MAY 2024 THE RIDER /45


Exclusive to the Digital Edition of The Rider


MAY 2024 Vol. 5, Issue No. 7


CELEBRATING 53 YEARS


Top Show Jumping Athletes Set to Compete in


Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute


Eight Olympians Highlight Show Jumping Entries at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™


Lexington, Kentucky – April 16, 2024 – This year’s $225,000 Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, hosted at the 2024 De- fender Kentucky Three- Day Event presented by MARS


Equestrian™,


promises to be the best yet with its new 4* designa- tion, expanded competi- tion


impressive list of entries that


schedule includes


and eight


Olympians and top inter- national athletes from 11 countries. Organized by Eques-


trian Events, Inc., the De- fender


Kentucky


Three-Day Event pre- sented by MARS Eques- trian (K3DE) returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 25-28, 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 nearly 90,000 spectators who also enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hos- pitality experiences and a wide array of demonstra- tions. In addition to the tra- ditional CCI5*-L,


the


event also features the Cosequin® Lexington 4* and Kentucky CSI4* Invi- tational Grand Prix pre- sented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Introduced at


the


2018 K3DE, the Kentucky CSI4* Invitational has an- nually taken place to the cheers of a packed stadium of fans. In addition to the Invitational Grand Prix, which features some 40 in- ternational riders on Satur- day at 6:00 p.m. after the event’s


cross-country phase, there will be a


$35,000 purse for the 1.45m Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Fri- day at 7:00 p.m. after the completion of the dressage competition. In addition, there will be a new $35,000 1.45m Two-Phase competition during the lunch hour on Saturday, April 27. Some of the sport’s


biggest stars will challenge the technical tracks de- signed by 2016 Rio Olympic Games course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) including 2021 U.S. Olympic eventing rider Doug Payne, who also has two horses en- tered in this year’s CCI5* event.


Joining Payne in the


star-studded U.S. contin- gent are two Olympic show jumping veterans: Kent Farrington, 2016 Team Silver medalist and current World #6 on the FEI Rider Rankings, and Margie Goldstein-Engle, who finished 10th individ- ually in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Farring- ton has been short-listed for the 2024 Paris Olympic team, along with fellow Kentucky Invitational con- tender Aaron Vale. Representing Ireland


in the lineup are World #11 Shane Sweetnam, who fin- ished third in last year’s Kentucky


2023 Kentucky Invitational champions Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Gemma W © Red Bay Group


Invitational


Grand Prix, and World #21 ranked rider Conor Swail, who took top honors in the 2022 Kentucky Invita- tional and finished fourth in 2023. Other world-class


entries include Olympians Tiffany Foster (CAN), the current World #17; Scott Keach (AUS); Samuel Parot (CHI); and Rodrigo


Pessoa (BRA), one of the most decorated riders in show jumping history with accolades including indi- vidual Gold medals in the 2004 Olympic Games and 1998 World Champi- onships as well as winning the FEI World Cup Finals three consecutive years. They will be looking to de- throne defending cham- pion Daniel Bluman (ISR),


a two-time Olympic vet- eran and the World’s #24 ranked rider. More information on


the Kentucky CSI4* Invi- tational Grand Prix pre- sented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute can be found here.


Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event pre- sented by MARS Eques-


trian™ The Defender Ken-


tucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) is a thrilling multi-day competition fea- turing Olympic-level rid- ers and horses in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Horse and rider pairs compete in three phases of the compe- tition – Dressage, Cross- Country


and Show


Jumping – for $400,000 in prize money to those com- peting 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, serves


as


it also the


Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Cham- pionship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. athletes. Rolex is the Official Timepiece and Event Partner.


Last year’s top finishers: (l-r) Lacey Gilbertson of the U.S., Daniel Bluman of Israel, and Shane Sweetnam of Ireland © Red Bay Group


Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S Introduced in 2021,


the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S runs concurrently with the CCI5*-L compe- tition, featuring the three phases of eventing – dres- sage, cross country and show jumping. The Cose- quin® Lexington 4*-S of- fers $50,000 prize money. Tickets for viewing the Cosequin® Lexington 4*- S are included when pur- chasing the K3DE tickets.


Kentucky CSI4* Invita- tional Grand Prix pre- sented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute The $225,000 Ken-


tucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will take place on Saturday afternoon, April 27, after the cross-country portion of the K3DE. As part of the competition, there will also be a $35,000 Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Fri- day in the Rolex Stadium, after the day’s K3DE dres- sage competition. In addi- tion to the new 4* level for the 2024 Grand Prix, there will be a new $35,000 1.45m Two-Phase during


the lunch hour on Satur- day, April 27. No stadium seat ticket is required for Friday’s Ranking Class. For more Grand Prix infor- mation,


please visit


https://kentuckythree- dayevent.com/grand-prix/.


Further information


about the Defender Ken- tucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S, and the Kentucky CSI4* Invita- tional Grand Prix pre- sented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is avail- able at https://www.ken- tuckythreedayevent.com/.


About Equestrian


Events, Inc. Equestrian Events,


Inc. (EEI) is a non-profit charitable Kentucky cor- poration that was estab- lished 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 spec- tators to the Kentucky Horse Park each year. EEI added the Kentucky CSI Invitational Grand Prix in 2018,


the Lexington


CCI4*-S in 2021, and also produces other events. EEI supports several local and equine charities and over the last 20 years has do- nated more than $1.1 mil- lion to various charities. For more information, please visit www.eq- events.com.


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