) with a score of 33.0.

“How long do you think I’ll stay in the lead?” Hannah joked in the mixed zone during what turned out to be a highly entertaining interview (see below).

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Hannah has been working on the flat with international Grand Prix rider and well-respected coach Nicholas Fyffe, and she said that practice has really helped her and “Chito”, who is 17 this year, put the pieces together in this phase. “I worked with [Nicholas] before Fair Hill, and then over the winter,” she elaborated. “He made a huge difference in my horse really quickly before Fair Hill. And he had like the best test he has ever had. And I was like, ‘oh, that’s something.’ So I’ve been working with him and I brought him here this week. He’s so good at just pushing me enough but not boiling the horse over. I thought it went better than it’s ever been. So I’m really happy with him.”

Today was a big day for debut horses: we saw seven horses dance down centerline for the first time at this level and will see a handful more tomorrow.

Sara Kozumplik and Rock Phantom. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

First in the ring this afternoon was Sara Kozumplik with the oh-so-snuggly Rock Phantom (Spirit House – Ballycroy Rose, by Clonakilty Hero), owned by Sara’s longtime and wonderful supporter Edy Rameika. Sara describes “Rocky” as the ultimate trier who she’s tried to be sensible with as she produced him to this debut. “His previous rider, Nilson Moreira da Silva, brought him up through the four-star level, he produced the horse to that level and did a great job. It takes a little bit of time getting to know the horses and things and I’ve had him for a little over two years now and we’ve just been working on our communication and connection and strength. We’ve done a few four-stars together and I feel that once horses have done those sorts of things, they have a really good solid base. But you know, I produce a lot of Thoroughbreds at this level, I have not produced… well, we call him our family horse, because there’s a lot of Rocky going on. But he is fit. So hopefully, it’ll all be fine. But yeah, I don’t do as many competitions as other people. I think once horses have gotten to that level, we tend to pick and choose what we need to do.”

Sara and Rocky earned a score of 35.3, a very respectable debut as they look ahead to Saturday.

Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Quasi Cool (Quo Vados – B-Estelle, by Lord) is another debutant for Phillip, who’s probably lost count of how many horses he’s brought to Kentucky at this point (must be nice, Phil, jeez save some for the rest of us), scoring a 33.8 to sit in seventh overnight. Quasi Cool is owned by Caroline Moran.

“He’s coming back from an injury and I gave him plenty of time off,” Phillip said. “But he’s done two four-stars before, he won at Morven Park and then he placed at Bromont and they’re pretty big, strong four-star courses. I think he’s ready for it.”

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ema Klugman, who recently learned she’d passed the bar exam she took at the end of February (congratulations!), also debuted her second 5* horse, Bronte Beach Z, today, scoring a 36.6 for early 10th place. Bronte Beach Z is certainly not short on talent or movement, and Ema’s confident she can continue to shave points off in future endeavors.

“I was very pleased with Bronte,” Ema said. “This is her first five-star and first time at Kentucky in that big ring. She has a lot of self confidence, that horse, so she walked in and she’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s just another show.’ So she was super. The test was pretty complicated and wrapping my own head around it was something. I was really pleased. We had a couple of mistakes and things to clean up, but she’s still a young horse. And so, I think in a few years we could be ten points lower.”

“I would rather read Bronte in dressage than Bendigo!” Ema laughed, referencing her beloved first 5* horse, who was also half Saddlebred. “We were always worried that he was just gonna bolt out of the ring at one point or another. But it was a little bit emotional because the last time I was here, I was on him.”

Also making her 5* debut today is Wakita 54 (Plot Blue – Werusa, by Padinus), owned and piloted by Andrew McConnon, who’s had the mare since she was a five-year-old. “I’ve had her since she was a five-year-old and I’ve done everything with her, which has been fun,” Andrew reflected. “She’s had some good times. There’s been some tougher go’s. But she’s just a horse that tries so hard. Sometimes she tries a little too hard. And you think okay, you don’t need to try quite so much. She’s just been a great horse to have at this level.” Andrew and “Kiki” (do you love me?) scored a 41.5 for 15th place overnight.

We still have half the field yet to see tomorrow (Friday), and we’ll start the day off with Sharon White and another debutant horse, Claus 63 at 1:00 p.m. Heavy hitters such as D’Accord FRH, Cooley Rosalent, Vermiculus, Cooley Nutcracker, and JL Dublin are still yet to come, and we can expect to see a different looking leaderboard when the dressage dust settles.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more from Kentucky. Thank you as always for following along with us, and Go Eventing!

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sunny skies and perfect temperatures greeted us this afternoon at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian as the 36-combination field prepared to trot up for the Ground Jury for the First Horse Inspection. This weekend’s Ground Jury contains two members of the Paris Olympics Ground Jury in president Robert Stevenson and Xavier Le Sauce, accompanied also by Judy Hancock of Great Britain.

While the first trot-up is typically fairly drama free, except for the outfit choices (cc: Will Faudree), we did have a few moments of tension as the pairs demonstrated their fitness to compete.

Reigning World Champion Yasmin Ingham was sent to the hold box with her Pratoni partner Banzai du Loir as one of the first to see this afternoon (the international entries that have flown in from overseas always jog first to keep them separated from the domestic horses), but was accepted when she came back to present again.

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We also saw a hold for Doug Payne and Quantum Leap, who were also accepted upon re-presentation.

There was one withdrawal ahead of the inspection: New Zealand’s Matthew Grayling sadly scratched Trudeau and did not present him to the Ground Jury. This is a devastating end to a trip that’s been a long time and thousands of miles in the making; Matthew traveled to the States in February, basing with Boyd Martin ahead of the Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase and Carolina International while aiming at Kentucky. We’ve reached out to Matthew for more information and will update this article if we receive it; in the meantime, we’re wishing Matthew and Trudeau all the best and are so sorry to see their weekend end so early.

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

To that end, 35 horses will move forward to dressage, which for the 5* begins at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, April 25). Dressage and cross country times are now available for viewing here.

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

As is tradition for a Short format, the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S entries did not have to present for their Ground Jury today as they did in-barn inspections on arrival to the grounds. This division will trot up on Sunday, however (at 7:30 a.m. which is honestly just offensive). Ride times for the 4*-S can be found here.

Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’ll be back with much our traditional jog awards later tonight and tomorrow we’ll have a full slate of coverage for you, including live updates from the 5* dressage provided by Cheg Darlington. Be sure to stay tuned for much more from the #BestWeekendAllYear!

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]