Dubarry of Ireland Best Dressed Award Winners, Meghan O'Donoghue and Will Faudree with Kyle Ziegler, Dubarry Senior Events Team Manager following the first horse inspection at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian held in Lexington, KY. Photo: Redbaygroup.com



Sixty-Three Horses Presented and Passed With No Holds

The Kentucky Horse Park woke up to a blanket of snow Wednesday morning, setting a unique scene for the start of The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE) in Lexington, KY.

In the afternoon, CCI5*-L competitors presented their horses to the ground jury for the first time during the first horse inspection. The sun had emerged and the sno­­w disappeared, making for a beautiful setting on the jog strip.

A total of 63 horses presented and all of them passed the inspection without any being sent to the holding box.

Dubarry presented awards for the best dressed riders in the first horse inspection. Meghan O’Donoghue was named the best dressed female and Will Faudree earned best dressed male. Each of them will receive a brand new pair of Dubarry boots.

Thursday marks the first day of dressage, beginning with the CCI4*-S. The test ride is at 7:35 am and the first competitor will start down the centerline at 7:59 am. For the CCI5*-L, the test ride is at 11:45 am and the first competitor will go at 12:15 pm.

Due to the expected weather conditions, Saturday’s schedule has been reversed so that the CCI5*-L will run cross-country first in the morning and the CCI4*-S will run in the afternoon.

A provisional schedule, orders of go, and results can be found on the Kentucky Three-Day Event website.

Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE) hosts one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world and is serving as a U.S. selection trial for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games. As the United States’ premier three-day event, LRK3DE serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI-5*-L Eventing National Championship Presented by MARS Equestrian™ for U.S. athletes.

A new partnership between EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian (USEF), longstanding sponsors Land Rover, MARS Equestrian™ and Rolex and many other valued event sponsors, plus the collective efforts of the many individuals who donated, ensured that the nation’s premier equestrian event will be held with its traditional CCI5*-L in the afternoons and a new CCI4*-S in the mornings. Although the event is being held without spectators, it can be seen live online on the USEF Network, free of charge with a USEF Fan Membership, which is available at no cost using the code LRK3DE21.

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™ is indebted to all of its sponsors for their support, without which the event could not be possible.

About Equestrian Events, Inc.

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable Kentucky corporation that was established initially to produce the World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in 1978. Following the success of those championships, EEI established an annual event that evolved into the world-renowned Kentucky Three-Day Event which draws more than 80,000 spectators to the Kentucky Horse Park each year. EEI also produces other events and supports several local and equine charities. EEI has d­onated more than $725,000 to various charities since 2011. Further information about EEI and the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is available at www.kentuckythreedayevent.com.

About the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation

Since its inception in 1985, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation has provided over $25 million worth of improvements, helping make the Kentucky Horse Park the leading equestrian facility of its kind in the world. The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to enhancing, expanding, and improving the Kentucky Horse Park. Further information is available at www.khpfoundation.org.