Lexington, Ky. – The show jumping phase closed out the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE). Oliver Townend (GBR) secured his fourth K3DE win with Cooley Rosalent. As the top Americans in the CCI5*-L, Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus won the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian. In the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, Will Coleman and Diabolo moved up from second place to take the win.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L
Townend and Cooley Rosalent were third following the cross-country phase but moved into the top spot with an excellent round over Steve Stephens’s course. Their double-clear show jumping round was one of only two over the tough track on the final day of competition. Townend and the 2014 Irish Sport Horse (Valent x Bellaney Jewel) mare owned by Diana and Paul W. Ridgeon finished on a score of 31.8.
(Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)
“I just had a very clear picture in my mind of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it,” said Townend of his plans for the K3DE. “If it was going to be my week, what will be will be and just do my job and try and look after her for the future but also try and be as competitive as possible.”
Nicholson (The Plains, Va.) and Vermiculus had a fantastic weekend to win the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian as the top U.S. combination. The 2007 Anglo-Arabian (Sazeram x Wake Me Gently) gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars delivered a top-notch performance to help Nicholson win her third CCI5*-L national champion title. The pair had one rail down to finish fifth overall and win the national champion title with a score of 39.0.
“We certainly came here wanting to be competitive. He has the experience to do so,” said Nicholson. “I was very pleased--especially with the fan following he has as he is such a character--that I was able to deliver what he deserved to get on the day.”
Buck Davidson (Unionville, Pa.) and Sorocaima climbed from 11th to finish sixth overall and earn the reserve national champion title. The pair jumped clear but tallied 2.8 time penalties on the course where it was tough to make the time. Davidson and his own 2011 Thoroughbred (Rock Hard Ten x Sankobasi) gelding ended on a score of 41.8.
Liz Halliday (Lexington, Ky.) guided Cooley Nutcracker through his first CCI5*-L, finishing eighth overall and third in the national championship. They finished with just one rail down and 1.2 time penalties for a successful completion. Halliday and the 2014 Irish Sport Horse (Tolant R x Ballyshan Cleopatra) gelding owned by The Nutcracker Syndicate finished on a score of 42.2.
Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S
(Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)
It was tight at the top of the leaderboard with less than a rail separating the top six combinations, and Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Diabolo rose to the occasion to secure the win. They delivered a superb double-clear round over Stephens’s course to finish on their dressage score of 29.9—the only combination to do so in the CCI4*-S division. Coleman said he was thrilled with the performance of the 2012 Holsteiner (Diarado x Roulett M) gelding owned by the Diabolo Group on a packed crowd in the Rolex stadium.
“He has sort of quietly been getting better this spring,” Coleman said of Diabolo. “It did feel like there were some good results maybe around the corner. This weekend, while it may be a little surprising [to some], for [those of] us who have been around the horse a lot, we felt that something like this was getting closer.”
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Commando 3 finished in second place on the strength of their show jumping round. They delivered a double-clear round handily to finish less than a point behind the winners. After adding a handful of cross-country time penalties to their dressage score, Martin and the 2013 Holsteiner (Connor x R-Adelgunde) gelding owned by Yankee Creek Ranch ended on a score of 30.1.
In addition to winning, Coleman finished in third with his longtime partner Off The Record. The pair made light work of the solid track, having a double-clear round. Coleman and the 2009 Irish Sport Horse (VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay) gelding owned by Off The Record Syndicate finished on their dressage score of 30.9.
Competition Information
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