Following two demanding phases of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (RK3DE) presented by Land Rover, horse and rider combinations will move on to the final leg of the competition, show jumping. The following is a glimpse of what you will see in the arena today:
A packed Rolex Stadium: Football fans are not the only ones who can fill a stadium on a Sunday. Rolex Stadium will be overflowing with equestrian fans from all over the world as they root for their favorites. US Equestrian ambassador Reagan Ibach has been attending the RK3DE for the past four years, and show jumping is her favorite day.
“I come to Rolex to see all the amazing riders and horses. I’ve always loved eventing. I tried it for two years and loved it, but my heart was always set on show jumping, so Sunday is definitely my favorite day. Coming back to Rolex every year is amazing. Meeting everyone and seeing all the riders compete, it’s just the most incredible experience and the best weekend all year.”
A Kentucky-themed show jumping course: Richard Jeffery is one of 32 four-star-level show jumping course designers and has been in charge of the RK3DE course design since 1998. He will incorporate Kentucky-themed fences in today’s course. Horse and rider combinations will encounter the required triple combination modeled off Calumet Farm, the best-known horse farm in the world. In addition, they will face the Churchill Downs, Rolex, and US Equestrian Federation (USEF) verticals as well as the Land Rover and Keeneland Race Course oxers, among others. No matter the seat, Jeffery has made sure fans get an exceptional view of the competitors.
“In a grand prix, there’s pressure to get someone in the jump-off, and here you get a result regardless of whether someone goes clean. I want a good and fair competition. The hardest job is getting the horses around the course so people can see them a couple times because the arena is so big and there are so many people watching. I have to take that into consideration when I build a course so there is balance and people can see the horses,” said Jeffery.
Loads of beautiful flowers: Did you know the RK3DE is famous for its colorful flowers? It takes about 1,000 flats of plants and over 200 hanging baskets to decorate the entire venue over the course of competition. After cross-country concluded on Saturday, over 100 volunteers gathered the flowers from the cross- country course and moved them into Rolex Stadium. Following the event, volunteers can take their choice of the flats home. They also have the option to purchase the hanging baskets with proceeds from the sale going back to Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), the organizer of the RK3DE.
Land Rover vehicles: It is not only pretty flowers sprucing up an already grandiose Rolex Stadium; stunning Land Rovers will accent the background. As the presenting sponsor of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, they will feature the red Land Rover Discovery Sport®, white Range Rover Evoque Convertible, blue Range Rover Sport SVR®, and silver All-New Discovery around the ring.
Awards Ceremony: The RK3DE champion will receive a Rolex Steel and Gold Oyster Perpetual Timepiece, and the owner of the winning horse will receive The Rolex Three-Day Perpetual Trophy. Although the International Museum of the Horse maintains the perpetual trophy, the owner receives a crystal horse head. The owner also gets a silver cup from Boardman Silver by Rolex. EEI will award the winning horse’s breeder The William C. Coman Perpetual Trophy.
The top-placing American athlete will earn the 2017 Rolex/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship for the Roger Haller Trophy. Haller was an internationally respected eventing judge, technical delegate, event organizer, and course designer and instrumental figure in the growth and development of eventing. Following his passing, the USEF Eventing Sport Committee decided to commission a bronze trophy in remembrance of Haller. Artist Kerry Millikin, 1987 RK3DE winner and 1996 Olympic individual bronze medalist, created the Roger Haller trophy. With the trophy making its first appearance at the 2018 edition of the event, Millikin has provided a stand-in trophy for 2017.
“It is an honor and twist of fate to be able to create the trophy for an event I dedicated much of my life to; things are coming full circle,” said Millikin. “If I can't ride there, at least I can contribute in this way. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is and always will be exhilarating!”
In addition, USEF gives the horse a wool cooler, and the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) awards the athlete the Pinnacle Cup.
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