Lexington, Ky. – The exciting cross-country phase took place on Saturday at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE). Tom McEwen (GBR) and JL Dublin stayed in the lead in the CCI5*-L after a solid round, while Mia Farley and Phelps moved into first in the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian. In the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, Liz Halliday and Miks Master C remained atop the leaderboard.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L

McEwen and JL Dublin held onto their lead after answering all the questions on Derek di Grazia’s course. McEwen elected to take two long routes on course to maintain his lead with the 2011 Warmblood (Diarado x Zarinna) gelding owned by James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston. The pair tallied 4.0 time penalties to sit on a score of 28.6 heading into Sunday.

“To ride around the park and over Derek’s course is a privilege,” said McEwen. “I must say it was really a rider’s track today. If you worked out what was right for you, [and] as a horse and rider combination sometimes you have to change a few things, it rode really, really well.”

Farley (Ocala, Fla.) and Phelps had a stellar day to put them at the top of the standings in the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian. They had one of only two double-clear rounds—with the other combination being Christoph Wahler (GER) and D’Accord FRH—around the rolling hills of the Kentucky Horse Park. Farley and the 2013 Thoroughbred (Tiznow x Boom Town Gal) gelding owned by David O’Connor moved up from 13th to sit in fifth overall and lead the national championship with a score of 33.8.

Farley and Phelps notably finished double-clear in their first two CCI5*-L cross-country rounds with Maryland 5 Star last fall and the K3DE this year. The pair gained a following last fall and enjoyed cheers from fans on Saturday.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Farley. “Phelps was bred in Kentucky. A lot of people noticed him at Maryland, then I came here. It was a little bit more nerve wracking than Maryland because I knew I could do it and it was just up to me to get it done and give him the ride that he needed. It was very fun to have a lot of support.”

Lauren Nicholson (The Plains, Va.) and Vermiculus gave a determined effort in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The duo was clear and tallied 4.4 time penalties. Nicholson and the 2007 Anglo-Arabian (Sazeram x Wake Me Gently) gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars are seventh overall and are in reserve national champion position with a score of 35.0.

Halliday (Lexington, Ky.) rode Cooley Nutcracker around the horse’s first CCI5*-L track, and it was a successful day for the pair. She said the 2014 Irish Sport Horse (Tolant R x Ballyshan Cleopatra) gelding owned by The Nutcracker Syndicate performed beyond her expectations. Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker added 6.4 time penalties to their score to sit eighth overall and in third in the national championship with a score of 37.0.

Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S

Despite it being an influential morning for the combinations who tackled the CCI4*-S course, Halliday and Miks Master C maintained the top spot on the leaderboard. They had an excellent round toward the end of the morning session, adding 3.2 time penalties to their dressage score. Halliday and the 2012 Swedish Warmblood (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF) gelding owned by Ocala Horse Properties, LLC and Deborah Palmer sit on a score of 29.2 heading into the final phase of competition.

“Miks Master C is a pretty keen horse on cross-country. He was very keen today. He is such an incredible athlete. He is a very good jumper, but he is very careful,” said Halliday. “Although he was strong between the fences, he was very thoughtful and very organized in all of the combinations, which I always look for with him. He was very, very good. I was thrilled with him. He jumped great, was brave as always, and was a good boy.”

Will Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Diabolo were the only combination to go double-clear in the CCI4*-S, moving them up from sixth to second place. The pair had a textbook round and finished right on the optimum time of 6:44. Coleman and the 2012 Holsteiner (Diarado x Roulett M) gelding owned by the Diabolo Group are less than a point behind the leaders with a score of 29.9.

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Commando 3 moved up from fourth to third to round out the top three spots on the leaderboard. They made light work of the course, adding only 1.2 time penalties to their score. Martin and the 2013 Holsteiner (Connor x R-Adelgunde) gelding owned by Yankee Creek Ranch sit on a score of 30.1.

Competition Information

The K3DE concludes Sunday with the show jumping phase over Steve Stephens’s courses. The CCI4*-S begins at 10:30 a.m. ET, while the CCI5*-L starts at 2:15 p.m. ET.

Event website | Schedule | Results

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