Spring Colors Prevail in Kentucky at Rolex Three Day Event
Equestrian News Release

Lexington, KY – April 26, 2006 – Last-minute preparations are underway at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Vendors are arranging their wares in the trade fair, the rings are being dragged, flowers are being arranged on the cross-country fences. Following the initial veterinary inspection, riders took their horses out across the vivid green fields of the Horse Park and put them through their paces in the dressage arena in preparation for the first day of dressage competition tomorrow.

Sixty-nine horses were presented in the first veterinary inspection to the ground jury of Angela Tucker (GBR), President, Martin Plewa (GER) and Brian Ross (USA). Three horses were held for re-inspection: Edward 16, ridden by Kai Rueder (GER) and Ocotillo, ridden by Cathy Wieschhoff and owned by Team Ocotillo LLC both passed on the second presentation, while Roundabout, ridden by Penny Rowland (CAN) and owned by Don J. Good, was not accepted. Rowland will still compete in the event on Windswept, also owned by Good. The crowd sighed a breath of relief for Wieschhoff, a Lexington local who always draws a large cheering section at Rolex.

The soundness jog is always an opportunity for riders to show off their fashion sense and today was no exception. While generally understated, a few competitors chose to show their colors with pastels and brighter colors. Canadian Garry Roque’s white suit and pink tie really stood out from the crowd, and Mara Dean’s tailored, knee-length orange jacket was a bold and elegant choice. Kristen Bond proved her surefootedness by trotting her horse Blackout wearing high heels with nary a wrong step, but Ian Roberts’ (CAN) gray gelding Napalm proved less fortunate when he got a little rambunctious and slipped and fell on the pavement after the jog (he stood up and trotted off sound). Texan Will Faudree’s cowboy hat is always a crowd pleaser; in all, certainly there were more fashion “do’s” than “don’ts” strutting their stuff today.

This is the first year that Rolex will be run as a CCI**** without steeplechase. The only CCI**** in the United States, the event is the primary qualifier in the US for this summer’s World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, so organizers chose to match the format of the championship. Incidentally the WEG will come to Lexington in 2010. Event Director Jane Atkinson noted that in an effort to maintain the classic three-day event format, she hopes to offer the long format event in non-championship years.

It is important to note that the specifications and parameters for the cross-country phase of a short format CCI, at any level, are exactly the same as for a CCI with steeplechase (and roads and tracks). Minimum and maximum distances (6,270-7,410 meters at the Four Star level) and number of jumping efforts (45 maximum at the Four Star level) are exactly the same for both the short format and the classic (long) format.

Tomorrow and Friday feature dressage and on Saturday is cross-country, the exciting day everyone has been waiting for when horses and riders will test their mettle over Mike Etherington-Smith’s redesigned cross-country course. Finally on Sunday one horse and rider combination will prove victorious over the talented field of international competitors in this year’s exciting competition.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mara Dean at the Kentucky Rolex jog. ©Amber Heintzberger Photo