Don’t miss this wonderful video as EN’s own Samantha Clark previews the Rolex Kentucky cross country course with technical delegate Tom Ryckewaert and course designer Derek di Grazia. The first four fences on the course are the same as last year, with an imposing new jump coming at fence five, the Keepers Brush, that riders will really have to sit down and gallop at to find the proper momentum.
The first water at the Creekside Cabins comes at fence 6ab, with a serious jump in and the familiar goose sitting in the water. The Curving Brushes are another new combination this year, replacing the keyhole at the mound complex with two skinny brushes on top of the mounds that are going to require a high level of accuracy.
Fence 18 is a brand new water complex called the Land Rover Landing, the fourth time horses and riders will enter water on the course. This is just past the halfway mark at about the seventh minute. The Lexington Duck Marsh is the final water complex late in the course, at about the 10-minute marker, with a “half pipe” going toward the ducks.
It’s so exciting to see some of the new surprises Derek has up his sleeve this year, and we can’t wait to see the full course in person. Only 12 days to go until the first horse inspection! Keep it locked on EN for all your #RK3DE news, and click here to catch up on all of our pre-Rolex coverage so far. Go Eventing.
