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2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Will Host Para Dressage And Para Jumping Demonstrations

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (LRK3DE) will host demonstrations in Para Dressage and Para Jumping when it returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 28-May 1, 2022.

Organized by Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ features one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world as well as the $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event annually attracts more than 80,000 spectators who also enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hospitality experiences and a wide array of demonstrations.

This year's demonstrations will include Para Dressage, the only equestrian sport in the Paralympic Games, and the emerging sport of Para Jumping. Working with EEI in organizing the demonstrations are Para Dressage rider Rebecca Hart, who has competed in four consecutive Paralympic Games, and Wren Blae Zimmerman, a blind Jumping rider who competes in USEF-recognized competitions and has the ultimate goal of helping Jumping become a Paralympic sport.

“We are incredibly excited to host demonstrations in both Para Dressage and Para Jumping,” said Mike Cooper, president of the board of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI). “What Rebecca Hart and Wren Blae Zimmerman do as riders is incredibly impressive and an inspiration to anyone faced with physical or other challenges. We are thrilled to join with them in presenting demonstrations of their sports at our event!

Each demonstration will feature 2-3 riders and demonstrations in both disciplines will be held on Friday and Saturday in both the Walnut Arena and Rolex Stadium. Both will also be featured as part of Sunday's Opening Ceremonies. Hart, as a Paralympic veteran, will also appear as part of “Champions Live!” a discussion panel held annually at LRK3DE that features U.S. equestrian champions from each Olympic/Paralympic discipline.

“I'm both thrilled and incredibly appreciative to EEI for the opportunity to introduce Para Jumping to the United States at an event as prestigious and well-attended as the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event,” said Zimmerman. “I hope to contribute to the growth and accessibility of horse sport by empowering change within the equestrian community. The short-term goal is for Para Jumping to become an officially recognized discipline which will ultimately help establish greatly needed resources, pathways, and competition opportunities for riders with disabilities to participate in the jumping disciplines.”

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The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is a thrilling multi-day competition featuring Olympic-level riders and horses in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Horse and rider pairs compete in three phases of the competition – Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping – for $375,000 in prize money. Two distinct Eventing competitions are held, a CCI5*-L and a CCI4*-S. LRK3DE is the longest-running Five Star event in the Americas and as the United States' premier event, it also serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI-5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. athletes.

A Racing Saddle On The Cross Country Course? Meyerhoff Shows How It’s Done

Bobby Meyerhoff recently finished 16th in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S. While his results are impressive, even more awe-inspiring was the saddle in which he rode: Meyerhoff, aboard Lumumba, completed all three phases of competition in a racing exercise saddle.

Meyerhoff first tried riding in the bare bones saddle last fall, on Fortuna, another of his competition mounts. He found that the petite mare, who was often back sore, went much more comfortable in the race training saddle. Meyerhoff says that the saddle allows him to truly feel his horse—all along their back—and forces him to ride better, as there is a very specific area of the saddle where he must ride to stay in balance. He compares riding in the treeless race training saddle to riding bareback, but with stirrups.

Meyerhoff first used the unusual saddle in competition at the Tryon CCI4*-L in both dressage and showjumping, but he competed in the cross-country phase of the Kentucky event in the saddle as well. A formidable cross-country course in a traditional saddle, the weather made conditions even trickier, but Meyerhoff persevered in his unconventional tack to finish with no jumping faults and just 31.2 seconds outside of optimum time.

Grassroots Fundraising Effort Reverses Earlier Cancellation Of Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event

An unprecedented outpouring of public support and a grassroots fundraising effort have led to a reversal of the announced cancellation of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI Five Star presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE). A new partnership between Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the world-class event, and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian and longstanding sponsors Land Rover, Mars Equestrian, and Rolex will ensure that the CCI5*-L three-day event will be held, without spectators, alongside a new CCI4*-S, April 22-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

“The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic placed us in the financially impossible position of having to run the Five Star event without spectators, a situation that left us no choice but to cancel the Five Star for 2021 in order to preserve it for many years to come,” said Mike Cooper, president of EEI. “We are humbled and honored by the response of the eventing community as they've stepped up in a mind-blowing way enabling us to go forward.”

A fundraising campaign was started by athletes and fueled by the grassroots effort of the broader eventing community, generating more than $550,000 in donations to run the event.

“While that still leaves us short of the amount needed, it is enough to convince us that the balance can be raised,” added Cooper. “We are now, with the assistance of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, committed to going forward with the Five Star.”

In the new partnership, EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, both 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organizations, bring strong and distinct skill sets – the Foundation in fundraising and EEI in event management. Using their respective expertise and resources, the Foundation will take the lead in soliciting donations to supplement the grassroots effort, and EEI will focus its attention on running the nation's premier equestrian event in an environment that is safe for all during the current world-wide pandemic.

“The Kentucky Three-Day Event is the foremost event held at the Kentucky Horse Park and the lifeblood of the eventing world,” said Clay Green, Chairman of the Board of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. “The Horse Park was established for the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships which gave birth to the annual Kentucky Three-Day Event whose success is responsible for the Park's position of prominence and so much that has happened at the Park, including the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Seeing the number of people pleading for the event to happen this year made it very clear that we must do all we can to ensure that it does.”

“Seeing the athletes, community, our sponsors, and these two organizations, the KHP Foundation and EEI, come together in a united way to allow the CCI5*-L and CCI4*-S to go forward despite the challenges presented by the pandemic is nothing short of remarkable. This will allow our athletes and horses aiming for Tokyo this summer the best opportunity to qualify and prepare, while ensuring the safest possible environment for participants seeking to complete a CCI5*-L or CCI4*-S,” shared Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian. “We extend a huge thank you to all involved, especially to our sponsors, for their flexibility and continued commitment to this event.”

“We are thrilled to return as the title sponsor for the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event and support the event broadcasts on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and the USEF Network to bring this historic event into the homes of the fans in the safest way possible. We applaud the efforts of the equestrian community who have gone above and beyond to raise funds to support this event and ensure another great year of world-class eventing can take place at the renowned Kentucky Horse Park,” said Michael Curmi, Director Brand Experience, Jaguar Land Rover North America.

“We applaud the efforts of so many organizers, fans, competitors, and sponsors, supported by MARS Equestrian, which will allow the CCI5*-L competition to continue forward in 2021. This event is an equestrian treasure we are proud to sponsor as we all look for safe ways to hold top level competition,” stated Geoffrey Galant, VP Mars Equestrian.

Spectators are not allowed at this time, but USEF will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic to determine if a limited number of spectators can be permitted at some point closer to the event with priority given to 2020 rolled over ticket holders. Those who paid for the 2020 event and chose to roll their money over for 2021 will have the option of full refunds or rolling their money over again for 2022. “Ticket holders can expect an email regarding their options, one of which will be to join this incredible grassroots movement on behalf of the sport of eventing,” said Cooper. “Those who wish to do so can donate some or all of the money they've paid. We applaud and thank everyone who has contributed so far; without you there would be no Five Star this year and all of you have our utmost gratitude and appreciation!”

Those wishing to be part of the growing movement to save the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Five Star can do so through the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation website at Donate – Kentucky Horse Park Foundation (khpfoundation.org).

The post Grassroots Fundraising Effort Reverses Earlier Cancellation Of Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fate Of Famous Kentucky Three-Day Event Uncertain

Like the vast majority of equestrian events last year, the 2020 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (LRK3DE) was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The first five-star event in North America, and one of only seven in the world, the LRK3DE has now had to postpone tickets sales for the 2021 event as the state of world health in April is still uncertain. A second cancellation of the event could lead to the end of the event and of Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), which puts on the event.

EEI was hopeful that they could make up for some of last year's financial shortfall by hosting the 2020 American Eventing Championships (AECs) at the Kentucky Horse Park in August, but that show was also cancelled. This leaves the organization in a precarious financial position.

Though ticketholders for the 2020 LRK3DE could roll over their tickets to the 2021 event—to the tune of $900,000—a 2021 cancelation would require EEI to refund their money. EEI has received government payroll protection, an emergency disaster loan and has maxed out its line of credit, says Lee Carter, executive director of EEI. Carter says the organization is prepared to submit an application for the next round of payroll protection as soon as applications can be received.

Though the 2021 Badminton Horse Trials, held in Britain, is slated to run behind closed doors just 10 days after the LRK3DE, running without fans isn't an option for the Kentucky Three-Day. The vast majority of the event's income comes from the over 800,000 visitors who attend the event each year. The event also has a major impact on tourism in Lexington, Georgetown and surrounding cities.

EEI has produced a plan for how they intend to keep spectators and competitors safe, including limiting seating for both the dressage and show jumping phases; cross-country by its nature is socially distanced, but plans are in place for areas of the course that are notoriously crowded. The organization is awaiting a decision from both the state of Kentucky and from the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) as to if they can host the 2021 event. USEF currently has rules in place that don't permit spectators at any USEF-sanctioned competitions.