Classic Eventing Nation

Flashback Friday Video from World Equestrian Brands: USA on Top at Kentucky

By on Apr 27, 2018 8:42 pm -

Phillip Dutton and Connaught claim Kentucky CCI4* for the stars and stripes in 2008. Photo courtesy of Phillip Dutton Eventing.

It’s been two days of seriously exciting competition so far at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, with reigning King of Lexington Michael Jung usurped from his comfortable throne at this early stage by Marilyn Little-Meredith and RF Scandalous. Their flowing, elegant test earned them a 4* PB of 24.8, putting them into a comfortable 2.3 point lead. While it’s early days yet, and there’s still a few little logs to pop over, a U.S. lead after the first phase is definitely worth celebrating, particularly as 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the last time a home rider won the event.

That rider was the maestro himself, Phillip Dutton, who currently sits in =13th place (I’m Sew Ready) and 16th place (Z). In 2008, he piloted the great Irish Sport Horse Connaught — with whom he would go on to finish 7th at the Beijing Olympics — to the top of the leaderboard, giving a masterclass in each phase. The year prior, the combination had finished second, winning the national championship, and, in their long and storied career together, they never lowered a single pole at the venue. That’s what we call consistency.

Will we see another American winner, ten years on from the last? With RF Scandalous on top and the likes of Cooley Cross Border, Donner and Covert Rights in the top ten, we could indeed. Expect dramatic shifts across the leaderboard tomorrow, incredible feats of human and equine athleticism, and hopefully a bit of the grit, trust and fairy dust that helps make a win like this…

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Kentucky 2018 at a Glance: Dressage Gear

By on Apr 27, 2018 6:16 pm -

If you’re looking for hardcore stats about the judges’ scoring and riders’ personal bests you’ll have to check out EN’s Twitter where Maggie Deatrick was dutifully crunching numbers and Equiratings who are bringing data analytics to equestrian sports in a whole new way. These stats are not terribly important (other than the question of what happened to Buck Davidson’s white gloves on Friday morning)…but they are fun! Scroll below for a bit of a ‘who wore what’ in dressage at Kentucy 2018.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Photo Gallery + Memorable Moments from LRK3DE Dressage Day 2

By on Apr 27, 2018 5:02 pm -

Will Coleman and Tight Lines. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

It is uncommon for the leader of dressage from the first day of competition at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event to hold on to that position after the second day. However, for a time it seemed as though Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST would do just that.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo kicked off the morning with a stunning test followed immediately by Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules, who left the crowd roaring. Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 floated around the arena, slotting into third less than a point behind the leader despite higher scores for the majority of the test. We broke for lunch with “Magic Mike” and Rocana still in the lead.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

With full bellies and hope in our hearts for an American leader at Kentucky (no offense to Germany, but we felt due) we returned to the Rolex Arena for the afternoon session. Right away Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous, the first combination in the ring after lunch, entered with their game faces on and threw down an elegant, accurate test to move into first place by a decent margin on 24.8. And the crowd went wild.

America’s sweethearts, Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border, were challenging Marilyn and “Kitty’s” score, but disorganized flying changes — which Kim contributed to tension — late in the test dropped their score and their placing to fourth. Another Cooley (Master Class) danced into the top five, leaving Oliver Townend with two horses in the top eight after the first phase.

Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

As we look ahead to tomorrow’s cross country which will undoubtedly shuffle the scoreboard, it feels like it’s anyone’s game. The scores are tightly bunched. Aside from the five leaders with scores below 30, less than ten penalty points separate sixth place and 36th place. Every second will count tomorrow, and every fence, too. Best of luck and safe rides to everyone. Go eventing.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Marilyn Little Dethrones Michael Jung to Take Kentucky Dressage Lead

By on Apr 27, 2018 4:34 pm -

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

We said yesterday that Michael Jung’s leading day one dressage score of 27.1 would be beaten on Friday at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event — the key question was how many horses would ultimately pass fischerRocana FST.

At the conclusion of the dressage phase, only one pair managed to best the three-time winners. Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous now top the leaderboard going into cross country on 24.8, a personal best score at CCI4* level for this pair.

RF Scandalous, a 13-year-old Oldenburg mare (Carry Gold X Richardia, by Lario) owned by Phoebe and Michael Manders and Jacqueline Mars, stayed relaxed in the buzzing Rolex Stadium.

“I was excited to go on Friday afternoon. She was very businesslike and gave me a great ride. She was really looking to please and did her job,” Marilyn said.

“I knew that she was capable of putting in a great test today. We’ve been working quite hard with Bo Jenå, who is the chef d’equipe for the Swedish dressage team, over the past year and a half. I think it’s been steadily improving. I haven’t competed her so much because we’ve been focused on the training, and I thought if she put in her personal best she could be on top today.”

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST, a 13-year-old German Sport Horse (Ituango xx X Rose II, by Carismo) owned by Brigitte and Joachim Jung, now sit in second place on 27.1.

As for how it feels to be sitting ahead of the king and queen of Kentucky, Marilyn said: “Those feelings will come and go I’m sure, so I’m going to enjoy this very moment.”

Chris Burton and Nobilis 18. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Chris Burton and Nobilis 18, an 11-year-old Hanoverian (Nobre xx X Lilli, by Lemon xx) owned by Sue Lawson and Carolyn Townsend, sit third on 27.9.

“He stayed lovely and relaxed,” Chris said. “Of course, there can always be things that I wish I could do better, but I’m really happy with the horse, because with horses we know that things can always be worse.” (No truer words have ever been spoken.)

This is Burto’s first time being back at Kentucky since he represented Australia at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, and he said he is delighted to be back in the Bluegrass State.

“It’s a really beautiful track and it’s a beautiful place,” he said. “I walked the course yesterday on my own. I had a nice time out there and I was thinking, ‘This is one of the best courses in the world, isn’t it?’ It’s absolutely beautiful.”

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

We have two Americans in the top five after dressage, with Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Diamond Roller X Whos Diaz, by Osilvis) owned by the Cross Syndicate, sitting in fourth place on 28.3.

Oliver Townend has both of his rides in the top 10 after dressage. Cooley Master Class, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Ramiro B X The Swallow, by Master Imp) owned by Angela Hislop, sits fifth on 28.7. MHS King Joules, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Ghareeb X Gowran Lady, by Cavalier Royal), scored 31.3 for eighth place.

As for how Diarm Byrne’s prediction that fischerRocana would be the only Thursday dressage performer still in the top 10 at the conclusion of dressage today, he very nearly called it bang on. Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg are the only other pair still holding on to a spot in the top 10. The 11-year-old Trakehner (Windfall X Thabana, by Buddenbrock) owned by Christine Turner now sits sixth on 31.2 in his CCI4* debut.

Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus, an 11-year-old Anglo Arabian and full brother to her first four-star partner Snooze Alarm, scored 31.2 to tie for equal sixth place.

Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Lynn Symansky and The Donner Syndicate’s Donner, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred (Gorky Park X Smart Jane, by Smarten), very nearly caught his personal best at CCI4* level, scoring 31.3 to tie for eighth place.

Colleen Rutledge and her homebred Covert Rights, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred/Clydesdale (BFF Incognito X Let’s Get It Right, by Covert Operation) round out the top 10 on 24.8.

How the Numbers Played Out

It was not an easy day in the sandbox for a number of combinations, with the ground jury of Christian Landolt, Sue Baxter and Jane Hamlin scoring consistently tough across the board. EN’s data analyst and stats wizard Maggie Deatrick crunched the numbers, and the judges seemed less inclined to be generous with the pairs predicted to deliver the best tests. For horses expected to score in the 20s, as a group they were +2.55% above expected. Expected 30-35 was +2.21%, 35-40 was +1.57% and 40s scored +1.17%.

The final session of dressage was scored +2.56% above expected averages for these horses and riders. The eight sessions across both days of dressage were scored +1.38, +1.93, +1.32, +2.22, +2.35, +2.58, +1.52, +2.65. There was a maximum of 1.33% between the hardest and softest scored sessions, which indicates that this ground jury was consistent in how they marked across both days. 

Each of the judges on average consistently agreed with the other two: Sue Baxter varied by 1.57% from the other two, Christian Landolt 1.29%, and Jane Hamlin 1.49%. The biggest disagreement of the competition was on Wembley, where Jane Hamlin scored him 7.25% above the average of the other two judges. No other disagreement versus the other two judge average was more than 5%.

All to Play For Tomorrow

While Derek di Grazia’s course is expected to shake up the leaderboard tomorrow, the fact that we have a clear forecast means we should see more pairs jumping clear and making the time than we have in the last three years, all of which had rain on cross country day.

RF Scandalous completed her first CCI4* at Luhmühlen last year with 6.8 time penalties on a day when more than half the field made the optimum time, so there is a question mark surrounding her speed.

“Scandalous is a great cross country horse — she’s very courageous,” Marilyn said. “She’s got nice technical ability, good footwork, plenty of scope. The footing is nice. I’m looking forward to a nice ride out there. There’s certainly a number of questions, but everything is very fairly presented, so I think that horses that are well prepared should continue gaining confidence as they course goes on, and those that maybe aren’t having quite the best day might find out early on that it’s not meant to be.”

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST made the optimum time here in 2015, and added 0.8 time penalties in 2016 and 1.6 time penalties in 2017. In short, they are a very speedy pair around Kentucky regardless of the conditions.

“I hope we can enjoy it because everything is perfectly prepared,” Michael said. “We have super ground and super weather for tomorrow. We have a really, really good course. It’s a tough course but a really nice build with many options.

“I try to go fast and clear — I’ll try for sure, but in the end we get the info from the horse from the warm up and from fences two to three, we go step by step through the course. Then we have to be open in our mind which plan we go — if we take an alternate jump if we have to go slow because also in the end we have tough combinations, we need a lot of power in the horse for the end, so we have to take care that we start not too fast.”

Click here for a fence-by-fence preview of the course. Based on the dry forecast and perfect going, EN’s data analyst Maggie Deatrick is predicting that 22.8% of the field will make the optimum time of 11 minutes, 3 seconds, so we are looking at 10 or 11 horses to beat the clock.

Only 22.4 penalties separate the leader from the last horse in the field. The removal of the dressage coefficient means scores are much more tightly bunched than we typically see, and every second of time added tomorrow will prove all the more costly.

Cross country starts at 11 a.m. EST/4 p.m. BST and will stream live on USEF Network. If you can’t watch, be sure to follow along here on EN in our open thread or on Twitter. Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage from #LRK3DE. Go Eventing.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Mini Horses, Mimosas and Marilyn: LRK3DE Dressage Day Two Social Media

By on Apr 27, 2018 3:51 pm -

Damn, Eventers! Back at it again with the colorful commentary and keen observations on day two of dressage! There was fan-girling, mini horses, mimosas, and a new name on top of the leaderboard. Let’s check out what the buzz was about on social media today:

https://twitter.com/Josh_JGThompson/status/989886570047131648

The legend himself! #lrk3de #michaeljung #bestweekendallyear

A post shared by Coralie Purcell (@coralie_p) on

Team Steady Eddie #LRK3DE

A post shared by Boyd and Silva Martin (@windurrausa1) on

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiE4RIYnn7f/?tagged=lrk3de

Now that dressage is over, all eyes are shifting to the task at hand tomorrow. How many riders will be making this face over fences on Derek di Grazia’s course?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFYOxcgLBh/?tagged=lrk3de

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiDsoijAZwI/?tagged=lrk3de

I'm not riding this weekend #LRK3DE

A post shared by Becky Dillis (@beckydillis) on

There’s much more to come from us at Eventing Nation, so keep it locked here and keep hashtagging!

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Kentucky Dressage Friday Afternoon Open Thread, Presented by SmartPak

By on Apr 27, 2018 12:53 pm -

Welcome to the final dressage session here at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. We held our breath this morning as Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 took to the ring, and while parts of their test did trend above overnight leaders Michael Jung and fischerRoacana, they couldn’t quite overtake them. But the standings are very tight with Burto earning a score of 27.9 behind Michael’s 27.1.

Now we look to the afternoon rides. There are quite a few very competitive pairs yet to go, and we could be looking a completely different leaderboard by day’s end. Keep it locked here for all the action as it happens.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

3:15 p.m. Sorry for the short break. Just a happy EN server crash – nothing to see here! Stay tuned for a full report. Here are your current top 10:

2:50 p.m.

2:46 p.m. Lauren Kieffer and “Paddy” are trending around 64%. He might not be the flashiest mover, but they aren’t letting go of a single point.

2:42 p.m.

2:37 p.m. Cooley Master Class currently trending at 71%

2:35 p.m.

2:32 p.m. 

2:30 p.m. Hugely frustrating late changes behind for I’m Sew Ready and Phillip.

2:26 p.m. 

2:23 p.m. Caroline Martin and The Apprentice working through their changes now. Clean, but going a little wide with the hind legs might ding their score.

2:22 p.m. 

2:18 p.m. 

2:16 p.m. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFWKTtAnwMW2SKijc49FWZ2EcuXvmsrNvCcCE0/

2:13 p.m. Buck Davidson makes his final appearance in the dressage arena with Copper Beach

2:11 p.m. 

2:10 p.m. 31.1  for Lynn and Donner! That puts her exactly one rail behind Michael Jung.

2:06 p.m. 

2:02 p.m. Three cheers for the deer!

1:50 p.m. 

1:49 p.m. 

1:47 p.m.

1:44 p.m. Beautiful test by Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights. A little bit of anticipating through the rein back, but now showing off his beautiful canter.

1:42 p.m.

Team Steady Eddie #LRK3DE

A post shared by Boyd and Silva Martin (@windurrausa1) on

1:41 p.m.

1:40 p.m. Great marks for the walk, but the changes are a question mark. We eagerly watch the scoreboard.

1:35 p.m. After the first movements Kim is trending exactly on Marilyn’s marks.

1:33 p.m.

1:31 p.m. The crowd is booming today and we’re sure they’re ready to give a huge cheer for our next pair, Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border.

1:28 p.m. Pawel Spisak showing off the lovely cadence of Banderas’ gaits. His coach, Michael Jung, is watching carefully from the sidelines.

1:26 p.m. Don’t forget! We also welcome show jumpers to the party this year.

1:25 p.m.

1:21 p.m.

1:20 p.m. OTTB fans out there? Paddy The Caddy and Erin Sylvester are in the ring showing off some great elastic movement.

1:19 p.m.

1:18 p.m.

1:12 p.m. Fan favorite Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless are off. Looking very polished to start.

1:08 p.m. Brilliant ride to take the lead on 24.8!

1:06 p.m.

1:02 p.m. Pure class so far for Marilyn and Kitty. Her scores are trending at 74%

 

1:00 p.m. First back after the break, Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous, could challenge our leaders

12:45 p.m. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFFnYIH6mf/?taken-by=useventing

Kentucky Day 2 Lunch Update: Burto Can’t Quite Catch Magic Mike

By on Apr 27, 2018 12:33 pm -

Chris Burton and Nobilis 18. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Of the pairs in today’s morning session of dressage here at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 had the best chance of challenging Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST‘s 27.1 leading score here

Burto came oh so close, scoring 27.9 to slot into second place with the 11-year-old Hanoverian (Nobre xx X Lilli, by Lemon xx) owned by Sue Lawson and Carolyn Townsend. That converts to 41.9 under the former FEI scoring system, which is their highest dressage score at international level since 2016.

This horse set a British dressage record of 20.1 (30.2 in former scoring) on his way to winning Burghley in 2016, but the Kentucky ground jury of Christian Landolt, Sue Baxter and Jane Hamlin have been consistently stingy in awarding big marks thus far.

EN’s data analyst and stats wizard Maggie Deatrick is once again crunching the numbers for dressage. The first morning session today was overall scored +2.35 points above the expected average scores for these horses and riders. For reference, the four sessions yesterday were +1.38, +1.93, +1.32, +2.22.

The final session of the morning got slightly tougher, with the overall average +2.58% higher than expected. Overall for the morning, the scores were +2.46% above expected, following +1.61% for the morning sessions yesterday and +1.68% yesterday afternoon. The judges are maintaining a relatively consistent toughness thus far.

Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings predicted that fischerRocana FST would be the only Thursday dressage performer still left in the top 10 at the end of today. After the morning session, we only have four horses that went yesterday still left in the top 10.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus, an 11-year-old Anglo Arabian and full brother to her first four-star partner Snooze Alarm, scored 31.2 to tie Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Tsetserleg for equal third place at the lunch break.

Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Oliver Townend and Tom Joule’s MHS King Joules, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Ghareeb X Gowran Lady, by Cavalier Royal), scored 31.3 to round out the top five.

Tamie Smith and Ann and Kevin Baumgardner’s Wembley, a 15-year-old KWPN (Lester X E-vip, by Cantus), sat third after the first day of dressage and now sit in sixth place on 32.1.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Looking to other combinations who cracked the top 10 this morning, Buck Davidson and Carlevo LLC’s Carlevo, an 11-year-old Holsteiner (Caresino X Ramatuelle, by Levernois), were first down centerline and scored 32.2 for seventh place.

Mackenna Shea and her own Landioso, a 16-year-old German Sport Horse (Legendaer I X Aspen, by Pilotek), scored 32.5 for eighth place. Click here to view all the scores and here to relive all the action from the morning in EN’s open thread.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Looking to pairs who can still challenge fischerRocana FST’s leading score of 27.1, Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous are first down the centerline after the lunch break and are more than capable of beating that mark. Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border are also a serious threat to top the leaderboard, and Oliver Townend’s second ride Cooley Master Class is absolutely one to watch. Click here to read about the dressage powerhouses still to come.

We are dropping some serious stats on Twitter, so be sure to follow along live @eventingnation. The afternoon session of dressage starts at 1 p.m. EST and you can watch live on USEF Network. Stay tuned for much more from #LRK3DE. Go Eventing.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Dressage Powerhouses of Kentucky: Day Two Afternoon Sessions

By on Apr 27, 2018 12:08 pm -

Welcome back to the 2018 edition of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event! Yesterday and this morning we watched the standings take shape and this afternoon should shake them up quite a bit. Almost every test in the afternoon has the propensity to break 70% with at least a few projected to challenge for the lead. Click here to see the order of go with ride times and here for all the details on how to watch live.

In case you missed the action yesterday or this morning, here’s a quick recap. The competitors will be performing the 2017 FEI 4* Test B, which was brand new last year, but not in use. Kentucky will be the first four-star to utilize this test, putting old favorites and four-star rookies on a totally level playing field as they navigate through the test for the first time. Since Kentucky is the first four-star to be held each year, no one has yet seen how the test rides in competition yet. Check here for a summary in all the ways in which this new test differs from the old.

Another big chance for this year is the loss of the 1.5 multiplier on the penalty marks for dressage, making the scoring a straight conversion to penalty marks. An average of 70.0% from the ground jury will translate into 30.0 penalty points, instead of 45.0 as it would have in previous years. This will cluster the competitors closer together after the first phase, making the jumping phases more influential. Again, as the first four-star to run in the calendar year, Kentucky will be the first four-star to see how the new scoring system affects final placings.

Judging the competitors will be Christian Landolt of Switzerland, who presides over the ground jury. Sue Baxter of Great Britain and Jane Hamlin of the United States join him as members of the ground jury. Jane Hamlin will be a member of the ground jury for the World Equestrian Games later this spring, so her scoring will be of particular interest to riders trying to make a team.

FRIDAY, AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Marilyn Little (USA) and RF Scandalous: RF Scandalous has a long history of putting in scores well over 70% at the 3/4* levels, but she’s had a couple of blips on her record as well. Still, a personal best of 24.2 at the WEG Test event means this pair is coming into Kentucky on a hot streak.

Aiming for: Top of the leaderboard

Ride time: 1 p.m.

Pawel Spisak (POL) and Banderas: Banderas and Pawel have shown flashes of brilliance from the beginning of their 3* career but it’s only blossomed into consistency in the past eight months. They now have three consecutive scores breaking 70% at the 3* level, higher each outing, including a 28.9 (in today’s scoring system) at the European Championships at Strzegom last summer as well as a personal best of 26.9 in their last 3* outing at Pratoni del Vivaro.

Aiming for: Top 10

Ride time: 1:24 p.m.

Kim Severson (USA) and Cooley Cross Border: If you didn’t know that Cooley Cross Border was good on the flat, you haven’t been paying attention. This pair set a record this spring when they scored a 20.8 at Carolina, which is the lowest 3* score recorded on this continent in the last five years. That score also earned them the best recorded 3* score in the field this weekend, and while it’s a bit of an anomaly, this pair has hit 75% in their two 2018 outings.

Aiming for: Top of the leaderboard

Ride time: 1:32 p.


Colleen Rutledge (USA) and Covert Rights: Covert Rights will come right on the heels of Cooley Cross Border, so don’t get up from your seats. This horse reached some dizzying heights in the dressage phase last fall, clocking in a 22.2 (in today’s system) at Richland Park, which at the time was the second best score in five years on North American soil. That was knocked to third after Kim and Cooley Cross Border’s Carolina score this spring, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that Covert Rights scored over 73% in three of their four runs last fall. While this spring their scores haven’t been quite so strong, a recent mark breaking 70% at The Fork shows they may be on the rebound.

Aiming for: Top 10

Ride time: 1:40 p.m.

Lynn Symansky (USA) and Donner: Donner has been knocking on the door for a while, breaking the 70% mark on occasion at the 3* level and inching towards it at the 4* level. In their last 4* at Burghley last fall, they laid down a personal best 4* score just shy of 70%, and their recent score of 28.8 at Carolina came just short of their 3* personal best. Coming in on the heels of three top dressage horses before them and taking advantage of being in the final session, these two could finally crack the 70% mark.

Aiming for: Top 10

Ride time: 2:02 p.m.

Phillip Dutton (USA) and I’m Sew Ready: I’m Sew Ready is no stranger to the 70% mark, cracking it in his last three of four 3* starts. In fact, he smashed his own personal best at his last event, scoring a 26.4 at the WEG Test event. His only 4* start flirted with that score, as he and Phillip Dutton clocked in a 30.7 (in today’s scoring) last April.

Aiming for: Top 10

Ride time: 2:26 p.m. 

Oliver Townend (GBR) and Cooley Master Class: Cooley Master Class is almost a lock to not only break the 70% mark but to crush it. He has only failed to hit that percentage once in 11 starts, and his worst score in 2017 was a 27.7. This is his first 4* though, and it’s rare to see a horse best their 3* personal best in their first 4* start. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen though, and Oliver Townend could be the one to take the lead as the next to last ride of the day.

Aiming for: Top Three

Ride time: 2:34 p.m.

OTHERS OF NOTE

Quite frankly, every horse in this afternoon session is worth watching, so make sure to hit the restroom before the rides start after lunch. Simply Priceless isn’t the highest scorer in the field but has a history of making 4* his moment, pulling a 4* average that is more than 4 points better than his 3* average. Paddy the Caddy has barely cracked the 70% level at the national level but has yet to do it at the international level. Copper Beach and  The Apprentice have both put in big scores with their current riders while Landmark’s Monte Carlo should be a solid score to finish off the first phase, if not quite cracking the top 10.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Kentucky Dressage Friday Morning Open Thread, Presented by SmartPak

By on Apr 27, 2018 9:11 am -

Good morning and welcome to the second day of dressage at the 2018 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event! Michael Jung holds his familiar leading spot after day one, but there are quite a few heavy hitters coming today that are eager to surpass him.

We get underway with the first ride at 9:30 a.m. with Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Keep it locked here for the Internet’s best tweets, posts, gifs and unauthorized color commentary.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

11:41 a.m. We’re headed into the lunch break. At 1:00 p.m. we’ll be back with even more action on our afternoon thread.

11:40 a.m.

11:29 a.m.

11:26 a.m.

11:20 a.m. Nail biter! a 27.9 puts him just out of the lead, but he is hot on Michael Jung’s tail.

11:16 a.m. Absolute master class. They’re trending 2% better than Michael Jung so far.

11:13 a.m. ITS GO TIME. Can Burto take the lead?

11:12 a.m.

11:10 a.m.

11:05 a.m. Steady Eddie is living true to his name, very consistent test so far!

11:03 a.m. 

11:00 a.m. 

10:59 a.m. Luckaun Quality really shines in the canter work. It’s obvious this horse can cover the ground-what a lovely, huge stride!

10:57 a.m.

10:56 a.m. 

10:54 a.m.

10:52 a.m. Truly Wiley and Kelly Prather are making their second four-star appearance today. This is an exciting Thoroughbred who was bred by Bruce Davidson.

10:51 a.m.

10:47 a.m. Huge smiles from Lillian! She earns a 37.5.

10:41 a.m. Lillian is back with her second ride.

10:36 a.m.

10:34 a.m.

10:33 a.m.

10:27 a.m. We’re on a coffee break now. When the action starts back we’ll be looking for a score of 31.1 or better. That will put the pressure on Michael Jung because he currently has a pole ahead of the competition.

10:24 a.m.

10:20 a.m. Little bobble out of the first halt for Lisa Marie and Honor Me, but picking right back up.

10:20 a.m.

10:18 a.m. 33.2 puts Mackenna in 7th as the highest placed rider under the age of 25.

10:15 a.m. Landioso definitely has learned this test! He’s anticipating Mackenna’s every move, but they’re looking very polished.

10:12 a.m. Arg! Mackenna Shea goes for it and gets a little canter in her extended trot. Only that one bobble mars and otherwise lovely test so far.

10:09 a.m. 

10:07 a.m. Allie Knowles is squeaking out every point she can with Sound Prospect, another great TB!

10:03 a.m. Can an American win this year? Karen O’Connor says yes. “No more sending prize money abroad #OverIt”

9:59 a.m. Well done Lauren! Doesn’t quite catch Ze Terminator, but a 31.2 puts her in a tie for second with Boyd. Michael Jung still has one pole ahead of the field.

9:56 a.m. Vermiculus and Lauren Kieffer in the ring now. Fun fact-Vermiculus is latin for maggot, which was the barn name of Lauren’s first four-star partner and “Bug’s” full brother Snooze Alarm!

9:55 a.m. Just misses a sub-40 mark! 40.9 for Ronald Zabala-Goetschel

9:53 a.m.

9:48 a.m. Ronald Zabala-Goetschel and Wundermaske are in the ring for Ecuador. They’re off with a very quiet and consistent start.

9:46 a.m.

9:44 a.m. Michael Jung did leave the door open yesterday, but not sure if Oliver has walked through it.

9:40 a.m. Very beautiful test. If we’re being nit-picky it lacks a little bit of accuracy. Looks like it’s trending about 3% lower than Michi.

9:38 a.m. Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules circle the ring. These two could really challenge our leaders!

9:37 a.m. 32.2 for Buck!

9:32 a.m. Buck is riding a beautifully rhythmical test. Looking forward to seeing the score for this one!

9:30 a.m. Karen O’Connor joins the live stream this morning. She commented that this test challenges horse’s foundation because these sequences of movements are so much closer together than in past years.

9:29 a.m. Here we go!

9:15 a.m. For all you OTTB lovers:

The Thoroughbred Superfan’s Guide to LRK3DE

By on Apr 27, 2018 8:53 am -

Love this commemorative 2018 LRK3DE poster of Elisa Wallace and OTTB Simply Pricelesss, created by Retired Racehorse Project. 

Love Thoroughbreds? If you’ve come to the 2018 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, you’ve come to the right place. Not only is Lexington the heart of Thoroughbred country, the event itself features a number of ways to celebrate the breed, which is well represented on this year’s entry list — see Erin Harty’s “Meet the Thoroughbreds of Kentucky CCI4*, 2018 Edition.”

Here are a few ways to get your Thoroughbred fix at LRK3DE!

  • Stop by the Retired Racehorse Project Booth. Located in tent booth #91 outside the Covered Arena, RPP is a hub of activity. Pick up your Thoroughbred order of go to follow all your favorites; get a commemorative Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless poster; stock up on your RPP gear; or try your hand at the RPP Scavenger Hunt on Thursday and Friday! Click here for a full RPP event schedule.
  • Walk the cross country course with Nick Larkin. Nick won the first Kentucky CCI4* with Red, a New Zealand Thoroughbred, and has been involved with the breed in both the realms of horse shows and racing. The walk, organized by RPP, starts at 2 p.m. Friday at fence #1.
  • Get pumped for the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover! RPP is hosting two previews: Friday, April 27 at 4 p.m, and Saturday, April 28 at 10 a.m. in the Walnut Ring. Thoroughbred Makeover-bound riders Isabela de Sousa, Emily Brollier Curtis, Elizabeth James, and Clark Montgomery share their secrets for making racehorses into sporthorses, with commentary from Nick Larkin and Tik Maynard. View horse and rider bios here.
  • If you’re a Makeover Trainer, join RPP for a Meet and Greet Breakfast on Sunday, April 29 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the USHJA Wheeler Museum. Click here to purchase tickets.
  • Visit the Thoroughbred Charities represented in the Trade Fair. Among them: New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program in booth #225, Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in booth #231, and KY Equine Humane Center in booth #232. The Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center is located on-grounds, in case you feel like doing some OTTB shopping while you’re there!
  • Attend the New Vocations Open Barn and BBQ, which will once again be hosted at the conclusion of the dressage phase on Friday, April 27, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The event takes place at New Vocations at Mereworth Farm, which will open its doors for tours, a meet-and-greet with the horses, educational demonstrations and a delicious BBQ meal. Click here to purchase tickets.
  • Are you the proud parent of a CANTER adopted horse? Stop by the EN Cross Country Tailgate Party to pick up a CANTER shirt or hat. It’s limited supply and first-come first-serve, so get there early! The tailgate is located in spots S294-S295 in the infield near the jog strip.

Go Thoroughbreds. Go Eventing!

[RRP at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event]

#LRK3DE Links: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter