Rolex Kentucky Three Day
Encyclopedia
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 and Interstate 75 in northern Fayette County in the United States...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. The Rolex Kentucky is a CCI****
Concours Complet International
The Concours Complet International and the Concours International Combiné are ratings for the equestrian sport of eventing, given by the international governing body for the sport, the FEI....
eventing competition, and the only four-star show in the Western Hemisphere. Four stars is the highest level of competition, the same level of competition as Eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
at the Olympics
Equestrian at the Summer Olympics
Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since. The current Olympic equestrian disciplines are Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping...
. The event is sponsored by Rolex watches and is known by many equestrians simply as Rolex. Prize money of $250,000 is distributed among the top placings with $80,000 as well as a Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
watch being awarded to the first place horse and rider.
Competition takes place over four days (Thursday through Sunday), although the event's name says it continues to indicate a three day competition. Dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
competition is on Thursday and Friday (due to the large number of entries), cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
is on Saturday, and show-jumping is on Sunday.
Rolex is held the last weekend of April and is the week before the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
.
Rolex is one of the three events in the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing
Grand Slam of Eventing
The Grand Slam of Eventing, sponsored by Rolex, consists of three of the top CCI**** eventing competitions in the world. To win the Grand Slam, a rider must consecutively win all three events, although they are permitted to ride different horses in each competition...
.
The History of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event
Bruce Davidson (equestrian)
Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
and the United States Equestrian Team won individual and team gold at the World Championships held in Burghley, England
Burghley Horse Trials
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, currently in early September...
snd Bowers took 2nd place. This gave the United States the right to hold the next World Championships four years later, in 1978. The Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 and Interstate 75 in northern Fayette County in the United States...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
was due to open around the same time, and plans were made to hold the World Championships there.
Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) was formed to as a non-profit organization to help plan the competition and raise public awareness. The first horse trials at the Kentucky Horse Park was held in 1976, to prepare. In 1977, the National Pony Club Rally and the North American Junior Three-Day Event Championships was also held there.
The 1978 event had more than 170,000 spectators and added more than $4 million to the local economy. The event was broadcast worldwide, as well as nationally on CBS. The success of the World Championships helped to convince the EEU to continue the event annually. Today, the event is broadcast worldwide in 18 languages.
Rolex Kentucky had also hoped to continue the classic format, despite the other major events around the world switching to the short format. Originally, the plan was to alternate years, offering the short format in even-numbered years as preparation for the Olympic games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
or the World Championship
World Equestrian Games
The FEI World Equestrian Games are the major international championships for equestrianism, and administered by the Fédération Equestre Internationale . The games have been held every four years, halfway between sets of consecutive Summer Olympic Games, since 1990...
, while running the classic format in odd-numbered years. However, in 2006 it was announced that, due to lack of funds and interest from upper level riders, the event would only offer the short format. Therefore, all competition run before 2005 (excluding the 2004 Modified division) was run "classic format," and the 2006 event onward will be run in the "short format."
The CCI****
The CCI**** competition was first suggested in 1994 by Denny Emerson, who believed The United States had enough competitors at this high level to warrant the development of a four star. Previously, American riders trained in England when they were preparing for international competition, as the country had the only two annual CCI**** at that time: BadmintonBadminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale , which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in...
and Burghley
Burghley Horse Trials
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, currently in early September...
. The USET began making plans in 1996, and held the country's first and the world's third annual four-star competition at the Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 and Interstate 75 in northern Fayette County in the United States...
in 1998.
Physicality of the Sport
This sport takes many different precautions concerning the horse’s health. Two horses died of a heart attack on the course.Self-efficacy is a way to assess themselves and the horse using a scientific method. Evaluating the health of the horse is important because the horse could easily get injured.
A study was done to compare the heart rate between a trained and untrained horse. The results show that trained horses do not have more stress or pain in comparison with untrained horses. However, if evaluated 30 minutes before competition, the trained horse would show less stress. According to this experiment the training method, “Deep and Round”, put more stress on the horse.
Previous Rider/Horse Winners
- 1978 World Three Day Event Championships: Team Gold- Canada; Individual Gold- Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ Might TangoMight TangoMight Tango was a top eventing horse trained and ridden by American Bruce Davidson.*Lived: 1971-1995*Color: Gray*Breeding: American Thoroughbred*Breeding: by Mighty Mine, out of Betango*Rider: Bruce Davidson... - 1979 Modified Open Intermediate 3-Day (No Roads & Tracks): Juliet Bishop (CAN)/ Taxi
- 1980 Modified Advanced 3-Day (No Roads & Tracks): Torrance WatkinsTorrance WatkinsTorrance Watkins is an American event rider who has successfully competed internationally.-Early years:Her family was full of horsemen, many of them foxhunters, and she began riding to the hounds at the age of four...
/ Poltroon - 1981 Modified Advanced 3-Day (USET Selection Trials): James C. WoffordJames C. WoffordJames Cunningham Wofford is an American equestrian, who has competed in many international competitions in the sport of eventing. Today he is most known as a trainer of both horses and riders, and as a retired president of the AHSA and vice-president of the USET.Wofford now lives on his Fox Covert...
/ Carawich - 1982 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): Kim Walnes/ The Gray GooseThe Gray GooseThe Gray Goose was a horse ridden by American eventer Kim Walnes. At one point, the pair was ranked third in the world.*Color: Gray*Species: Goose*Sex: Gelding*Born: 1970, County Clare, Ireland...
- 1983 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ JJ BabuJJ BabuJJ Babu was a horse that excelled in the sport of eventing, under American rider Bruce Davidson.*Lived: 1974-April 1989*Sex: Gelding*Color: Bay*Markings: Small star... - 1984 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ Dr. PeachesDr. PeachesDr. Peaches was a horse ridden by American Bruce Davidson in the sport of eventing.*Foaled: 1976*Sex: Gelding*Color: Bay*Markings: Star, snip*Breed: American Thoroughbred... - 1985 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): Derek di Grazia/ Sasquatch
- 1986 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): James C. WoffordJames C. WoffordJames Cunningham Wofford is an American equestrian, who has competed in many international competitions in the sport of eventing. Today he is most known as a trainer of both horses and riders, and as a retired president of the AHSA and vice-president of the USET.Wofford now lives on his Fox Covert...
/ The Optimist - 1987 Advanced 3-Day (CCI): Kerry Millikin/ The Pirate
- 1988 Advanced 3-Day (CCI)- Olympic Selection Trial: Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ Dr. PeachesDr. PeachesDr. Peaches was a horse ridden by American Bruce Davidson in the sport of eventing.*Foaled: 1976*Sex: Gelding*Color: Bay*Markings: Star, snip*Breed: American Thoroughbred... - 1989 Advanced 3-Day (CCI)- Olympic Selection Trial: Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ Dr. PeachesDr. PeachesDr. Peaches was a horse ridden by American Bruce Davidson in the sport of eventing.*Foaled: 1976*Sex: Gelding*Color: Bay*Markings: Star, snip*Breed: American Thoroughbred... - 1990 Advanced 3-Day (CCI**)- World Championships Selection Trial: David O'ConnorDavid O'Connor (equestrian)David John O'Connor is a retired equestrian rider. He won many international competitions as well as the gold medal for the US in the 2000 Olympic Games. He is only the second American to have won the Badminton Horse Trials. O'Connor sits as the President of the US Equestrian Federation...
/ Wilton Fair - 1991 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***): Karen LendeKaren O'ConnorKaren Lende O'Connor is an American equestrian. She was born February 17, 1958. Her family includes Joanne and Phillip Lende and brothers Steven and Chip. She grew up in Bolton, Massachusetts....
/ Mr. Maxwell - 1992 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- Olympic Selection Trial: Stuart Young-Black (CAN)/ Von Perrier
- 1993 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- Olympic Selection Trial: Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
/ Happy TalkHappy Talk (horse)Happy Talk is a horse ridden by American Bruce Davidson in the sport of eventing.*Foaled: 1983*Color: Bay*Sex: Gelding*Markings: Star*Breed: Irish-bred Thoroughbred*Breeding: by Hardboy, out of Unknown by Mon Capitane... - 1994 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- Olympic Selection Trial: Julie Gomena/ Treaty
- 1995 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- Olympic Qualifying Competition: David O'ConnorDavid O'Connor (equestrian)David John O'Connor is a retired equestrian rider. He won many international competitions as well as the gold medal for the US in the 2000 Olympic Games. He is only the second American to have won the Badminton Horse Trials. O'Connor sits as the President of the US Equestrian Federation...
/ Custom MadeCustom MadeCustom Made is a horse that was ridden by American David O'Connor at the international level in the sport of eventing.*Stable Name: Tailor*Color: Dark Bay*Markings: Star, stripe*Height: 17.1 hh *Sex: Gelding... - 1996 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- USET Selection Trial: Stephen BradleyStephen Bradley (equestrian)Stephen Bradley is an internationally successful rider in the equestrian sport of eventing. He has competed internationally since 1989, with great achievements including a place on the US Eventing Team at the Barcelona Olympic Games, and in 1993 he became only the second American to have won the...
/ Dr. Dolittle - 1997 Advanced 3-Day (CCI***)- USET Selection Trial: Karen O'ConnorKaren O'ConnorKaren Lende O'Connor is an American equestrian. She was born February 17, 1958. Her family includes Joanne and Phillip Lende and brothers Steven and Chip. She grew up in Bolton, Massachusetts....
/ Worth the Trust - 1998 CCI****: Nick Larkin (NZL)/ Red; CCI***: Tiffani Loudon/ Makabi
- 1999 CCI****: Karen O'ConnorKaren O'ConnorKaren Lende O'Connor is an American equestrian. She was born February 17, 1958. Her family includes Joanne and Phillip Lende and brothers Steven and Chip. She grew up in Bolton, Massachusetts....
/ Prince Panache; CCI***: Kimberly Vinoski / Over the Limit - 2000 CCI****: Blyth TaitBlyth TaitBlyth Tait is a New Zealand equestrian. Tait has competed at four Olympics and has won four medals, one of only four New Zealanders to do so....
/ Welton Envoy - 2001 CCI****: David O'ConnorDavid O'Connor (equestrian)David John O'Connor is a retired equestrian rider. He won many international competitions as well as the gold medal for the US in the 2000 Olympic Games. He is only the second American to have won the Badminton Horse Trials. O'Connor sits as the President of the US Equestrian Federation...
/ GiltedgeGiltedgeGiltedge is a horse that was ridden by American David O'Connor at the international level in the sport of eventing.*Stable Name: Tex*Color: Dark Bay*Markings: Off hind sock*Height: 17.0 hh *Sex: Gelding... - 2002 CCI****: Kim Severson-Vinoski / Winsome Adante
- 2003 CCI****: Pippa FunnellPippa FunnellPippa Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman, regarded as one of three-day eventing's sporting elite...
/ Primmore’s Pride - 2004 CCI****: Kim Severson / Winsome Adante; Bayer Modified (without steeplechase) Four Star Winner: Darren Chiacchia/Windfall IIWindfall IIWindfall II is a horse that has competed internationally in the equestrian sport of eventing.*Height: 16.3 hh *Breeding: by Habicht, out of Wundermaedel by Madruzzo xx*Riders: Ingrid Klimke, Darren Chiacchia-Sire's Side:...
- 2005 CCI****: Kim Severson / Winsome Adante
- 2006 CCI**** without steeplechase: Andrew HoyAndrew HoyAndrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....
(AUS)/ Master Monarch - 2007 CCI**** Clayton FredericksClayton FredericksClayton Fredericks is an Australian equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the three-day eventing team. He lives in England with his wife Lucinda Fredericks who was part of the same silver-medal winning team.Fredericks attended school at Wesley College,...
(AUS)/ Ben Along Time - 2008 CCI**** Phillip DuttonPhillip DuttonPhillip Peter Dutton is an Olympic-level equestrian rider. He is a dual olympic gold medalist who formally competed for Australia but now competes for the United States....
(USA)/ ConnaughtConnachtConnacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for... - 2009 CCI**** Lucinda FredericksLucinda FredericksLucinda Fredericks is a champion equestrian sportswoman competing at the highest levels of equestrian eventing. She changed her nationality upon her marriage to Australian equestrian Clayton Fredericks, and now rides for Australia...
(AUS)/ Headley BritanniaHeadley BritanniaHeadley Britannia, stable name Brit, is a mare competing at the highest levels of the equestrian sport of eventing. Relatively small for the sport, her jumping ability, manoeuvrability and willingness propelled her to the top of the sport.... - 2010 CCI**** William Fox-PittWilliam Fox-PittWilliam Speed Lane Fox-Pitt , known as William Fox-Pitt, is an English equestrian. He has had notable successes at the Burghley, Badminton, Blenheim and Bramham Horse Trials...
/ Cool Mountain - 2011 CCI**** Mary KingMary King (equestrian)Mary Elizabeth King is a British Olympic equestrian sportswoman who has represented Great Britain at five Olympics from 1992 to 2008, winning one silver and one bronze medal in the team eventing...
(GBR) / Kings Temptress (also took 2nd place aboard Fernhill Urco)