Additional Information

EVENT HISTORY

History of the Kentucky Three-Day Event

In October 1976, as preparation for the World Championships, EEI organized the first horse trials ever held at the Horse Park. In 1977, the organization coordinated the staging of the national Pony Club Rally in August and produced the North American Junior Three–Day Event Championships in September.

The 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships, held for the first time in the United States September 14–17, were an unprecedented success. (See the original 1978 Time Magazine story on the event here.) Individual World Champion Bruce Davidson of Pennsylvania retained the world title by riding his young, courageous American Thoroughbred, Might Tango. The popular team of riders and horses from Canada won the Team Gold Medal.

Over the years, spectators from all over the world visited the Kentucky Horse Park to witness these amazing horse and rider pairs. In 2023 over the four days 89,000 people were in attendance from 15 countries, all 50 US states and over 2,000 cities worldwide.

1976

First Horse Trials

1978

Organized the World Championship of Eventing

1980

U.S. Selection Trial for Fontainebleau, France

1981

Rolex Watch U.S.A. becomes Title sponsor of Kentucky Horse Trials

1982

U.S. Selection Trial for Luhmuhlen, Germany

1984

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California

1986

Intermediate Level Three-Day Event added

1987

U.S. Selection Trial for Pan American Games in Indiana

1988

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea

1989

Added Young Riders (16-21) Open Intermediate Horse Trials Division

1990

U.S. Selection Trial for the World Championships Team

1992

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain

1993

First FEI Americas Cup Final

1996

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia

1998

Rolex Kentucky becomes the only CCI**** held outside of Europe
Kentucky holds both CCI**** and CCI*** Events

1999

Last year for Kentucky to host CCI*** event
Grand Slam of Eventing introduced offering $250,000 in prize money to any rider winning Kentucky, Badminton, and Burghley in succession

2000

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia

2002

U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games

2004

Bayer Modified Four Star Three-Day Event offered (short format) along with Rolex Kentucky
Rolex Kentucky broadcast on NBC for the first Time

2005

25th anniversary of Rolex Watch U.S.A. title sponsorship

2006

Rolex Kentucky permanently shifts to short format

2007

10th year for Rolex Kentucky as a CCI****

2010

U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park
Mike Etherington-Smith retires as Cross-Country Course designer after 18 years

2011

Derek di Grazia becomes Rolex Kentucky Cross-Country Course Designer

2012

U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in London, England

2014

U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games

2016

U.S. Selection Trial for 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil

2018

Land Rover North America becomes title sponsor of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
40th anniversary of the 1978 World Eventing Championships, held for the first time in the U.S.
EEI introduces the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event

2019

MARS Equestrian™ signs on as the presenting sponsor of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute signs on as the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix

2020

Kentucky Three-Day Event cancelled for the first time in 42 years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic
Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix cancelled for the first time since it’s inception in 2018

2021

Kentucky Three-Day Event returns but without spectators due to the continuation of COVID-19 global pandemic
Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix cancelled
Debut of the Lexington CCI4* competition

2022

Kentucky Three-Day Event returns to full capacity after COVID-19 global pandemic
Cosequin® signs on as the Lexington 4* Title Sponsor
For the first time, the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*, the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4* and the CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix events all run concurrently