Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Named Official Charity of 2023 Land Rover Kentucky

January 31, 2020
The logo for the grayson jockey club research foundation

     Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Continues as Official Charity of 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™

     


     Lexington, Kentucky – April 11, 2023 – The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, traditionally the nation’s leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses, returns for the second consecutive year as the Official Charity of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE).

 

Organized by Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 27-30, featuring one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event annually attracts more than 80,000 spectators who enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hospitality experiences and a wide array of demonstrations. In addition to its traditional CCI5*-L, the event also features the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S and $226,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.


     Since 1983, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has provided more than $34.1 million to fund 426 projects at 45 universities in North America and overseas. Through the years, research funded by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and its predecessor (the Grayson Foundation) has uncovered solutions to critical problems affecting horse health as well as clues to numerous other solutions for equine health issues, including current research projects into osteoarthritis, neurodegeneration and stem cells in healing. For more information, visit Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc.

 

“EEI has a long history of supporting charities that serve the local community and the equine industry, and we are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation as our Official Charity,” said EEI executive director Mike Cooper. “They are committed to funding the best research for the health of our equine partners and ensuring that today’s research can help train the researchers of tomorrow. We look forward to continuing our support of their large, generous impact worldwide.”

 

As the Official Charity, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation will receive a portion of the proceeds from a special Painted Saddles auction sponsored by Equine Network. Eight saddles will be painted by artists across the country and signed by top U.S. riders including Olympians and other stars of the sport. Proceeds will be split evenly among the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Equine Network’s Seen Through Horses with distribution to a variety of charities, and the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. 

     

     Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is a thrilling multi-day competition featuring Olympic-level riders and horses in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Horse and rider pairs compete in three phases of the competition – Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping – for $375,000 in prize money to those competing at the CCI5*-L level. LRK3DE is the largest and longest-running Five Star event in the Americas and as the United States’ premier event, it also serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. athletes. Rolex is the Official Timepiece and Event Partner.

 

Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S

Introduced in 2021, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S runs concurrently with the CCI5*-L competition, featuring the three phases of eventing – dressage, cross country and show jumping. The Cosequin® Lexington 4* offers $25,000 prize money. Tickets for viewing the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S are included when purchasing the LRK3DE tickets.

 

Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

The $226,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will take place on Saturday afternoon, April 29, after the cross-country portion of the LRK3DE. As part of the competition, there will also be a $38,700 Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Friday in the Rolex Stadium, after the day’s LRK3DE dressage competition. No stadium seat ticket is required for Friday’s Ranking Class. For more Grand Prix information, visit https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/grand-prix/.

 

Further information about the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S, and the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is available at www.kentuckythreedayevent.com.

 

About Equestrian Events, Inc.

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is a non-profit charitable Kentucky corporation that was established initially to produce the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. 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 added the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix in 2018, the Lexington CCI4*-S in 2021, and also produces other events. EEI supports several local and equine charities and has donated more than $725,000 to various charities since 2011. For more information, please visit www.eq-events.com.

     

Coleman brings the win back to the USA at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian

April 28, 2026
Lexington, Ky., April 26, 2026 Despite it being an American event, American champions have been hard to come by over the last 18 years in the CCI5*-L at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), with only Tamie Smith’s 2023 win standing out in a sea of foreign victories. But Will Coleman has entered his name into the record books as just the second American in nearly two decades to take home the top prize. He and Diabolo added just 0.8 time penalties in the final phase to finish on a score of 28.1 and take home the trophy. Double-clear show jumping rounds propelled Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (28.6) and Great Britain’s David Doel on Galileo Neiuwmoed (30.8) to 2 nd and 3 rd respectively. Overnight leader, New Zealand’s Monica Spencer and Artist, dropped three rails to fall to 7 th . “I probably can’t put it into words,” he said of his victory abord the Diabolo Group’s Holsteiner gelding. “It’s a surreal feeling; it’s something we all dream about. Winning (a five-star) is the hardest thing to do in equestrian sports, and I feel like (all the riders) deserve the win. It’s such a hard game, it takes so long to get good enough at it to contend at this level. “I have so much respect for the sport, and the horses and riders, so it feels like it’s unfair that I’m the only one that gets to take home the win,” he continued. “But I’m overjoyed for the horse and all who are involved in his journey — the owners, my family, my coaches, and our staff at home. I wake up most days feeling like the luckiest guy in the world and today I feel extremely lucky.” As the highest-placed American, Coleman is also the winner of the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. riders.

Farrington flies to victory in the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Eques

April 28, 2026
Lexington, Ky., April 25, 2026  Fresh off his win in the show jumping World Cup Final, world #2 Kent Farrington continued his winning ways by streaking home fastest in the jump-off with Descartes SR at the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute part of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), the penultimate stop on the Major League Show Jumping tour. Mclain Ward and High Star Hero put in a strong performance to stop the clock in 40.42 but couldn’t quite catch Farrington’s time of 39.92. Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and James Kann Cruz chased them both, but his time of 40.71 was only good enough for third. “I’m really excited about this horse,” Farrington said. “He’s just 9 and this is his first five-star, and we started it the right way. He has an incredible stride like a racehorse and I know he can eat up the ground.”
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