So here it is, my 13th time at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Who would have thought that when I went to my first Rolex in 1997 that I would end up only missing one between then and now (the 2009 event). My Rolex experiences started out as a day-trip jaunt from Western Kentucky University where I was attending school. It was my first year of college and an equine photographer that my friend, Laura, and I had met told us about the event. Since I was studying photojournalism at the time, I brought my Canon with me as Laura and I made the 2 1/2 –hour drive from Bowling Green Kentucky. And that led to the first thing I learned at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Your photos will never be as good as the professional equine photographers who make a living doing this.
I ended up not becoming a professional photojournalist since I decided that I wanted the variety of writing, photography, editing, and more. But I still try to get those great shots at Rolex. It’s a great place to get some truly amazing action shots of horses, but my photos don’t even come close to any of the equine photographers that I have worked with throughout the years. And I haven’t quite spent the money on the top lenses and equipment that they have either. But I do have a fairly new Nikon digital camera. It’s too bad digital photography didn’t become available earlier.
As I look out the window of the USEF offices while I work, I am reminded of the next lesson.

Pack for any type of weather.
This is Kentucky after all. Yesterday it was warm and sunny. It felt great to be outside. This morning it was quite chilly. Throughout the day we had sprinkles. Then it stopped and was cloudy with part sunshine. And later this weekend we are expecting more rain and storms. Oh, and that’s the third lesson.

It always rains during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event…at least on one day.
I really can’t remember the last time we had sunshine or even just clouds during the entire time. Maybe it was last year, when I missed it. Anybody remember? Why we just can’t have four days of sunshine…sigh. Oh, and that brings me to the next lesson.

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is actually FOUR days.
The first two days consist of dressage due to the number of entries. This year there are 53. That would be a lot of dressage rounds to get through in one day. So keep that in mind if you plan to attend the entire event. And that is one thing I have come to enjoy.
Attend all four days if you can. It’s the best way to experience everything.
Every rider, every round of dressage, every thrill of the show jumping trips. Since I have been covering the event as a journalist, I have been lucky enough to attend the entire event. It makes for an exhausting weekend, but it’s worth it if you want to catch everything. And you won’t want to miss the next tip.

There is some great shopping at Rolex.
I was on my first trip to the Press Center this year when I got sidetracked for a few minutes by a booth with a lot of sparkling jewelry. Hey, shiny things distract me. Okay, when it comes to shopping, I’m easily distracted. Just ask my husband. It didn’t take long for me to find my first, purchase for this year…a Palm Tree necklace on a silver chain. It grabbed me because I love the beach.

Always have money with you at Rolex.
So I found the necklace and I didn’t have my wallet on me. Some planning ahead today, and I was able to buy it, and it’s now hanging around my neck. I also bought lunch. Which is why you need CASH…for all the food vendors.
There is tons of junk food here at Rolex. But you can eat healthfully.
Hotdogs, sausage, burgers, fries, nachos, and on and on. Okay, it’s close to dinner time…I’m getting hungry. But if you want to eat healthfully, check out the salad vendor. I don’t know the official name, but they are here every year. They have really good salads. But keep in mind…food here is not cheap. Which goes back to, “Always have money with you.”

Buy a program.
The programs have so much information in them…from competitor bios, descriptions of the three phases of eventing and the jumps, the dressage test, a map of the grounds and the cross-country course, a list of the vendors, the schedule, and more. But don’t spend so much time buried in all the material in the book that you aren’t looking around. You might miss someone you know.

There are always friendly faces at Rolex. And if you don’t know anybody, you eventually will.
Every year I meet more and more people. The faces I tend to see year after year are all the journalists that cover the event. What a great group of people. This is the time when I see some of them for the year…not to see them again until the following year. So it’s always great to catch up and hopefully spend some time out on the town after the event ends for the day. Sometimes there is never enough time though. This year especially since the Kentucky Cup Dressage and Kentucky Cup Jumping are taking place this week. There is definitely a lot to do this week for all the journalists and organizers…just a taste of what it will be like during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Not only have I met journalists though, I have met fans of the event. I have been asked questions about eventing, the course, the Horse Park, and more. When you have a media credential hanging around your neck, it also spells out, “Tour Guide/Eventing Expert (hardly)/Answer Bank.” But I never mind. It’s great to educate others about the event and horses in general. And that reminds me of the time when I ran into one of my acquaintances from Lexington who I never would have figured to come to Rolex since they are not a horse person. But…

You don’t have to be a horse person to enjoy the event.
I have brought friends out here before who were not horse people. They had no clue about any of it. But they still had fun, and some have come back again. I have also brought my dog…great for him because there is so much to see, but exhausting for me, and Laura, who was also with me another year.

If you bring a dog, bring water, but there are also dog watering stations at various places, mainly near the Humane Society booth. But if you want to do some shopping, there needs to be two or more of you…one person to hold the dog, because it’s really hard to navigate the booths with a dog in tow.
Since that year, I haven’t brought my dog back. There are a lot of people on cross-country day, and he is quite hyper, even at 10 years old. And I didn’t want to subject any of my friends to the endless tugging. It’s a lot easier to get around to everything without him. And speaking of getting to see everything…

If you have never been to the Kentucky Horse Park, don’t forget to tour the other attractions that are here at the park.
There is so much more here than when I first came here in 1997. New museums and other attractions are being built. Some top art and cultural exhibits have come to the park. Some really famous horses have been and currently are featured in the Hall of Champions. The park has changed dramatically. It is totally “in bloom” this time of year.

If you have allergies, bring medicine.
Kentucky is known for its allergens. While some of us love spring, it can really be rough on others. Plan ahead…because there aren’t any drug stores, or too much else, right around the park. Once you are here, just plan to spend the day.

Do try to get into downtown Lexington if you can. It’s not that far.
I love this city. It’s large enough to have some good nightlife…restaurants, pubs, and bars. But it’s small enough to not have all of the traffic of some larger cities. Now, when the World Equestrian Games get here, do not quote me on my traffic statement. With 500,000 spectators expected, I have no idea what that will be like.

There is an endless amount of things to talk about in relation to Rolex.
I could keep going on and on about everything I have learned throughout the many events I have attended. But I’ll just end by saying that it’s better if you find out some things for yourself. So if you haven’t made the trip out here yet to a Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, now is the time.