Lexington, KY—March 7, 2007—Equestrian Events, Inc., organizer of the 2007 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Farnam, and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) have announced that NBC television will once again bring the thrill and excitement of America’s only four-star three-day event to a national television audience.
This year’s Rolex Kentucky CCI****, an FEI Qualifying Competition for the 2008 Olympic Games, returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 26-29. Anchoring a worldwide television schedule will be a domestic broadcast on NBC airing as a one-hour special on Sunday, May 6, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. EDT.
Supplementing the U.S. telecast will be extensive television coverage in Europe that will include a primetime broadcast on EuroSport as well as a broadcast on CNBC Europe. Both broadcasts will include extensive highlights from cross-country and show jumping plus a feature on dressage, with the EuroSport program airing Wednesday evening, May 2. The broadcast on CNBC Europe will air at a later date. Broadcasts in Asia will include one-hour programs on both CNBC Asia and ESPN Star Sports Asia.
“The Rolex Kentucky four-star is clearly established as one of the world’s premier equestrian events,” said Event Director Jane Atkinson. “Interest continues to grow, not only in this country but internationally as well, and this is the most far-reaching television schedule ever. The national telecasts on NBC, produced by Carr-Hughes Productions, Greenfield Center, NY, have given tremendous positive exposure to the sport of eventing even beyond traditional equestrian circles and we are proud that Rolex Kentucky can contribute in this way.”
“Since the first NBC broadcast four years ago the United States Equestrian Federation has worked diligently to obtain advertisers and sponsors to underwrite this broadcast, and to sponsor the event itself. We are committed to our partnership with EEI which brings the NBC Rolex Kentucky telecast to tens of millions of enthusiasts for horse sports worldwide,” said John Long, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Equestrian Federation.
Due in part to the success and proven organization of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Kentucky Horse Park was chosen as the site for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010. This will mark the first time the Games, which feature World Championships in eight equestrian disciplines, are being held outside of Europe. The NBC program and the international broadcasts of the Carr-Hughes production will undoubtedly make the opportunity to see Rolex Kentucky action from the Kentucky Horse Park that much more exciting for the many thousands of fans in the U.S. and around the world who are thinking of traveling to Kentucky for the 2010 Games.
The 2007 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Farnam, will run a CCI4* without Steeplechase (short format) and the 10th championship for the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Pinnacle Trophy, signifying the zenith in eventing competition in the United States.
Last year’s Rolex Kentucky, a competition testing some of the world’s most athletic horses in dressage, cross-country and show jumping, attracted a record 90,748 people over the four days of the competition and if ticket sales are any indication, 2007 again will have record attendance.
The only four-star event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Farnam, is the premier competition for the top horses and riders in eventing. Past winners include a bevy of Olympic medalists: David and Karen O’Connor and Kim Severson of the United States, New Zealand’s Blyth Tait, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain and Andrew Hoy of Australia.
The competition features this country’s best horses and riders and international stars vying for their share of $200,000 in prize money and a chance at the $250,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.