Tamie Smith and Mai Baum at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2021. Photo by Shelby Allen.
After a tumultuous cross country on Saturday, we are all on the edges of our seats for the final phase of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event — show jumping. With one horse withdrawn overnight (Palm Crescent) and another pair not accepted following a hold during the inspection this morning (Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z), we now have a field of 24 horses and riders heading into the final stretch of 5* competition.
After a bit of a leaderboard shakeup yesterday, Tamie Smith and Mai Baum currently hold the lead for the USA with a 24.2. This gives them just a buffer of less than one pole (just 3.6 points) between them and Tom McEwen, in second place for Great Britain. Less than two time penalties separate Tom and third place holder Liz Halliday-Sharp and 5* debutant Miks Master C with a 28.5.
For the first time since 2008, a US rider leads the CCI5* field after cross country. Will this finally be the long-awaited year for not only an American Kentucky win, but a female rider win? Will Great Britain pull ahead to maintain their record? Stay tuned for what we know will be an intense final day of competition!
Follow along here and refresh periodically for live updates from the show jumping rounds. You can also find information on how to watch live on USEF Network via ClipMyHorse.TV here.
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3:25 p.m. What true champions. First US champion since 2008 with Phillip Dutton, first female champion since 2011 with Mary King, and the first champion from the West Coast in nearly four decades, Tamie Smith is nearly crushed with a full-body hug from Zach Brandt on the off-ramp as she accepts waves of congratulations from the crowd. Congratulations to all riders on their amazing performances in this competition that will surely be one for the history books.
Here is a look at our final leaderboard — well done to our top ten riders!
Following Tamie’s 24.2 score is Britain’s Tom McEwen on a 27.8 in second place, Liz Halliday-Sharp with 5* rookie Miks Master C in third on 28.5, and Sandra Auffarth from Germany is in 4th on Viamant Du Matz on 30.4. Phillip Dutton and Z finish out our top 5 with 32.3. Maxime Livio of France, Will Coleman, David Doel from Great Britain, Doug Payne, and Emily Hamel close our leaderboard.
3:22 p.m. AND THEY’VE DONE IT!!! Tamie Smith and Mai Baum are our 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5* Champions, the first US Champions since 2008! The crowd goes absolutely wild as Tamie shatters all gender equality ceilings with her first 5* win to ecstatic fist pumps and American flags streaming through the audience. What an inspiring show of perfection from this amazing pair.
3:20 p.m. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum take to the ring. Will they do it? The crowd and I are at the edge of our seats!!
3:18 p.m. European Champion rider Tom McEwen aboard Nicola Wilson’s previous mount JL Dublin give a very strong ride, defending their position to remain our silver medal champions! Their score of 27.8 puts a lot of pressure on Tamie Smith, who will need to ride a near-perfect round to win!
3:16 p.m. First time 5* mount Miks Master C is expertly piloted to an impressive clear round by Liz Halliday-Sharp. Liz is guaranteed a spot in the top three with just a handful of cross country time on their sub-30 point score. What an impressive show from this young horse!
3:14 p.m. 2014 World Champion and Tokyo Olympians Sandra Auffarth and Viamant Du Matz ride a lovely clear round for Germany at their first visit to the Kentucky Horse Park. They easily claim a double clear round, maintaining their place in 4th at 30.4.
3:10 p.m. First ever US winners of the international festival CHIO Aachen, Will Coleman returns to the ring with Off The Record. They drop a back rail on the first element of the triple combination, falling down into 7th place with an additional 0.4 time penalties.
3:07 p.m. Our most recent American Kentucky 5* winner in 2008, Phillip Dutton expertly guides Z to a double clear round, tapping the rail on just a single jump but leaving all sticks standing. He moves into the current lead at 32.3.
3:05 p.m. French Bronze WEG Medalist Maxime Livio keeps Carouzo Bois Marotin balanced and strong on course, adding no faults to their dressage score to place at least 7th at the end of the day!
3:02 p.m. Riding for Great Britain, David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed are the first 5* pair to finish on their dressage score after giving the fastest run on course yesterday. His score of 35.6 guarantees him a spot in the top ten.
3:00 p.m. 2022 National 5* Champions Doug Payne and Quantum Leap show their strength with a speedy double clear round despite adding a few extra strides between some of the fences. He will maintain his placing on 37.3, moving into the lead of our riders so far.
2:57 p.m. Entering the ring for her second round is Jennie Saville aboard FE Lifestyle, who unfortunately drops two places due to one rail on course. She adds 4.8 to her score with a smile on her face, still ahead of Will Faudree on a 42.9.
2:53 p.m. Our first pair today in the ring to finish double clear on cross country yesterday, Emily Hamel and Corvett maintain their 11th place position, absolutely soaring over the fences as if yesterday really was just a walk in the park. Adding just 0.8 time faults, they end on 39.5.
2:51 p.m. Strong winds start to pick up at the Horse Park as Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way produce a fast ride, unfortunately dropping just one pole on the B element of the triple combination, which moves them just behind Will Coleman and Chin Tonic at 43.1.
2:48 p.m. Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix and OTTB partner Wabbit drop five rails on course, hearing strong “whoa’s” from Jessie throughout the ride. 20 jumping and 2.4 time faults will drop her down five places on 63.8.
2:45 p.m. The live helmet cam makes another appearance today as we follow along with Boyd Martin‘s ride on rookie mare Contessa. They drop one back rail on the A element of the triple combination, adding 4.8 to their cross country score for a 46.7.
2:43 p.m. Great Britain’s Zara Tindall and Class Affair, here at her second US 5*, drop a pole on the liverpool, nice and snug on time at 54.6. She will maintain her position in front of Erin and Campground.
2:41 p.m. Erin Kanara and Campground had no jump faults on cross country yesterday, but unfortunately drop poles on one jump of the combination. 4 jump faults and 2.8 time faults conclude her round at 60.2.
2:38 p.m. Our leaders after dressage, Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir make up for their unfortunate faults yesterday, clearing each jump with space to spare on a double clear round! They will end on a score of 62.1.
2:36 p.m. And here is Will Coleman on Chin Tonic, who unfortunately moved from 4th to 12th place due to time faults on course yesterday. This horse’s first CCI5* will end on a positive note with a lovely clear round, adding just .8 time faults for a score of 39.8.
2:34 p.m. 2022 Rebecca Farm champions James Alliston and Nemesis soar with no jump penalties and just two seconds to add to their cross country score, ending on a 64.2.
2:30 p.m. Still seeming fresh and full of strength after cross country, Great Britain’s Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI sail through on our first double clear round at 69.6.
2:27 p.m. The first of two 5* rides for Buck Davidson, Sorocaima catches a single back rail on the Cosequin oxer, ending four seconds over time on 79.2.
2:24 p.m. A strong round from Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 just three seconds over time, ending on 87.8.
2:20 p.m. Jennie Saville and Twilightslastgleam give a careful and accurate clear round with some nice tight lines, tapping the last pole but leaving it standing for a score of 62.1.
2:18 p.m. With a pole rattle on the second fence but no rails down, Zach gives us a clean round, adding just two seconds to his cross country score at 139.9.
2:15 p.m. And here we go! Zachary Brandt and Direct Advance are our starters on this drizzling final day, and I am just an anxious ball of anticipation right now. Let’s watch some show jumping and crown a new champion!
