Looking cool and collected before the jog. Photo by Boyd Martin.
It’s here folks! We’re in Kentucky for the most wonderful week of the year! No matter what, this week in April is always incredibly exciting and special, and Kentucky is in full bloom to make everything look spectacular. The jogs went swimmingly yesterday, and today we’ve got the first group of dressage, including more than a few pairs to keep your eyes on. Hot favorite Mai Baum goes today at 3:12 in the afternoon, and Aachen winner Off The Record is last to go at 4:33 PM. We will be bringing you all the updates on the 4* and the 5* every day, in exhaustive detail and including so many pictures your brain might melt. Strap in!
If you’re lucky enough to be in Lexington, make sure you’ve downloaded the Scavenger Hunt appto be in with a chance of winning a 2024 4-Star Trailers two-horse trailer. That’s right, a brand spanking new trailer is up for grabs, which must motivate some serious scavenging. Happy hunting!
And if you just can’t wait ‘til Saturday to get a glimpse of the – now totally famous – corgi, join EN and Ride iQ for a FREE cross country preview on Friday at 4:30pm. Register here.
Oh, also, if you’re at the event this week, and you want to win a chance to hang out with Thomas and Contessa (and the rest of Boyd’s crew), you can enter the raffle at the LubriSyn Booth in the vendor village before noon on Friday!
If you’re not able to make it to the Bluegrass State, you don’t have to miss out – you can watch all of the action from the comfort of your sofa. Find out how, here.
Will this be the event when I finally beat my non-horsey husband at Eventing Manager? The stats suggest it’s unlikely, but I’ll be ponying up nonetheless. Download the app, pick your team, spend $10,000,000 – simple. And if you want some insider info to help you make your selections, we’ve got your back. Check out the EN Form Guide here.
And whilst your head’s in predictions mode, it’s time to enter EN’s LRK3DE Pick ‘Em and Win competition. Entries close tomorrow (Thursday at 12:45pm EST / 9:45am PDT) so don’t delay. There’s just one question – Who’s going to win the 5*? There’s a cool prize from Achieve Equine for the US-based winner. Put your prediction in here.
Keep up with EVERYTHING by following @goeventing and checking out EN’s coverage of the #BestWeekendAllYear.
U.S. Weekend Preview
LRK3DE: [Website] [5* Dressage Times] [4* Dressage Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Tickets] [EN’s Form Guide] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Ultimate Guide]
Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times][Volunteer]
Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (Durham, NH) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
News From Around the Globe:
Want more LRK3DE info each day during competition? Sign up for the free LRK3DE Daily Digest email, which will be sent each day beginning Tuesday, April 25 through Monday, May 1. Find all of EN’s latest coverage, sponsor promotions and discounts, chances to win daily giveaways, and much more! Click here to sign up.
Ain’t got time to do all your research on the competitors this weekend? Don’t worry, just check out these Kentucky Fast Facts, and find out all the salient details, fun tidbits, and more. [Kentucky Fast Facts]
Thoroughbred fanatics are sure to be out in force this weekend, and the Retired Racehorse Project is there to make your TB dreams come true. They’re offering a plethora of activities this weekend for fans of the breed, including a course walk with Elisa Wallace, a jumping clinic with Buck Davidson and several RRP graduates, a guide on picking the right prospect with Rosie Napravnik Sharp, and a masterclass with Sara Kozumplik. [Thoroughbreds Rule Kentucky]
Packing for Kentucky as a spectator is daunting enough (are all the clothes in my closet enough??), but packing as a groom for a competitor? Yikes! There is nobody better equipped to explain the process in thoughtful detail than Emma Ford, who has quite possibly mastered the art of grooming at the 5* level. She’s grooming for Sydney Solomon and Early Review C as they tackle their first attempt at this level, and after reading this I want her to organize my life. [Packing for Kentucky with Emma Ford]
Liz Halliday-Sharp has an exciting five-star first-timer in Miks Master C, who was originally sent to her to sell. After sitting on him one time though, she was in awe and everyone on her team agreed that she needed to find a way to keep him in her barn. She says that he is the best horse she’s ever ridden, and considering the quality of horse she’s usually mounted on, that’s quite a statement. Get to know Mikki more here. [Meet Miks Master C]
Best of Blogs: Thoroughbred Logic — The Kick Ride Debacle
I’m sure the competitor’s party at Kentucky is taking notes….
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