Jessica Phoenix of Canada has ridden around the Kentucky Horse Park before, but never has she found herself sitting atop the standings after the first day of competition at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover. Phoenix and Don Goodโs Pavarotti sit in first on a score of 43.1. Nipping closely at their heels is Lauren Kieffer of the USA and Vermiculus (43.8) followed by Franceโs Maxime Livio and Qalao Des Mers (44.6).
Known as the โBest Weekend All Year,โ the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover is being held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, April 27-30.
โItโs exciting,โ said Phoenix, grinning from ear to ear. โIโm so proud of everything that โRottiโ did today and Iโm looking forward to the rest of the weekend with him.โ
Though sunny and warm, the wind kicked up early in the day, with large gusts often setting the horses on the edge, and proving the undoing of several combinations. By the end of the day, steady performances in the wind and atmosphere were garnering the top scores.
Phoenix, 33, Cannington, Ontario, has long gone south for the winter, and has always stopped in Lexington on her way back north. Sometimes she does the whole event and sometimes sheโs withdrawn after dressage, but Pavarottiโs comfort in the ring was evident as he stayed focused and steady throughout his work.
โHeโs definitely been in this ring before, and it helped,โ Phoenix said. โHe felt so relaxed going down the runway, and he felt confident and happy in the ring. It was a pleasure to ride him.โ
Steadiness was also a hallmark of Kiefferโs test, something she hasnโt been able to count on with Vermiculus in the past.
โIโm really pleased with him today,โ said Kieffer, 29, Middleburg, Va. โItโs his first four star, so heโs greener, and heโs known for being cheeky in the dressage. But heโs come out and been better and more mature this year, though I didnโt expect him to be that good in that ring. Apparently a bag blew by during my test, I didnโt know but I heard crowd gasping, and I though Iโd gone off course. But he handled it really well.โ
โBugโ is special to Kieffer, as he is a full brother to her first event horse and first Rolex horse, Snooze Alarm. Kieffer bought the Anglo-Arabian from breeder Lawson Williams as an unbroken three-year old, though their first few months together werenโt all the smooth.
โI brought him home and turned him out in field with Snooze Alarm and couldnโt catch him for three months,โ she said with a laugh. โSo he got started a little later than I planned. But itโs always special to have ones with that sort of connection.โ
Livio, 29, came all the way from his home in Saumur, France, but loves Kentucky so far. โI was waiting for something like this, and itโs totally amazing,โ Livio said. โIโm so happy to be here and discover the USAโs four star.โ
Maxime Livio (FRA) and Qalao Des Mers had two mistakes in the trot lengthening to mar an otherwise lovely test. They sit in third after the first day of dressage at Rolex Kentucky. (Michelle Dunn Photo)
His smooth, floating test aboard the bay Selle Francais gelding looked to be the winner, but two mistakes-they broke to canter in both trot extensions-kept them just out of the top placing.
โHeโs a very generous horse and he always wants to do his best,โ he said. โHe wanted to do his best today, but I made two mistakes.โ
Livio and Qalao Des Mers won the CCI4* at Luhmuhlen (Germany) and were second at the Pau (France) CCI4* in 2016, so they are bringing a lot of experience into this competition. โHeโs a really bold horse, and he has two or three four-stars behind him so we know heโs a terrific cross-country horse,โ he said. โHeโs fast and courageous, my only problem is to keep him from jumping too high or going too fast and to say to him, โwait listen to me.โ Iโm very lucky to have such a horse.โ
With the first phase over for them, the riderโs thoughts turn now to Derek di Graziaโs cross-country course.
โI think itโs well suited to my horse,โ Phoenix said. โHe has a massive gallop stride and takes a little bit to settle in to a course. It looks bold and forward-there are lots of accuracy questions and the terrain is always a question here-but itโs open, bold, galloping and not trappy.โ
Livio hadnโt finished his first walk, but the course had already made an impression. โI hadnโt finished so I canโt tell a lot yet,โ he said. โBut what I saw looks very exciting. Iโm happy to be here on this horse.โ
At last nightโs welcome reception, the first of two Rolex watches to be given out was won by Jordan Linstedt of Duvall, Washington. This reception, held for the first time and the world famous Fasig-Tipton outside of Lexington, features the annual drawing among the competitors for a Rolex watch. Linstedt will do her dressage test tomorrow aboard Revitavet Capato.
This Rolex watch is one of two signature watches given each year by the eventโs title sponsor-the eventโs winner receives the second, even-more-coveted watch on Sunday afternoon. No rider has ever won both watches in the same year.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the nationโs premier Three-Day Event and one of the most prestigious equestrian competitions in the world. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the worldโs governing body of equestrian sports, has designated the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as a โFour Starโ eventing competition, the highest designation, which is given only to the Olympic Games, World Championships, and six annual events around the world. โRolex Kentuckyโ is the only Four Star event in the Western Hemisphere and is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. It hosts the Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge and serves as the Rolex/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship.
Spectators can enjoy a world-class three-day event competition and shop at the Sponsor Village and International Trade Fair with almost 200 booths and tents. Rolex Kentucky also features tailgating, a fund-raising farm-to-table dinner Thursday evening, on-site beer garden, 5K race on Friday evening, Land Rover test drives and Champions Live! on Sunday morning. Ticket buyers also receive general admission to the Kentucky Horse Park, Americaโs only theme park dedicated to horses.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, May 7, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. EDT. USEFNetwork.com will livestream the competition in its entirety live as it happens and will also have the coverage available on demand. FEITV.org will also livestream the event internationally.
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 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
The official charity of this yearโs Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH). Further information is available at the eventโs official website at www.RK3DE.org.