There is a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after day one of dressage in the inaugural CCI4*-S at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian. Twenty pairs took their turn in the Rolex arena this morning in front of judges Mark Weissbecker and Helen Brettell, with Tamra Smith and Danito securing the early lead on their score of a 28.1. Shortly after, Doug Payne and Starr Witness matched Smith’s score, and nearing the end of the division, Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine also said checkmate, as they claimed the same score of a 28.1.

This year’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian has already begun in dramatic fashion, with a snowstorm blanketing the Kentucky Horse Park the night before the first horse inspection. Now, the snow has melted, the spring flowers are out, and we are set with 63 combinations ready to canter into the Rolex Arena for the CCI5*-L, and 46 combinations in the CCI4*-S, after all horses passed the first inspection.

With snow taking the place of spectators, the first day of the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian looked much different than any other year. A total of 63 horses were presented today (Wednesday, April 21) to the ground jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE), Robert Stevenson (USA), Peter Gray (CAN), and the veterinary delegate Karen Nyrop, DVM (USA).

On Saturday morning 65 horses will leave the start box at the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS to tackle Derek di Grazia's cross-country course. With 28 fences and 50 jumping efforts at 570 mpm, the horses and riders will need to be fit as they take on the highest level of the sport and the first CCI5*-L in the U.S. since 2019.

While the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian will look very different this year with spectators not allowed under the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan, fans will still be able to tune into every minute of action via the live stream and wall-to-wall coverage on the USEA’s website and social media. The 2021 LRK3DE gets underway this afternoon at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

US Equestrian has updated its COVID-19 Action Plan for Licensed Competitions(Action Plan) to include protocols specific to allowing spectator attendance at a limited capacity beginning May 3, 2021. Last week, US Equestrian announced the maximum capacity for spectators at competitions in its April 14 communication. This follow-up announcement of the specific spectator protocols will provide competition organizers, licensed officials, and other stakeholders with sufficient time to prepare for a return of spectators beginning May 3, 2021.

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE) is proud to introduce “Behind The Barn,” a unique series of 12 intimate video interviews with participants at the 2021 event.

The 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (LRK3DE) presented by MARS Equestrian may be closed to spectators, but the exclusive offers and merchandise booths remain open for business during the 2021 LRK3DE Virtual Vendor Village. The USEA is excited to take part in this special event to debut new USEA merchandise!

We’ve waited two years, and now the #BestWeekendAllYear has finally arrived - the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian. The event kicks off Wednesday with the first veterinary inspections on the High Hope Inspection Lane at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

My mother and father moved to Woodside in 1958 when I was 3 years old. Unfortunately for them, since they were not horse people, Woodside was horse country, and my sister and I soon became horse crazy. We saw them all the time in town, at local riding stables, even bars! Eventually, we began taking riding lessons. In 1963, my mom found a home on 4.75 acres in town with a barn and the die was cast.