Jung sets a record at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™
Lexington, Ky., April 24, 2025— Germany’s Michael Jung is no stranger to the top of the scoreboard at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (K3DE). While the fact he took the lead after Thursday’s dressage test was not a surprise, his record-breaking score of 18.6 was. The exceptional score garnered by FischerChipmunk FRH broke Jung’s previous CCI5*-L record of 20.1 set at K3DE in 2022 and leaves him well in front of Tim Price (NZL) with Jarillo and Clarke Johnstone (NZL) with Menlo Park, who are tied for second on scores of 28.4. Price is also in fourth place with Happy Boy on a score of 29.1.
“I’m very happy to be here again,” said Jung, a four-time Olympian. “I really love this place, this show; everything is how you wish to have it for a competition. Everything worked like I wished today in the test.”
Produced by Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), a non-profit, charitable organization that supports the development of equestrian sports by staging sporting events at the highest level, the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian features one of only seven annual 5* three-day events in the world. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event annually attracts nearly 90,000 spectators who also enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hospitality experiences and a wide array of demonstrations. In addition to the traditional CCI5*-L, the event also features the Cosequin® Lexington 4* and the Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
Michael Jung (GER) and FischerChipmunk FRH took the lead after the first day of dressage and set a CCI5*-L record with their score of 18.6. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
Jung’s résumé is as good as a rider can get; he has been Olympic and World Champion multiple times and has won the K3DE on four occasions. FischerChipmunk FRH, the 14-year-old bay Hanoverian owned by a consortium including DOKR (the German Olympic Committee), Klaus and Sabine Fischer and the horse’s breeder Dr. Hilmer Meyer-Kulenkampff, is the reigning Olympic champion from the 2024 Paris Games, so it wasn’t surprising to find this pair atop the leaderboard.
“Chipmunk is a horse you dream to have in your stables,” Jung said. “He’s a super talent. He’s great in the dressage — easy and relaxed to ride. On cross-country, he’s super fast with a big stride, and he has a lot of scope in the show jumping.”
Price has three horses in the CCI5*-L, with 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood Jarillo and 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood Happy Boy competing on Thursday. “My two horses are a bit of an unknown quantity at this level, but Happy Boy and Jarillo tried really hard today,” said Price, a three-time Olympian and the world’s #2 ranked rider. “You want them to come and do their best and deliver what they’re capable of doing, and they both did that today.”
He described Jarillo, owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, and James and Rachel Good, as “beautiful, super talented, but sharp and distracted and thinking of other things, though he’s getting better as he gets older. He’s got the world in front of him. It was my job to have him stay focused in the arena today so he could relax and produce the work he could, but I must be with him everywhere and kind of hold his hand.”
Tim Price (NZL) and rising star Jarillo are tied for second after the first day of dressage. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
In contrast, Happy Boy, owned by Price, Susan Lamb and Therese Miller, seemed to live up to his name. “I’ve had him a bit longer, and we’ve had a lot of fun together,” Price said. “It’s taken a while to get to him to the 5* level; he’s sort of small-framed and unassuming, but in everything he’s done, he’s believed in himself.”
Johnstone and Menlo Park, the 15-year-old British Sport Horse owned by Clarke, Jean, and Rob Johnstone, have been together for four years. “We’ve been to [the World Championship] together and the Paris Olympics,” said Johnstone, a two-time Olympian. “I bought him from a good friend in Australia when I was still living in New Zealand, and we moved together to England. He’s very well-traveled, just a lovely guy, and a friendly, happy horse. He loves traveling and doing things.”
Sitting fifth overall on a score of 29.8, four-time U.S. Olympian and World #10 Boyd Martin currently leads the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian aboard Fedarman B.
Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Menlo Park are tied for second in the CCI5*-L. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
Dutton starts strong in the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S
Phillip Dutton (USA) is no stranger to Kentucky’s Rolex Arena, having won the event and been the top-placed American seven times. His experience showed as he and the bay Holsteiner Denim strutted to the lead in the Cosequin® Lexington 4* on Thursday. The 10-year-old owned by Caroline Moran, Ann Jones, Ann Lapides and Neill Sites took the lead on a score of 25.6.
“It’s great to be up here, but I don’t want to get too carried away; there’s still a long way to go,” Dutton joked. “But I couldn’t be prouder of Denim. He really stepped up.”
Phillip Dutton (USA) and Denim found themselves leading on a score of 25.6 after the first day of dressage in the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
At the other end of the spectrum is 21-year-old Molly Duda (USA), who sits second on her own Disco Traveler. The 16-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Duda calls “her heart horse” had a flowing test that scored 27.7, a hairsbreadth ahead of fellow American Caroline Pamukcu and her Olympic mount HSH Blake, who stand third on 27.9.
“I’m so incredibly proud of this [test],” Duda said. “He’s always a trickier horse on the flat. It’s not his favorite phase, but he tried his heart out for me. I’m thankful for the support from [coaches] Tamie Smith and Leslie Law and the developing riders program. I’m full of gratitude for everyone who helped me.
Molly Duda (USA) and Disco Traveler danced into second place. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
Since the 2024 Paris Olympics, Pamucku took a bit of a break to have a baby, and her horses got a nice fall and winter vacation. Now she’s back and looking to build experience for her string of impressive 10-year-olds.
“Blake was fabulous today,” Pamucku said of the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding she owns with Mollie Hoff, Deniz Pamukcu and Sherrie Martin. “I have to say, he’s been a little on the back burner with me taking it easier and having a baby, but I’ve enjoyed having him back this spring and have eyes towards Aachen (Germany) later this year.”
Pamucku also has two horses in the CCI5*-L who are contesting their first event at the level — HSH Double Sixteen and She’s The One. “They’re both 10 but very experienced for their age,” she said.
Caroline Pamukcu (USA) and HSH Blake put their best foot forward to stand third. (Amy Dragoo Photo)
Spencer is Best Dressed
Wednesday’s first horse inspection marked the official start of the K3DE, where the Dubarry of Ireland “Best Dressed” Award was presented to the horse-and-rider pair who put the most fashionable foot forward of every competitor. U.S.-based New Zealand rider Monica Spencer received the 2025 Award with her own Artist, impressing the judges in a cloak-like black-and-white plaid jacket, knee-high boots and black leather pants. She took home a pair of Dubarry boots and a jacket as her prize.
L: Monica Spencer (NZL) and Artist dazzled in the K3DE’s first horse inspection. R: Spencer is presented with her Best Dressed prize of Dubarry boots and jacket by Danny Hulse of Dubarry of Ireland. (Amy Dragoo Photos)
Dressage for both the CCI4*-S and the CCI5*-L will conclude on Friday before the competition moves on to the heart of eventing, the cross-country phase, on Saturday. Action wraps up on Sunday with the final phase, the show jumping. Photos (credit to Amy Dragoo) are available via Dropbox.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™
The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) 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 $400,000 in prize money to those competing at the CCI5*-L level. K3DE is the largest and longest-running Five Star event in the Americas and as the United States’ premier event, it also serves as the Defender/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*-S is a US Equestrian Open Eventing Series Qualifier and offers $50,000 prize money. Tickets for viewing the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S are included when purchasing the K3DE tickets.
Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Formerly known as the Kentucky Invitational, the Kentucky International made its debut at the 2018 Kentucky Three-Day Event as a CSI3* and was held as a CSI4* for the first time in 2024. As a CSI5* in 2025, the international show jumping event will make EEI the only event organizer in the world to host both a CCI5*-L and CSI5* in the same week. More information on the Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute can be found at https://www.kentuckythreedayevent.com/the-kentucky-international-csi5.
Livestream and TV Broadcasts
All competitions held as part of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ – the CCI5*, Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*, and Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute – can be watched live on USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV. The link is also available through the event website at www.kentuckythreedayevent.com. The livestream is available free of charge worldwide to USEF fans and members. Anyone can become a fan and watch the event free by registering as a “Fan” at www.usef.org/fan. ClipMyHorse.TV premium subscribers can also watch the event. All phases of the CCI5* (dressage, cross country and jumping) will also be shown live on ESPN3.
US Equestrian and ESPN have teamed up to broadcast the Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute on ESPNews on Sunday, May 4, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ on Saturday, May 3, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on ESPNews. It will also be shown on ESPN2 on Sunday, May 4, 8:00-10:00 a.m. and again 8:00-10:00 p.m. All times are eastern.
Further information about the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*, and the Kentucky International CSI5* presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is available at
https://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 nearly 90,000 spectators to the Kentucky Horse Park each year. EEI added the Kentucky CSI Invitational Grand Prix in 2018, which upgraded to the Kentucky International CSI5* for 2025, the Lexington CCI4*-S in 2021, and also produces other events. EEI is also hosting the United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships in 2026-2028. EEI supports several local and equine charities and over the last 20 years has donated more than $1.1 million to various charities. For more information, please visit www.eq-events.com.
