EN's Ultimate Form Guide to the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event

ULTIMATE GUIDE LAND ROVER

KENTUCKY www.inte riorma gazin e .com

THREE-DAY EVENT

Vo l. 01 $5.00

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what to expect from s k n i l k c the ultimate guide(And qui letter from the editor

meet the form guide team

how to use the guide

) ! t i d n i to f

THE COMPETITORS #2: Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera (NZL) #3: Will Coleman and DonDante (USA) #5: Boyd Martin and Long Island T (USA) #6: Buck Davidson and Jak My Style (USA) #7: Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Singapore (USA) #8: Leah Lang-Gluscic and AP Prime (USA) #9: Doug Payne and Vandiver (USA) #10: Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle (USA) #11: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver (USA) #12: Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes (CAN) #13: Emily Hamel and Corvett (USA) #14: William Fox-Pitt and Oratorio II (GBR) #15: Matt Flynn and Wizzerd (USA) #16: Daniela Moguel and Cecelia (MEX) #17: Lauren Nicholson and Paramount Importance (USA) #18: Tim Price and Bango (NZL) #19: Kurt Martin and Delux Z (USA) #20: Mike Pendleton and Steady Eddie (USA) #21: Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby (USA) #22: Sharon White and Cooley On Show (USA) #23: Joe Meyer and Johnny Royale (NZL) #24: Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise (USA) #25: Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous (USA) #26: Meghan ODonoghue and Palm Crescent (USA) #27: Nilson Moreira da Silva and Magnum’s Martini (USA) #28: Emilee Libby and Jakobi (USA) #30: Zoe Crawford and K.E.C. Zara (USA) #31: Clayton Fredericks and FE Always In Time (AUS) #32: Jonelle Price and Classic Moet (NZL) #33: Will Coleman and Tight Lines (USA) #34: Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class (GBR) #35: Boyd Martin and On Cue (USA) #36: Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam (AUS)

#37: Buck Davidson and Erroll Gobey (USA) #38: Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (USA) #39: Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo (CAN) #40: Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue dA’rgouges (CAN) #41: Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire (USA) #42: Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride and Favian (USA) #43: Daniel Clasing and MW Gangster’s Game (USA) #44: Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights (USA) #45: Caroline Martin and Islandwood Captain Jack (USA) #47: Ema Klugman and Bendigo (USA) #48: Leslie Law and Voltaire de Tre (GBR) #49: Jesse Campbell and Diachello (NZL) #50: Harry Meade and Superstition (GBR) #52: Allison Springer and Business Ben (USA) #53: Dominic Schramm and Bolytair B (AUS) #55: Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me (CAN) #56: Anna Siemer and FRH Butt’s Avondale (GER) #57: Holly Jacks-Smither and More Inspiration (CAN) #58: Phillip Dutton and Z (USA) #59: Tim Price and Xavier Faer (NZL) #60: Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way (USA) #61: Tamie Smith and Mai Baum (USA) #62: Doug Payne and Quantum Leap (USA) #63: Jennie Brannigan and Stella Artois (USA) #64: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z (USA) #65: Clayton Fredericks and FE Stormtrooper (AUS) #66: Jonelle Price and Grovine de Reve (NZL) #67: Will Coleman and Off The Record (USA) #68: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class (GBR) #69: Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF (USA) #70: Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus (USA) #71: Buck Davidson and Carlevo (USA)

TA BL E OF CON TE N TS | EVE N TI N G N ATI O N PR E S E N TS: KE NTUC KY 2021

LETTER FROM

The

Editor

Welcome to Eventing Nation’s Ultimate Form Guide to the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian!

When we began planning our coverage strategy for Kentucky, we knew we needed to go big (or stay home) since spectators have been prohibited from attending the event. The idea of the Ultimate Form Guide was created by Tilly Berendt and is the result of a team’s passion and desire to grow the sport of eventing for athletes and fans alike.

Inside this special Ultimate Form Guide, you’ll find two-page spreads for each horse and rider combination entered in the CCI5* this year. EN’s resident data whiz, Maggie Deatrick, worked in close collaboration with Kate Samuels to create visual illustrations of the data we use to make our “By the Numbers” series. Writers Shelby Allen and Abby Powell worked diligently on gathering horse and rider information and writing pieces on each pair. Tilly Berendt has spent many hours making the final product shine and fit together like a puzzle.

FOLLOW EN AT KENTUCKY:

So we hope you’ll bring our Ultimate Form Guide along with you as you

@goeventing

follow the action in Kentucky this week. We are sad to not have spectators in

@eventingnation

bit closer to everything.

attendance this year and hope that our coverage all week long helps you feel a

In addition, we are proud to donate a portion of proceeds made from the sale of the Ultimate Form Guide to an equestrian access program or nonprofit serving underrepresented populations as a part of our ongoing mission to increase access to horses and representation within the ranks of our eventing community.

In the following pages, you’ll find a guide to our data and a list of riders in drawn order. We hope you’ll join us on the USEF Network, Horse & Country TV and EventingNation.com for all of the latest updates from #LRK3DE21.

Go Eventing!

Sally Spickard & Leslie Wylie Eventing Nation Editors

EVE NT ING NATIO N PRESEN TS: K EN TU CKY 202 1 | LET TE R F R OM TH E E D ITOR

MEET THE TEAM What makes Kentucky special? Let us count the ways... No matter how much you rationalize it, though, it all comes back to the magic we all felt as kids, watching the heroics play out over the bluegrass. The pages of the form guide are full of those kids, now grown up and ready to inspire the next generation – and they were put together by them, too. Here’s the collection of weird horse girls who grew up to document the sport around the world and bring you this hefty tome.

shelby allen provided both written and visual content for the guide, with many of her images appearing through its pages. She once met William FoxPitt’s mother at Kentucky and was so excited that she posted about it on Facebook. And truly, who among us can honestly say that they wouldn’t have too? maggie deatrick is one of those intimidatingly smart people who can do everything: she’s evented to four-star level, she works in STEM, and she’s also got an eventing stats database that could rule the world if it wanted to.

She opened it up for us to create the performance data you’ll find throughout the guide.

KATE SAMUELS took a brief interlude from her busy career producing event horses and wearing exciting hats to team up with data whizz Maggie to design the graphics for our stats pages.

She first visited Kentucky in 2010 as a newly-minted Advanced eventer herself –a long way from the feral child on a pony she’d once been, but no less inspired by what she saw.

tilly berendt put in a 43hour long, sleep-free work stint at the end of this project, and she probably won’t let anyone forget about it.

She produced, designed and edited the form guide, and contributed words and images to the spreads. She still hasn’t been to Kentucky, but she’s won it loads of times on Equestriad 2001. abby powell used to ride her bike with strings attached to the handlebars as makeshift reins, but we can confidently say that she didn’t walk away with any lasting head injuries, as she swiftly pulled essential info on the entire entry, contributed to the writing process for the spreads, and designed the guide’s cover.

Former Saddle Club member SALLY SPICKARD was just a teenage barn-rat, baby – and she kept the team organised and relatively sane over this project by handling the hefty admin: she sorted our publication plan, contributed words, spearheaded Zoom calls across multiple time zones and two continents, and created many a Google Doc.

ME E T TH E TE A M | EVE N TI N G N ATI O N PR E S E N TS: KE N TUC KY 2021

draw number

H O RidR SerE NaNmeA M E

Photo: Tilly Berendt

The essentials: Height, age (we're going by the actual birth date, not the first of the year, by the way) and breed of horse Breeding: Pedigree information, including damsire Owned by: This one’s pretty self-explanatory, we reckon...

Groom: ...as is this! You keep the world turning, grooms.

E

ach horse and rider combination in the field has two jampacked pages of information: the first page, which sums up their story so far and introduces you to the characters

behind the results. You’ll get an overview of the important stuf f – how they fared in recent competitions and why you should be cheering them on – and the really, REALLY important stuff, like whether the horse likes bananas or not. It’s all about balance, folks. Balance, and potassium .

Icons:

You’ll find bite-size info about each horse here, but you may also see some icons – here’s what they mean.

ON GREAT FORM

LIKELY TO CLIMB AFTER DRESSAGE

ONE TO WATCH: DARK HORSES

As you head over to the second page, you’ll get tons of performance stats to give you a more full idea of how each combination performs in each phase. In a hurry? You’ll be able to glance at each combination’s three-run dressage average at the Advanced, four-star, and five-star level, as well as their speed rating across the country and the number of rails they’re like to topple on Sunday. Plus, there’s a bite-size round-up of how they look set to fare this week – perfect for helping you find your favorite dark-horse contender to follow for the week. You’ll also see easy-to-follow pie charts showing the regularity of any faults in the two jumping phases. And the rest? Let’s take a closer look at what they do and how to read them.

three-phase performance

index

POTENTIAL WINNER

OFF-THE-TRACK THOROUGHBRED

DRESSAGE DYNAMOS

SUPER-SPEEDY

FORMER US CHAMPION

TOP JUMPERS

This simple visual shows you where a horse’s strengths lie. This is three-time champion fischerRocana’s chart: as you can see, her cross-country jumping is pretty much perfect, but her showjumping is where she’d be likely to pick up penalties. The radar is created based on skills relative to the rest of the field – so it gives an accurate picture of who’s strong in each phase in this precise competition.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | HOW TO U SE YOU R FOR M G U ID E

34.7 XC speed rating: 33.7 Predicted rails: 2 average:

DECIPHERING

THE DRESSAGE The three-run average only takes into account relevant levels – so Advanced, fourstar, and five-star. This is because many top horses do prep runs at Intermediate and score far better in the comparatively easy tests.

T h e chart at the bottom of the page shows how speed is rated relative to the competition itself and the other horses taking part.

For example, if the time proves to be easy to get at an event, a rider with a naturally very fast horse might just cruise around, because they know they’ll easily make the time and that it won’t have a big influence. But if the time is hard to catch, that rider knows if they push their fast horse, they could climb the leaderboard considerably.

A speed rating is simple to determine: 1.

2.

if no one makes the time, the speed rating is the seconds slower than the fastest time of the day. if someone makes the time, the speed rating is seconds over optimum time.

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

the SPEED

RATING

On the right-hand side of the page, you’ll find a visual representation of the horse’s speed rating, which you’ll also find as an averaged rating on the banner above.

Just like cross-country time penalties, the lower the number, the faster the horse.

How does it work? Let’s take a look at Honor Me’s speed chart.

The speed rating is calculated in CCI4*-L and CCI5*-L competitons, with red dots indicating 4L and yellow dots indicating 5L. A number next to a dot indicates a personal-best speed at that level.

Speed ratings are calculated using clear rounds, or those with a frangible or flag penalty, only. That’s because circling to represent after picking up a run-out adds so much extra time that it gives a false idea of how fast a horse is. Analysing rounds without major deviations gives a more accurate rating. Let’s take a look at how that works if we compare a variety of horses.

In this example, we’ve used four results from Kentucky 2016 (yellow dots) and four from Kentucky 2017 (red dots) to show how the speed rating is calculated if no one makes the optimum time.

H OR SE N A M E | R I D E R N A ME ( N ATIO N A L ITY )

G R A P PA N E R A

Photo: FEI/Libby Law

#2

Jonelle Price

The essentials: 16.1hh, ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Breeding: Karandasj x Cetunette, by Babalouba Owned by: The Grape Syndicate and the rider Groom: Kerryn Edmans, Lucy Miles, and Megan Hodder

W

e’ll forgive you if your first reaction is “Grappa....who?” Little Grape has been waiting in the wings for her big moment to shine, and in Jonelle’s enviable string, it’s not easy to command the spotlight. But the petite black mare looks more and more like the second coming of Classic Moet as she gains experience at the upper levels. Feisty, smart, and opinionated, she’s also much like the fabulous Luhmühlen winner Faerie Dianimo, and her CCI5* debut will certainly be one to watch.

Produced by British rider Alex Postolowsky to CCI2*-S, Grape joined Jonelle’s string in 2018 after she returned to the sport following the birth of her son, Otis. By the end of the next year, they’d finish in the top ten in the mare’s debut CCI4*-L at Millstreet in Ireland.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Grape

LIKES: Gazing at herself in the mirror FUN FACT: While she’s all guts and gumption in the ring or out on crosscountry course, Grape is actually very cuddly and sweet on the ground.

But like so many good, feisty mares before her, Grape’s ability and her opinions don’t always walk a united path. We’ve seen glimmers of what’s to come from the mare, and boy, is it exciting, but her two runs so far this year have seen her clock up much higher dressage marks that the low-30s we were getting used to last season. The stadium at Kentucky is an extraordinary, cavernous, atmospheric space – even sans spectators – and for a horse like this, that can go one of two ways: she’ll either absorb the electricity in the air and go a bit silly, or she’ll look around her and think ‘right, time to shine, then’ (or, alternately, ‘mum, this is terrifying, please tell me what to do’) and produce some of her best work. In any case, Jonelle will be running her here for the vital experience, and the Kiwi federation is commiting to the production of these stars of the future by helping to fund the riders’ trips over.

They’ve seen the potential of this game little mare – now, it’s her time to show the world what they’ve been missing.

That she’s been drawn the first of Jonelle’s three rides shouldn’t necessarily work against her – without feedback on how the course is riding, Jonelle will likely let her find her own pace and take the pressure off, using her round as a way to gauge her two rides to come.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage average:

performance

34.9

xc time

dressage

cross-country

0 Predicted rails: 0 XC speed rating:

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

A

low-to-mid-30s dressage score won’t frighten any of the obvious contenders here, and it’s not quite yet Grappa Nera’s time to fight for a fivestar win. But as a debutant, she should be an impressive dark horse – her jumping phases are consistent and her crosscountry speed rating is among the best in the field, giving her a chance to fight her way up the leaderboard for a solid result in her first attempt at the level.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

G R A PPA N E R A | J O N E LL E PRIC E ( NZL )

Photo: Shelby Allen

#3

D Wi O Nll DColAemNanT E The essentials: 17.3hh, eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Pachio x Muckno Clover, by Euro Clover Owned by: Team Rebecca LLC Groom: Erin Jarboe & Hailey Burlock

I

t’s a shame these riders can’t pick their soundtrack for dressage, because this horse was born to canter around Rolex stadium to his namesake song, “DonDante”, by My Morning Jacket. If you’ve ever wondered what’s on Will Coleman’s Spotify, just take a look in his barn, he’s got a penchant for naming competition horses after his favorite music -- another Kentucky entry, Tight Lines, is nicknamed “Phish.”

His friends call him “Al,” but he was formerly named Cooley All Air, as he was sourced by Richard Sheane. He landed in Will Coleman’s yard as a 4-year-old, and since he’s matured both competitively and physically – at 17.3-hands, Al is the tallest horse in the field.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Al FUN FACT: Al is the tallest horse in the field – by several inches.

This pair will be the very first U.S. combination to hit the centerline as third in the order. In addition to the long held opinion that the early Thursday riders are scored less favorably, Coleman should have his work cut out for him because Al is very much not a ‘morning person.’ One of his grooms, Erin Jarbo, says, “he goes outside at night and doesn’t like to come in until at least 10 a.m. Will always says he likes to have his ‘morning coffee.’ We try to make sure he’s not the first on the ride list for the day.”

If anyone can squeeze the best out of a five-star newbie, it’s Will. And this ride will offer a plethora of valuable intel for Will with his remaining two horses, but also for the competitor’s tent which is often packed with waiting pilots eager to find out how the key combinations are riding.

While he won’t likely lead the pack after the dressage, this Irish Sport Horse (Pachio x Muckno Clover, by Euro Clover) has a motor on him, and a nearly penalty-free cross country record at the four-star level. He’s jumped clear on the final day in both his CCI4*-L completions, and we expect Will is likely to replicate that on Sunday.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

35.7

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

0. 5

Predicted rails:

0

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

W

hile he won’t likely lead the pack after the dressage, DonDante has a motor on him: he’s one of the fastest horses in the field, and boasts a nearly penalty-free cross country record at the four-star level. He’s jumped clear on the final day in both his CCI4*-L completions, and we expect Will is likely to replicate that on Sunday. There’s every reason to expect an exciting five-star debut that’ll add another string to Will’s considerable top-level bow.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

D ON DA N TE | WI L L CO L E MA N ( US A )

#5

LONG ISLAND T Boyd Martin

The essentials: 16.2hh, fourteen-year-old Oldenburg gelding Breeding: Ludwig von Bayern x Highlight, by Heraldik xx Owned by: The Long Island T Syndicate Groom: Stephanie Simpson and Jess Gehman

T Photo: Tilly Berendt

he first ride in a busy weekend for Boyd Martin will be Long Island T, whose career has been something of a slow burner en route to the top. Boyd purchase ‘Ludwig’ from friend and fellow event rider Peter Barry at the end of the 2016 season. At that point, the gelding had done two full seasons at the old two-star level (now three-star), and by the end of 2017, Boyd would move him up to CCI4*-S – though he only contested the first phase.

In 2018, though, they hit the ground running, contesting five FEI events and finishing in the top ten in all of them.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Ludwig HIS CELEBRITY COUNTERPART: Mr T FUN FACT: Ludwig loves a donut – especially a glazed one. A horse after our own heart.

Though their 2019 season was spent recuperating – Ludwig from a soft tissue injury sustained in the build-up to Kentucky, and Boyd from a laundry list of injuries including a broken collarbone and pelvis, and a pair of hip abductor muscles that were determined to forcibly leave his body – they bounced back into form in 2020’s shortened season, which saw them finish the year on a third place finish in the CCI4*-L at Galway Downs.

We haven’t seen Ludwig in an FEI competition since, which is a bit of a shame as that Galway run was slightly marred by a 34.8 dressage – considerably higher than average for this ordinarily strong first-phase performer who hadn’t otherwise scored above 30 in an international since 2017. But don’t think for a moment that he’s underprepared – in fact, he comes into his debut CCI5* off the back of a win in the Advanced at Tryon, where he put a 29.4 on the board and jumped two classy – if steady – clear rounds.

An early draw can be tough, but as the fifth in the ring, Ludwig stands a chance of being the first horse to really make the judges sit up and take notice. Boyd – who was second here in 2019 aboard Tsetserleg – has ice water running through his veins and top-level sporting glory in his DNA from his Olympian parents, and he’ll work to eke every last bit of sparkle out of Ludwig’s already impressive flatwork. The big ask? Cross-country day – Ludwig can be almost too bold, according to his rider, which makes tough combinations and making the time trickier.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage average:

performance

31.1

xc time

dressage

cross-country

8.7 Predicted rails: 0

XC speed rating:

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

hough his recent averages have been marred by an out-of-character mark at Galway, Long Island T is a force to be reckoned with in the first phase – on his day, he could even better his two stablemates’ marks. He’s the most reliable showjumper of Boyd’s line-up here, too – but his cross-country performance will be something of a question mark. That’s not because he’s not capable and talented; the issue is that he’s been almost too strong to handle on several occasions. It would do him well to find himself a bit starstruck by the course on Saturday.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

LON G ISL A N D T | BOYD MA RTIN ( US A )

#6

jak my style Buck Davidson

Photo: Shelby Allen

The essentials: 16.3hh, sixteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: unknown Owned by: Kathleen and Roberto Cuca Groom: Kathleen Murray and Julie Robertson

J

ak My Style’s story of origin and path to the upper-levels of eventing and into Buck Davidson’s barn is an uncommon one, to say the least. He was purchased at an estate sale in New Jersey after the passing of his owner, a Thoroughbred trainer, who never actually ended up having him race since he kept dumping his exercise riders. The family who purchased them had hoped he’d make a nice hunter for their daughter, but after being deemed “kind of naughty”, they sold him to a local event rider, Matthew Bryner.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Jak GETTING PERSONAL: Were he a human, Jak’s personality would be that of the charming, slightly hunky soccer dad that all the soccer moms adore, according to Buck

Jak was a little naughty for Matthew too, regularly jumping fences and bucking him off while out hacking, but Matthew could see the gelding’s talent. After one particularly dirty unseating Matthew recalls telling the horse, “you need to stop being naughty because you’re talented enough to go to Kentucky!”

Matthew and Jak climbed the upper levels together, running two Advanced horse trials and two CCI3*-S before Matthew offered the gelding for sale. He was purchased by Kathleen Cuca as a ride for Justine Dutton, who campaigned the horse for two years before he joined Buck’s string. Kathleen’s adoration for her horse is clearly evident by the zest with which she cheers him on, and Jak has put his naughty days behind him and turned into quite the mild-mannered sweetheart; Kathleen even is able to take dressage lessons on him and occasionally does his trot sets.

Jak, who’s named after a song by the band fun., now has two five-star starts but unfortunately no completions thus far. He made his debut at the level at Kentucky 2019, but was withdrawn before cross country after Buck fell from an earlier ride and broke his collarbone. The pair traveled overseas to Burghley later that year, but fell victim to a combination of upright gates on the cross country, resulting in a fall. Buck will be looking to clinch that elusive five-star finish for this horse and his owners.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

dressage

average: 31.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

2.5

xc time

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

J

ak and Buck have one big job to focus on at Kentucky: consolidating all the pieces of the puzzle and adding a five-star completion to their considerable list of accomplishments. That it hasn’t quite happened yet shouldn’t be taken as a dismissal of this combination, especially since their first attempt at Kentucky was thwarted in such an unlucky way. They’ll do a respectable dressage and will showjump well – but they’ll need to prove their point on Saturday to do so.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

JA K M Y STYL E | BU C K DAVID S O N ( US A )

FERNHILL SINGAPORE Phillip Dutton

Photo: Kim Miller

#7

The essentials: 16.2hh, eleven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Breeding: Singapore x Riedellia, by Animo Owned by: Tom Tierney, Annie Jones, and Dave and Patricia Vos Groom: Aisling Carrol

W

ith his stablemate Z firmly aimed at a Tokyo slot later this summer, it would be easy to disregard Fernhill Singapore as a top competitor this weekend. While he is unlikely to be tapped for the trip to Japan later this summer, this horse is clearly the heir apparent in Phillip Dutton’s un-ending string of team horses.

Fernhill Singapore has been in the True Prospect program from his first competition, first competing at Beginner Novice in 2014 with then-assistant rider Waylon Roberts in the iron. For the big move-up to Novice, Phillip took the reins himself, with Waylon taking only the occasional turn as the horse moved up through the levels. By the time Fernhill Singapore hit the FEI levels, it was clear that his talent would take him far.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Singer FUN FACT: His favourite treat is Sun Chips – garden salsa flavor, preferably

This is one of the few horses on the American eventing scene whose carefulness in the final phase can rival Z’s but you wouldn’t know it from his early career. It wasn’t until he hit the Intermediate and 3* level that his ability in this phase became apparent, suddenly jumping clear at almost every show.

Since he has moved up to A/4*, he has incurred only two rails in 16 stadium rounds.

But don’t let the carefulness in the final phase fool you. This horse is a demon in the cross country phase, his eagerness barely kept in check by the skillful riding of Phillip Dutton. Fernhill Singapore is determined to make mincemeat of whatever faces him and his eagerness has led him into a couple of mistakes at the CCI4*-L level, falling at his first attempt and incurring a flag penalty just last fall out in California. Any time penalties he incurs aren’t because he is slow; it’s because Phillip is having to give him an education in half halts to rein in his excitement.

Fernhill Singapore is talented enough in the sandbox that he could be competitive in another field, but the time penalties will be his biggest obstacle this weekend. Faced with top notch competition, Phillip Dutton will be looking for a solid finish and managing a top ten slot would be the icing on the cake for these two.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

27.1

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

6.5

Predicted rails:

0

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

F

ernhill Singapore is very capable of a competitive test, but his scores tend to fluctuate – though with a rider as experienced as Phillip on board, we’re expecting him to err on the lower end when it really counts. He’s proven his capability in all three phases, and as he steps up to the biggest challenge of his career, we could all have the special treat of watching Phillip’s next superstar earn his stripes with a super result.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

F E R N H IL L SIN G A P OR E | PH ILLIP D UT TO N ( US A )

#8

A.P. PRIME Leah Lang-Gluscic

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

The essentials: 16.3hh, sixteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Aptitude xx x Czarina Kate xx, by The Prime Minister xx Owned by: CML Horses LLC Groom: Katie Wagner

T

horoughbred fans will want to make sure they’re glued to the livestream for AP Prime and Leah Lang-Gluscic’s cross country start time because that’s where this pair shines. An offtrack Thoroughbred, AP was born for the endurance phase. In fact, it was his gallop on the racetrack that caught Leah’s eye a decade ago. The match was then made through CANTER Illinois for a whopping $750.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: AP

GETTING PERSONAL: When AP sees other horses going cross country at a big event, he gets really excited: he will roll, jig, jump up and down or a combination of all three. He even does this walking back to stabling after a 5* run

From that day on, climbing the levels felt easy for AP, and he delivered on Leah’s lifelong dream of becoming a five-star rider in 2015. While that weekend ended early with a withdrawal before cross-country, it did nothing but stoke their fire, and they returned in 2016, finishing without cross country jump penalties for 33rd place. We last saw them here in 2018 where the pair’s weekend ended prematurely, withdrawing ahead of the final horse inspection after a quick and competitive gallop across the country.

Leah describes herself as, “dysfunctionally ambitious” and has been laser focused on a fourth Kentucky appearance. “My singular identity is working towards five-stars,” she said in an emphatic campaign toward fundraising this event.

While this duo won’t likely break down the door in the first phase, cross-country affords the opportunity to climb their way up the leaderboard. The final day can be hit or miss for these two in the showjumping, but Leah will be gunning for a personal best CCI5*-L result with her heart horse, AP.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 36.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

25

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 3

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

L

eah and A.P. Prime will return to Kentucky on a quest for another completion to add to their 2016 achievement – and Leah’s drive and dedication will certainly help them toward their goal. Though they won’t challenge the frontrunners, they should climb on cross-country, giving them a good chance of a result they’ll be proud of.

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A . P. PR IM E | L E A H L A N G - G LUS C IC ( US A )

vandiver Doug Payne

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#9

The essentials: 17hh, sixteen-year-old Trakehner gelding Breeding: Windfall x Visions of Grandeur, by Mystic Replica xx Owned by: Debi Crowley, Jessica Payne, and the rider Groom: Courtney Carson and Laila Bolsteins

D

ebi Crowley’s Vandiver will be the first of two Doug Payne rides this weekend in the CCI5* at Kentucky. Fans will likely be familiar with this 16-year-old Trakehner gelding – who was bred in the U.S. and started under saddle by his owner, Debi Crowley – having made four previous trips to this event as well as one to Burghley in the UK. Consistency has been the name of the game for Vandiver, who with Doug in the irons has accumulated multiple top placings at the Advanced and CCI4*-S level. Their best finish at the five-star level was a fifth place here in Kentucky in 2019. And since then, “Quinn’s” dressage scores have steadily crept down, to the point where in his last three runs he’s averaging a 27.5 in the first phase.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Quinn GETTING PERSONAL: Quinn is one of the most experienced four-star horses in the field – he’s been running at the level since 2011, initially with Dutch rider Werner Geven

This is a pair that will be doing all they can this weekend to catch the Olympic selectors’ eyes, and they’re one that’s every bit capable of turning in a dominant performance and potentially stamping their ticket to Tokyo. One of four pairs named to the USEF Eventing Elite High Performance Training List this year, they’ve also had the benefit of some extra coaching time with High Performance Director Erik Duvander as well as show jumping coach Peter Wylde.

It’s no secret that Vandiver is a favorite of longtime Payne Equestrian groom Courtney Carson, who will be caring for him, assisted by Laila Bolsteins, this weekend. He’s a quirky guy on the more emotional side whose biggest fear is big tractors, but he’s also happy to take a working student out for a hack around the property like a perfect trail horse. Courtney says if he were a human, he’d be the 65-yearold man still running marathons and Spartan races.

Look for this pair to be right up there in contention throughout the weekend, and if you want to watch an efficient and quick cross country round, Doug would be one to earmark.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 27.5 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

11.9

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

D

oug and Vandiver come into Kentucky on top form, having won their final prep run in the CCI4*-S at Tryon, finishing on their dressage score of 25.7.

In fact, they haven’t finished outside of the top ten in an international since Burghley in 2019, when they were unfortunately eliminated, but fifth here that year, with just a time penalty to add to their dressage, means we can expect this pair to fight for another top-ten placing – or better.

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VA N D IVER | D O UG PAYN E ( US A )

Photo: Shelby Allen

#10

F Jen E nieL I FBraE SnniT gan YLE The essentials: 16.2hh, ten-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Leo von Faelz x Berina A, by Brandenburger Owned by: Nina and Tim Gardner Groom: Alexa Lapp

I

t’s been six years since Jennie Brannigan’s last appearance at the Kentucky Three-Day Event with the beloved Cambalda, and now she’s back, this time with two entries.

FE Lifestyle or ‘Foxy’ is among the less experienced of the two, but Jennie has high hopes for this naturally good cross country horse.

Foxy was sourced by US-based Aussie Clayton Fredericks, but while Jennie liked him when she first tried him, she wasn’t actively in the market for a new horse in her barn. It was show jumper Scott Keach who pushed her to bring him home, and her generous, longtime owners Nina and Tim Gardner supported the decision.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Foxy FUN FACT: He can only be turned out with mares – he’s not a fan of other geldings at all, whether that’s in the field or the trailer

Foxy is a ginger through and through: he’s sensitive in his skin, with allergies, and under saddle, previously dumping Jennie in the show jumping warm-up as he spooked at a shadow, but Jennie has found what works best for him.

The pair come into Kentucky on exciting form, having finished sixth in their prep run in the CCI4*-S at Stable View. Their dressage marks have been creeping down and they’re naturally efficient across the country.

Jennie runs a busy teaching and training operation out of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and Ocala, Florida. At any given national competition, you would expect to see her riding a dozen or so horses, but in the last year she’s taken a lessis-more approach. After thinning her string at the advice of Erik, Jennie says she’s been able to focus more on her riding than ever before, so we look forward to watching the fruits of her labor this weekend.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

30.7

XC speed rating:

11

Predicted rails:

1

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

B

ased on his last two starts, Jennie will expect a dressage mark to hover right around 30 thanks to dressage coaching from James Burtwell.

Foxy has a pretty pristine cross country record, aside from one rider fall and one retirement at Internationals, so a successful cross-country day seems likely. Poles down on the final day aren’t uncommon for this pair, but Jennie has been working closely with Erik Duvander to better her odds.

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F E L IF E STYL E | J E N N I E BRA NN IG A N ( US A )

#11

C O O L E Y Q U I C K S I LV E R Liz Halliday-Sharp

Fact File:

Photo: Tilly Berendt

The essentials: 16.2hh, nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal, by Creggan Diamond Owned by: The Monster Partnership Groom: Claire Tisckos

STABLE NAME: Monster FUN FACT: Monster is ‘abnormally flexible’ – perhaps a gymnast in another life – and loves to choose the most inopportune moments for a roll

It’s always exciting to follow a young horse’s progress from age-specific championships through to the big leagues – and with Cooley Quicksilver, we’ve been able to follow that trajectory at lightning speed. As the youngest horse in the field, he’s scarcely graduated from those classes: we saw him finish seventh in the Seven-Year-Old World Championship at Le Lion d’Angers in 2018, followed up with 35th in a hot Blenheim eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S in 2019. Then he headed off to Boekelo to make his first Senior squad appearance after being selected as reserve for the Pan-Ams, and finished 30th with a speedy clear across the country. He’s been something of a child prodigy for Liz, who has a long and fruitful relationship with Cooley Farm, and he’s ready to gobble up everything the big leagues have to offer.

This will be the first of two rides for Liz, who previously split her time between the UK and Florida but recently swapped her English base for a sprawling Kentucky spread.

The former racecar driver – an adrenaline-fuelled passion that she shared with her late father, an enormous influence in her life – has spent years building up an impressive string of rides, using the skills she learned from trainers such as William Fox-Pitt to fine-tune her string and produce increasingly impressive results. Now, she’s one of the US’s foremost competitors, and one can’t help but feel there’s something big waiting just around the corner for her.

‘Monster’ is the youngest horse in this year’s jam-packed field and earned his nickname because he was a ‘weird’ youngster, in Liz’s words, and remains a cheeky character with a bit of an oral fixation: anyone who pops in to visit the striking gelding has to watch out for his little lovebites.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

30.5

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

13.5

Predicted rails:

1

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

C

ooley Quicksilver is a very exciting debutant with a huge future ahead of him, so his campaign this week will likely be focused on the long-term aim of producing him to be a team horse in years to come. That means it’s tough to call how fast he’ll run on Saturday: Liz will weigh up whether he’ll learn more from a slower, steady run or a faster, more attacking run. If she opts for the latter, and if he jumps clear, he could be a dark horse for an exciting placing – his dressage will keep him in touch, and his jumping is generally reliable.

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COOL EY QU I C KS I LVE R | L I Z H A L L I DAY-S H A RP ( US A )

FERNHILL WISHES

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#12

Karl Slezak

The essentials: 16.3hh, eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Chacoa x KEC Galway Bay, by Gildawn Diamond Owned by: Kirk Hoppner and the rider Groom: Melissa Lundberg

C

anadian Karl Slezak has a knack for carefully producing young horses, and he’s taken this one all the way to the top. Fernhill Wishes is an Irish Sport Horse (Chacoa - KEC Galway Bay by Gildawn Diamond) that started his career in the states with Karl in 2015.

An Ontario native, Karl long dreamed of representing Canada on an International stage. He got his first taste of this through young rider championships, but 2019 was the year when he made his major championship debut as a member of the Pan American Games team. He and ‘Choc’ helped Canada bring home team bronze.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Choc FUN FACT: They say event horses are meant to be brave, but Choc has one phobia he just can’t shake – he’s absolutely terrified of ponies. We’re inclined to side with him, mind you.

Kentucky will be a first CCI5*-L for both horse and rider.

Like many, Karl and Chocy had planned on a 2020 debut that was interrupted by the global upending that has been COVID-19. With another year of experience under their belts, this pair will aim for a confident completion at the 2021 event.

Out of all three phases, Chocy really excels in the show jumping, so Karl best pack a barrel full of Scotch Mints – his favorite treat – as a reward after the final day. Of course, this cheeky horse will already know he’s done well. “He loves to put his head very high in the air and paw when he thinks he’s been good, which is all the time,” says groom Melissa Lundberg.

“If he were human, he’d be the quarterback on a high school football team. He would be everyone’s favorite player and the other kids would want to be friends with him. The girls would drool over him but he would be too focused on football to have a girlfriend.” We look forward to your end zone celebration, Chocy.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage

performance

33.2 XC speed rating: 39.3 Predicted rails: 0 average:

xc time

dressage

cross-country

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

heir first-phase average won’t be enough to hang with the big guns in this phase, but Fernhill Wishes is among the very best showjumpers in this field and he’s very consistent across the country, too. While we won’t see the kind of climb that some of the seriously speedy horses can pull out, it’s fair to expect a fairly significant amount of leaderboard movement through the weekend as this very capable debutant pair show off their best bits.

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F E R N H IL L WISH E S | KA RL S L EZAK (CAN)

Photo: Shelby Allen

#13

CEmO ilyRVHaEmeT lT The essentials: 16.1hh, thirteen-year-old Holsteiner gelding Breeding: Corrido x Tina XI, by Clearway Owned by: Black Flag Option LLC Groom: Maxine Preston

O

f all the starters, Corvett may have the most iconic jumping style. His preferred method is leaving roughly a foot of breathing room between himself and the fence.

While it may give the spectator a fleeting feeling of whiplash, it’s never fazed rider Emily Hamel.

“It’s just the Barry style. It’s unique for sure, but it gives me a great feeling. I feel like you could just jump anything, but it takes some getting used to,” she says.

Fact File:

A resale fail, ‘Barry’ joined forces with Emily early in her working career at Phillip Dutton’s True Prospect Farm. While this unusual jumping effort may scare some horses, Emily and Phillip have found that Barry has only gotten more comfortable and confident as time goes on.

FUN FACT: Emily describes Barry as a ‘mama’s boy’, and everyone at True Prospect would agree – she’s the only one who can catch him. He’ll eventually concede to outsiders, but only if they come armed with carrots

These two are another of our five-star first-timers.

Emily and the Holsteiner gelding will rely on their rock-solid partnership to guide them through the experience. “We always had a connection from the very beginning. There’s no other horse I would want to be doing my first five-star on. He loves the job and as silly as it sounds, he wants to make me happy and do the right thing.”

STABLE NAME: Barry

Emily’s dream of riding at Kentucky began at the age of 9 when her 4-H group made the trip down from her home state of Wisconsin. “I didn’t know much about eventing, but I went and I was hooked. I knew that’s what I wanted to do, and I’ve been chasing after it ever since.”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

36.7

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

41.3

Predicted rails:

0

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

he goal for any rookie combination’s CCI5* debut should be to learn as much as possible and soak up the extraordinary experience of this rare and exalted accomplishment. That’s Emily and Barry’s job this week. They’ve jumped round tough CCI4*-L tracks such as Tryon and Fair Hill, so they’re more than capable of clocking up a classy, confidence-building debut run.

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COR VE T T | E MI LY HA ME L ( US A )

O RWiAT O R I O I I lliam Fox-Pitt

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#14

The essentials: 16.2hh, twelve-year-old British-bred gelding Breeding: Oslo Biats x Cinnamon Brulee xx, by Topanoora xx Owned by: The Oratorio Syndicate Groom: Alex van Tuyll

W

illiam Fox-Pitt returns to Kentucky for the first time since 2015, having won it three times previously – in 2010 aboard Cool Mountain, 2012 with Parklane Hawk, and 2014 riding Bay My Hero. This time, he brings forward Oratorio II, a last-minute swap-around for original entry Little Fire. But that original entry was only ever intended as a placeholder – though William had wanted to bring one of his horses to contest the CCI5*, he’d nearly written the idea off as financially impossible when a mysterious, unnamed source stepped in to contribute to the trip. And so William assessed his two top horses – both of whom were impressive at Badminton in 2019 – and decided that Oratorio would likely be the fitter of the two at this stage in the year.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Rio

FUN FACT: Rio was produced to CCI2*-L by Laura Collett after William turned down the ride, fearing the horse would end up as small as his 15.2hh dam. (Spoiler alert: he didn’t.)

Though he’s certainly made a name for himself on the British circuit, you might best know Oratorio for his rather famous father. William won the CCI5* at Pau in 2011 aboard Oslo, who he’d taken a limited number of straws from before gelding him as a five-year-old. One of those straws was put to Cinnamon Brulee, who the Fox-Pitts had trained as a point-to-pointer, though she was known for her sheer strength and force of will perhaps more than anything else. And those attributes have shown through loud and clear in the sparky and clever Rio. “He’s absolutely blood, and he doesn’t know the meaning of ‘hard’ in any phase, on any day, ever. It’s exhausting at my age,” William told EN at Blenheim in 2018, where the pair finished second in the CCI4*-L. “I’m quite looking forward to the day when he says, ‘right, okay, let’s go onto the bridle a bit now!’

At my age, I quite like them to purr around a bit, but he’s a double handful.

Sometimes the ‘woah’ can take 25 strides!”

His CCI5* debut at Badminton in 2019 proved how classy he is, despite some excesses of enthusiasm. He – and Little Fire, who finished tenth – even made William go rather soppy on us, as he told us, “For a while I did wonder what I was doing [coming back to the sport]. But suddenly, at 50, I see a future. Who says that at 50?!”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

performance

27.7 XC speed rating: 7 .3 Predicted rails: 1 average:

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

cross-country

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

he highlight of Oratorio’s performance is his extraordinary gallop, which, William says, makes him a Burghley horse in the making. He’ll have some space to play with it here as well, although that could translate into rather more ‘go’ than his rider would like without the enormity of Burghley’s fences to back him off. Hopefully he’s older and wiser now, though, and he’s perfectly capable of romping home inside the time after a competitive first phase. He’s a bit of a heartbreaker on Sunday, though – he’ll almost certainly pull a rail, and in this field, that’ll be expensive.

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OR ATOR IO | WI L L I A M FOX-PIT T ( G B R )

#15

wizzerd Matt Flynn

The essentials: 16.3hh, eleven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Breeding: Wizzerd x Amai, by BMC Oklund Owned by: A. Patrick and Kathleen Flynn and Merry Go Round Farm Groom: Caitlin Holden

Y

Photo: Tilly Berendt

er a Wizzerd, Matt Flynn – or at least, your horse is. Prior to joining forces with the gelding, Matt was best known for producing exciting young imports for Emil Spadone and Paul Hendrix. But in 2015, he appeared on the circuit with a new string to his bow: the then-six-year-old Dutch Warmblood who has become his upper-level partner-in-crime, allowing Matt to transcend the title of producer and salesman and own the mantle of upper-level-rider and team contender.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Wiz

fun fact: Among Wizzerd’s owners are Tyler Abells, former chief of protocol for President Lyndon Johnson, and his wife Bess, who was Lady Bird Johnson’s assistant and the White House social secretary.

“Wizzerd is pretty much everybody’s best friend – I have been lucky to have him since the latter part of his five-yearold year and since then no staff member or rider hasn’t been enamored with him - he’s a true gift to have,” says Matt.

They’ve had plenty of exciting results at four-star, including ninth place in the CCI4*-S at Jersey Fresh in 2018, tenth in the CCI4*-L at Bromont the same year, and fifth in the CCI4*-S at Stable View in 2020. In 2019, they made their five-star debut, jumping a steady clear round to finish just outside the top twenty. Their 37.2 dressage that week was rather higher than we’re accustomed to seeing from this pair, but with that experience under their belt – and the additional experience of jumping clear around Boekelo when selected as the reserves for the US team in 2019 – they should return ready to show what they’re truly made of.

Their preparation has been promising, with ninth place in the CCI4*-S at Carolina and a clear round at Tryon to prove that their end-of-season blip at the same venue didn’t have any lasting effects.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 28.1 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

40.7

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

I

n their sophomore appearance at Kentucky, Matt and Wizzerd can be expected to put a much-improved mark on the board – a high-20s score is well within their wheelhouse and would put them in a competitive position early on. Their speed rating has been impacted by conservative, educational runs, and while they won’t be among the day’s speed demons on Saturday, they should run well with a wealth of new experience behind them. They have the potential to sneak up on the big names.

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WI ZZ E R D | MAT T FLYNN ( US A )

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#16

C E C E L I A Daniela Moguel The essentials: 16hh, eighteen-year-old Thoroughbred mare Breeding: Connecticut xx x Penny Stock xx, by Spend A Buck xx Owned by: Jorge Martinez Castrejon and Paloma Garcia Groom: Madeline Pierce

D

aniela Moguel’s eventing career started at age 13 when she saw a poster of U.S. Olympian Karen O’Connor jumping into a water complex. She didn’t know what sport it was, but then and there she decided that was what she wanted to do. Little did teenage Danny know, one day she would contest some of the biggest events in the world, and that inspiring woman on the poster would become a trainer and a mentor.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Cecelia fun fact: Cecelia’s favorite place to be groomed is a particular spot on her belly. But don’t get it wrong – she’s a bit of a ‘Karen’ and is quick to complain to management if things aren’t done her way!

Growing up in Mexico, a country with a much larger show jumping presence, Daniela had to work hard to carve out a place for herself in eventing, but that she did.

In 2016, she became the first CCI5*-L rider to represent Mexico, and in 2018 she was the first Mexican event rider to compete at the FEI World Equestrian Games.

These accolades were achieved with her partner Cecelia, an unraced Thoroughbred mare (Connecticut x Penny Stock, by Spend a Buck). She found the mare on EN’s Sport Horse Nation, an eventing classifieds site, and traveled from Mexico City to Virginia to try her. Cecelia had gone through the Advanced level with Leslie Lamb (née Chelstrom), and was the perfect match for Daniela to break into the top of the sport.

Cecelia has been competing at the Advanced level for nearly a decade, and with three previous appearances at the Kentucky Three-Day Event, she knows the job.

This duo is always an inspiration to watch. Daniela’s platinum smile and celebration of every ride is infectious – you can see the love for her partner written on her face.

You may want to grab the tissues for these two.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage

performance

34.7 XC speed rating: 33.7 Predicted rails: 2 average:

xc time

dressage

cross-country

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

his is a fourth trip to Kentucky for Cecelia and Daniela, and so they know what to expect by now – and they come into the event on good form, having done a better-than-usual dressage and faster-than-usual cross-country run in Red Hills’s CCI4*-S. They won’t be fighting for a placing in this fierce field, but a solid clear round across the country is certainly doable, and they’ve done it before.

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C EC E L IA | DA N IE L A M O G UE L ( M EX )

#17

PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE

Lauren Nicholson

Photo: Shelby Allen

The essentials: 17hh, sixteen-year-old Trakehner gelding Breeding: Pasco x Gesche 11, by Louis Owned by: Jacqueline Mars Groom: Sally Robertson and Emma O’Neal

P

aramount Importance is one of Lauren Nicholson’s two entries in this year’s competition. In his fivestar debut here in 2019, he finished 8th.

Bred in Denmark by Bent Burrow, ‘Louie Pi’ began his career with British eventer Oliver Smith. In 2015, Swedish eventer Ludwig Svennerstal took over the ride. Ludwig brought the up-and-coming horse up the ranks with their partnership, culminating in a 15th place finish and team silver at the European Championships in 2017. It was after this that Lauren got the ride.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Louie Pi celebrity doppelganger: If Louie Pi was a person, Lauren says he’d like The Rock – a man who, incidentally, has a little-known interest in eventing!

Lauren, a self-professed former ‘barn rat’ who’s based with Karen and David O’Connor, has five top-ten fivestar finishes to her name already, has been chasing the Kentucky title for a while – and she’s come close to nabbing it, finishing second and winning the Pinnacle Trophy and the USEF National Championship in both 2014 and 2016. She’s certainly put the legwork in, too – in 2015, she spent a summer in England, based with British team selector Nigel Taylor, and culminated her trip with sixth place at Blenheim.

Paramount Importance’s experience and previous Kentucky form suggests that they’ll pick up another competitive result this year, and Lauren will be kept busy working towards personal-best performances with both horses – an effort that will pay dividends, as it’ll keep them near the forefront of the selectors’ minds as we inch closer to this important summer. A steady run in the CCI4*-S at Chattahoochee Hills will have set them up well for the week ahead.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 39.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

15

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

A

n experienced horse and rider partnering together is a recipe for success. Their dressage result will see them in the middle of the pack after the first phase, and speed on cross country could be a big influencer of their place on the leaderboard, but past data indicates this pair jumps clear on the final day about half the time.

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PA R A M O U N T I M P O RTA N C E | L AU R E N N I CHOLSON (USA)

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#18

BTima nPrgiceo

The essentials: 16.3hh, fifteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Garrison Royal x No Sale, by Don Tristan Owned by: The Numero Uno Syndicate Groom: Kerryn Edmans, Lucy Miles, and Megan Hodder

“

Uno doesnt really mention it much these days but he comes from a pretty basic Irish bog and clearly spent his early years flogging through the swamp-like mud to forage for food. This has left him with a fantastic ability to go cross country in the worst of conditions and since he spent a fair amount of time in thick fog as a baby unable to see his mother across the field, he also doesn’t mind being left on his own in the slightest.”

So quips Jacky Green, the comic genius behind much of the Kiwi effort and the woman responsible for perhaps our favorite set of totally professional horse descriptions ever.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Uno FUN FACT: Tim describes the horse, who he sourced as a four-year-old from The Billy Stud’s Donal Barnwell as “an oldfashioned Irish type”

We at EN rather feel that poor Uno has been overlooked in the past, despite the fact that he keeps on appearing at these big three-days. He’s had to endure the shame of taking his stablemate Ringwood Sky Boy’s place for the lap of honour when the latter won Burghley in 2018, which must have opened up him up to endless ribbing from his equine pals, and he almost certainly picked up a bit of a complex after Izzy Taylor’s Springpower bolted on the Badminton trot-up strip, completely stripping Uno’s own sashay of any of its pomp and circumstance. He keeps on showing up and doing the job with a smile on his face, and along the way, someone always marches in with tap shoes on and steals his thunder. Frankly, we’re tired of it. #JusticeForUno, we say.

Uno isn’t short of experience – he made his five-star debut at Luhmühlen in 2015, where he finished 15th, and he completed Burghley the following autumn, finishing 21st despite clocking up 20 penalties across the country. In 2018, he finished tenth at Burghley, but in 2019, he had a bit of a frustrating moment at Badminton after appearing to run out of brakes entirely, and Tim put his hand up after picking up a 20. They were then clear in the CCI3*-S at Barbury, finishing sixth, and they posted a 29.4 FOD in the Nations Cup at Camphire for second place. They cruised around Hartpury very neatly before heading back to Burghley in 2019 – his last international run – where he finished fifth. Since then, we’ve seen him look classy around a small handful of Open Intermediates and an Advanced. At this point in his career, he doesn’t need more than that to be ready for the main stage.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 31.9 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

16.8

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

H

e’s not likely to fight for the win, but Bango’s a reliable campaigner with experience at this venue under his belt already – though that run, in 2016, admittedly didn’t end well, as poor Tim hit the deck. That was his famously unlucky year, mind you, and Bango is much more solid these days.

He’ll be in the top third or just outside it after dressage – we don’t see those OI 21s at this level – and then should deliver two solid, if steady, clears.

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B A N G O | TIM PRIC E ( NZL )

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#19

DKuelu x Z rt Martin

The essentials: 17.1hh, fifteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Lux x Drumin Imp, by Master Imp Owned by: Caroljean Martin, William G. Martin Jr, and the rider Groom: Mila Jelenic

I

t’s been a pleasure to see DeLux Z and Kurt Martin return to the eventing scene after a two-year hiatus for the gelding.

Kurt has described this horse as “feral” when he met him as a 7-year-old in Aiken, South Carolina. After a while, he started to settle, but he’s still got a cheeky side. He’s been known to jump out of his paddock or unlatch his stall door if he felt like stepping out. Aside from his quirks, he’s been a loyal partner for Kurt.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Lux fun fact: Kurt and his team jokingly refer to Lux as ‘Flight Risk’, because he’s so prone to escaping from his stable. And if he was a human? He’d be exactly like Kurt, apparently.

“Lux,” as he’s lovingly referred to in the barn, and Kurt made their CCI5*-L debut together at Kentucky in 2016 where they finished 25th. The following year they returned and nabbed a top ten finish. Leading up to the 2018 event, Lux was sidelined after a top ten finish at Carolina International.

Lux was back in competition last year, where Kurt took his time with several Intermediates to lay the groundwork before bringing him back to Advanced this spring. Their final prep at Stable View was the partnership we’d become familiar with, scoring a 31.5 on the flat and jumping clear with time to finish on a 45.

This horse is a brilliant jumper – he’s never had a jump penalty on cross-country or show jumping in any of his long format three-day events at the four- and five-star level, but fitness has been trickier for this guy, so time could play an influence on this pair’s final result.

Kurt owns this horse in partnership with his parents, Caroljean and Bill Martin. Neither of them have a background in horses, but they’ve been Kurt’s biggest supporters through the years, starting at age five when he asked for cowboy boots as a birthday present.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 35.5 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

28.2

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

D

eLux Z has one of the most sparkling jumping records in the field, which should ensure a climb up the leaderboard through the weekend – though much depends on whether the major challenge on Saturday is the course or the time. He’s not lightning-fast but he’s a stayer, so a tough track will see greater gains for this pair.

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D E LUX Z | KU RT M A RT I N ( US A )

Photo: Shelby Allen

#20

S T Mik E Ae DPenY dleE DtonD I E The essentials: 16.1hh, eighteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Jetball xx x Tuonela xx, by Chief’s Crown xx Owned by: Pierre Colin, Denise Lahey, George and Gretchen Wintersteen Groom: Sydney Bachman

S

teady Eddie began his life as a racehorse in Australia.

He ran 36 times with minimal success before Boyd Martin spotted him as a 4-year-old in a friend’s field in Townsville, Queensland after retiring from racing. Boyd described him as “skin and bones,” but decided to hop on to try him – in flip flops and shorts no less. That ride sealed the deal, and he flew over to the U.S. in 2010.

Boyd and ‘Eddie’ had an illustrious career together with appearances at the world’s biggest five-stars including Kentucky, Burghley, and Pau before Mike Pendleton got the ride in 2019.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Eddie

FUN FACT: While Eddie gained experience with Boyd, Mike was also able to learn from an Olympian – he spent some time in Germany, working and riding for Michael Jung

Mike arrived at Boyd’s Windurra Farm in 2012 looking for a working student position. Where he might have lacked polish, Boyd says he made up for it with natural talent and a heroic work ethic. Mike eventually came on full time, and his dogged determination was rewarded when Boyd and a few owners arranged for him to ride and work for German Olympian Michael Jung in 2018.

When he returned, Eddie’s owners Pierre Colin, Denise Lahey, George and Gretchen Wintersteen decided to give Mike the ride. “I am grateful because they had the chance to sell the horse, but instead they allowed me to take over the ride,” Mike said. “This is an unbelievable opportunity to compete at the top level for a person like me that is just starting out my career.”

Though Eddie is the more experienced of the two at this level, Mike’s many years bringing up young horses have made him a bold and successful cross country rider – ingredients necessary for a five-star debut.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

33.9

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

23.5

Predicted rails:

2

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

M

ike Pendleton’s achievement here cannot be overlooked: he only really started competing at FEI competitions in 2018 – other than a CCI2*-S and a CCI2*-L in 2015 – and he’s now heading to Kentucky.

Steady Eddie won’t be here to chase placings, but rather to help Mike earn his stripes as a CCI5* rider, giving him an invaluable education that he’ll use on every horse he rides for the rest of his career – which already looks set to be a very exciting one.

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STEA DY EDDIE | MI KE PE N D L E TO N ( US A )

#21

lcc barnaby Lillian Heard The essentials: 16.3hh, fourteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Guy Cavalier x Lady Tanjour, by Rafael Owned by: the rider Groom: Isabelle Bosley

T Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

his will be a whopping eighth five-star for Lillian and Barnaby, who have competed – and completed – here four times. They’ve also been to Burghley three times, and though they didn’t make it around on their first attempt in 2017, they’ve since completed twice – including in 2019, when the course caused plenty of problems but the duo sailed around to finish in the top twenty. That same year, they also clocked up their best-ever placing here, finishing sixteenth.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Barnaby fun fact: Lillian is part of one of the US eventing scene’s power couples: she’s engaged to Aussie Ryan Wood.

Lillian found her tough, game gelding while in Ireland working for Carol Gee of Fernhill Sport Horses. Her own horse, who had travelled over with her from the States, was injured, and so for the first time in her life, she found herself having to shop for a new prospect without the watchful eye of her trainer, Boyd Martin, to help her.

“Boyd said that if the horse is a good jumper, buy it,” she told Horse&Hound in 2016. “We had this horse in at the time — he was nuts, out of control and generally we hated riding him, but then he kept jumping and jumping. I thought if I could learn to control him, then he would be a good horse, so I bought him.”

Lillian then opted to spend a season in England gaining mileage on her new purchase, Barnaby, but quickly discovered that in this hub of the sport, even the best-laid plans can be washed away by the rain. Most of her entered events were cancelled, though they managed several outings at BE100 (Training level) before heading home.

Over their four seasons at five-star thus far, Barnaby has proven himself to be genuine and bold – though sometimes too bold. His inclination to pick up time faults has been a result of his strength, which requires Lillian to set him up much earlier for each fence to ensure he’s read it.

That big Burghley may well have taught him to back himself off, which could see them become very competitive.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 36.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

34.5

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

L

illian and LCC Barnaby are very familiar faces at Kentucky, and Lillian’s quest to learn and improve never misses a beat.

Her efforts to get to Burghley numerous times give them an edge across the country, because they’ve proven themselves so capable over the world’s toughest course. That helps them overcome a slightly off-the-pace dressage, and we often see these keen, strong Irish horses settle and become more rideable in the prime of their careers, which fourteen-year-old Barnaby is entering now. When that clicks into place and he’s able to be more efficient, they’ll make huge leaderboard gains.

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LCC B A R N A BY | L I L L I A N H E A RD ( US A )

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#22

cooley on show Sharon White The essentials: 16.2hh, thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Ricardo Z x Jogantina, by Grand d’Espagne Owned by: the rider Groom: Rachel Livermore

Y

ou can’t miss Cooley On Show and Sharon White in their signature orange colors that perfectly contrast with the big, striking grey. This will be a fourth fivestar appearance at Kentucky for the Irish Sport Horse.

‘Louie’ has a larger than life personality – he’s like the Michael Jordan of Sharon’s Last Frontier Farm. Sharon bought him as a seven-year-old, and says it was a bumpy start with the striking gelding. He’s very laid back and at home she couldn’t get him to canter, but when he arrived at his first competition, all the lights came on. That’s when she realized what a showman he was.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Louie fun fact: Louie’s favorite plaything is his tongue – and he always has to put everything in his mouth

He looks like a dream going cross country, and Sharon says that’s exactly how it rides. “It should be illegal to have that much fun out there,” she said. Louie’s calm and confident personality meshes will with Sharon’s more type A style, and the two are often in the top spots of major U.S. internationals.

In their last completion at this event, the pair were eighth, and last year these two won the competitive CCI4*-S class at Red Hills in Tallahassee, Florida. Sharon and Louie gravitate toward the low 30s on the flat, and if the going is good on Saturday, they have the jets to make it around quickly.

Historically, they tend to knock a pole on the final day of a long-format, but not always. These two have all the pieces to be a very competitive pair, and put the pressure on the top of the field, but it’s all about putting it all together on the day.

Sharon will certainly have all this on her mind throughout the weekend, most likely in her car where she often retreats for a little centering before a big event to “get in the zone.”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 30.3 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

10.6

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

C

ooley On Show looks like the type of horse we'd all like to ride around a five-star thanks to his smooth, no-pulling way of going.

This pair isn t a slouch on the flat but will likely find themselves needing to make up some ground. By all accounts, though, this is a pair that s fairly evenly competitive across phases, so a personal best weekend could well be in the cards for Sharon.

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COOL EY ON S H OW | S H A R O N WH ITE ( US A )

j o h n n y R oya l e

Photo: Jenni Autry

#23

Joe Meyer

The essentials: 16.1hh, twelve-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: His Royal Highness xx x Chivaney xx, by Tights xx Owned by: The Team Johnny Syndicate Groom: Max Corcoran and Stephanie Tassos Reimers

I

f Johnny Royale was a horse, he’d be the ‘dumb jock’ type, according to Joe and his team – he’s a very good-looking, athletic horse, but, they tell EN, he’s no rocket scientist.

That results in some odd quirks – usually about the silliest things – but it also means that he’s big-hearted and a real trier.

We’ve seen this quality in action before at Kentucky: in 2019, he was Saturday’s biggest climber, jumping 26 places up the leaderboard after cross-country. That was his CCI5* debut, though he’d been entered in 2018, when he withdrawn at the first horse inspection.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Johnny FUN FACT: Though he’s generally a quiet horse on the ground, Johnny has to spend most of his time at Kentucky tied outside his stable with a haynet, because for some reason, he’s decided that they’re terrifying

Hopefully Joe and Johnny’s prep for Kentucky this year has been a little bit less fraught than in 2019 – that year, they missed their intended final run at Chattahoochee Hills after Joe broke his ribs in a car accident and was unable to ride. Instead, they stayed local and won an Open Intermediate section at Ocala.

This year, they’ve made it to the CCI4*-S at Stable View, where they picked up a rare 20 across the country, and jumped clear around the CCI3*-S at Chattahoochee Hills, as well as clocking up top-ten finishes at Intermediate and Advanced.

Johnny is one of nine full Thoroughbreds in this year’s field, though his career on the track wasn’t much to write home about: over eight races in New Zealand, he won just $170. He was then brought over to the UK by Kiwi rider Lizzie Green, where he competed to Novice [US Preliminary] level before Joe bought him and imported him to the States, initially as a resale prospect. It tends to take some time to train horses who’ve raced over jumps to change the way they use their body over fences, and Johnny has been a classic example of this – he doesn’t lack in scope, and has often used that, rather than a tight front end, to make it over fences. We’re seeing him come into his prime now, though, and it’ll be fun to watch this pair in action.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 37.8 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

4.3

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 3

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

T

rue to his ‘jock’ persona, Johnny Royale is here for the fast and furious stuff – so we won’t be looking to him to lead the way in the first phase.

His high-30s score will put him in the bottom half of the pack, and then he’ll spend Saturday merrily overtaking as many of the fancy prancing types as he can. Sunday can undo much of that hard work, though – he’s not a particularly reliable showjumper, though every experience he has in this arena will be useful one for the future.

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J OH N N Y R OYA L E | J OE MEYE R ( NZL )

#24

G A L L O WAY S U N R I S E Fylicia Barr

Photo: Shelby Allen

The essentials: 16.3hh, twelve-year-old American Warmblood mare Breeding: Duty Officer x Coco Chanel, breeding unknown Owned by: Shannon and Daniel Barr and the rider Groom: Melanie Schaefer

G

alloway Sunrise has been a horse of many firsts for 25-year-old Fylicia Barr and she, in turn, was the first person to sit on ‘Sunny’ after she and her mother found the mare listed on Craiglist for $500. Since then, they’ve tackled it all together, from their first Preliminary to their first International win at Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L in 2019, and now their first CCI5*-L. Their first encounter wasn’t exactly serendipitous – the mare welcomed Fylicia with a swift kick, but she described Sunny as “a diamond in the rough” (and also all that her budget would allow). The mare wasn’t even halter broken, but they brought the American Warmblood home nonetheless.

Fact File:

Based out of rural New York, Fylicia’s introduction to the sport was of the rough-and-ready variety, but she and Sunny were able to grow up and learn together. The mare’s wild spirit wasn’t always welcomed in the beginning, but now Fylicia believes it’s a huge asset on cross country.

FUN FACT: If Sunny was a person, she’d be Christina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy, according to Fylicia – because she’s hyper-focused, overly competitive, and loyal without being very affectionate

At 18, Fylicia responded to a working student post at Full Gallop Farm in Aiken, South Carolina, and after that she landed in Sally Lofting’s program in Pennsylvania. She credits Sally for transforming her riding, and after working as an assistant trainer, she opened her own teaching and training operation out of Sally’s barn in 2018.

STABLE NAME: Sunny

Fylicia’s last two long-format events ended with rider falls on cross country, but the rest of their record is relatively unmarred, so as long as she can hang onto her spunky mare, this pair show strength against the clock. That is certainly the phase where they can play to their strengths in this major debut.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

33

XC speed rating:

0

Predicted rails:

3

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

F

ylicia’s journey with Sunny is the stuff of horse movies and little girls’ daydreams – and notching up their first Kentucky trip is an enormous achievement. Sunny – in true horse movie fashion – isn’t always the most straightforward horse, so a completion will be the goal for this exciting debut. If all goes to plan across the country, they could be a dark horse pair on Saturday – they’re quick enough to climb a fair bit if they go clear.

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G A L LOWAY SU N R ISE | F YL I C IA B A RR ( US A )

#25

rfMascandalous rilyn Little The essentials: 16.1hh, sixteen-year-old Oldenburg mare Breeding: Cruising x Shannon xx, by Catch on Fire xx Owned by: Jacqueline Mars and Phoebe and Michael Manders Groom: Gustavo Facundo

Photo: Tilly Berendt

M Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Kitty

fun fact: At first glance, it looks like Kitty’s missing part of her ear, but it’s actually curled. This is thought to be the result of frostbite sustained in Germany when she was a foal

arilyn and ‘Kitty’ became the USEF National Champions here in 2018 when they finished third behind Oliver Townend and Michael Jung – and now, in their sophomore attempt at the event, they’ll be looking to do one (or two) better.

Their FEI record is certainly among the most formidable in the field – in 25 internationals together, they’ve notched up 13 wins and a further four top-five placings. Even more interestingly, the horse’s first four FEI events in Germany with an amateur rider gave no glimpse at all of her future: she had 60 cross-country jumping penalties in her very first CCI2*-S and then was eliminated in her next three attempts before being sold to the States and joining former Grand Prix showjumper Marilyn’s string.

Marilyn has also enjoyed success her with former rides, including RF Demeter (9th in 2012 and 6th in 2014) and RF Smoke on the Water (5th in 2014), though her swift trajectory from the jumper world meant that she also clocked up some educational runs as well, failing to complete a handful of times. With her team and individual Pan-American gold medalist Kitty, though, there’s more consistency to the results they’ve been notching up along the way.

They’re certainly among the likeliest candidates to give the foreign contingent a run for their money this week, but to do so, they’ll need to run quickly and in perfect harmony so they economise and avoid those time penalties.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 22.4 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

18.3

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

M

arilyn and RF Scandalous come into Kentucky on characteristically strong form, having won both their international prep runs this spring. The dressage is their strongest phase, and they consistently post very low 20s scores – or even dip as low as 19.9, as they did in Bromont’s CCI4*-S in 2018. They’ve done well in both their five-star runs – third here in 2018 and fourth at Luhmühlen in 2017 – but their cross-country performance isn’t as reliably quick and clear as some of their likeliest rivals on the leaderboard. Still, though, they’ll be one of the toughest combinations to beat as they fight for a win.

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R F SCA N DA LOU S | MA R I LYN L IT TL E ( US A )

PA LM C R ES C EN T

Photo: Shelby Allen

#26

Meghan O’Donoghue The essentials: 16.1hh, fifteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Quiet American xx x Edey’s Village xx, by Silver Deputy xx Owned by: the rider Groom: Margo Goldfarb

O

ff-track Thoroughbred fans know the story of Meghan O’Donoghue and her little bay gelding that could, Pirate, as they stormed around what was then Rolex Kentucky in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Now, Meghan is making a return to the five-star level with a new OTTB: Palm Crescent.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Palmer FUN FACT: Palmer doesn’t particularly like being touched – although he’s got a particularly well-honed begging face if there are treats involved

It was as Pirate was winding down his international career that ‘Palmer’s’ former owners, the Shipka family, approached her about taking over the ride from their daughter, who had decided to pursue dressage. Taking the reins and moving up gradually from the old one-star level level, Meghan has patiently produced the now-15-year-old gelding and was qualified to head to Kentucky last year for their debut. Of course, we all know what happened then.

An extra year of preparation never hurt anyone, though, and a carefully chosen schedule ensured that Palm Crescent’s confidence and education stayed sharp.

He’s a quirky guy – Meghan she says he’s particularly fond of setting himself free from halters, as he views them to be unnecessary – but he’s come into himself at the Advanced and four-star level and is proving himself every bit ready to tackle the next step. Look for this first trip to Kentucky to be educationfocused, but Meghan is a gutsy rider across the country, and her partnership with Palm Crescent has really blossomed as time has passed.

Beloved by Area IV eventers as a member of the O’Donoghue family-run Le Cheval de Boskydell and Boskydell Pony Club, Meghan relocated to Virginia with Pirate a little over 10 years ago and now has a bustling coaching, sales and training business in Round Hill, Virginia.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

35

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

0. 3

Predicted rails:

1

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

T

he first phase mark for Meghan and Palm Crescent will put them halfway down the pack heading into cross-country, where they’ll be able to focus all their attention on adding yet another classy, quick clear to their increasingly impressive record, which sees them finish in the top ten in five of their last seven internationals. If they continue on current form, expect them to climb and climb – and their solitary rail on Sunday won’t send them too far back down.

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PA L M C R E S C E N T | MEGH A N O’D ONO G H UE ( US A )

MAGNUM'S MARTINI Nilson Moreira da Silva

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#27

The essentials: 16.3hh, sixteen-year-old Holsteiner gelding Breeding: Magnum x Momo’s Girl, by Piker Owned by: The MM Syndicate and the rider Groom: Emily Shirley

N

ilson Moreira da Silva was 19 when he took his first trip to the Olympics. It was 1996, and he was a groom for the Brazilian event team. 20 years later, Nilson would get tantalizingly close to galloping out of the Olympic start box himself when he was named as a traveling alternate for Brazil for the Games in his home country with his former partner, Muggle.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Martini fun fact: Martini’s human counterpart is Vito from The Godfather, a paradox of a man who’s both a violent criminal and a loving, warm father. For his part, Martini’s antics require respect, but still he ends up being a barn favorite

That Olympic dream inches closer this year, as Nilson is now qualified to make a bid for the Brazilian squad (the country was able to qualify for an Olympic berth thanks to a silver medal finish at the 2019 Pan American Games) in Tokyo this summer – and that path crosses through Kentucky on the back of the 17-year-old Magnum’s Martini.

Magnum’s Martini will make his official five-star debut in Kentucky, though he’s certainly no stranger to tough tracks, having been Nilson’s partner for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in North Carolina. While this won’t be a pair that will be in contention for the top spot at the end of the weekend, you’d be hard-pressed not to love Nilson and his relationship with and love for “Martini”, who he says is particular about sticking to his routine and identifies closely with Vito from The Godfather.

“They are the epitome of if you want something badly enough and if you work hard enough, you can make it happen,” Nilson’s wife, Laura, told the Aiken Post-Courier in 2016.

“Nilson grew up in Brazil, where because of his status in life – he wasn’t rich – he shouldn’t have been able to do something like this, basically. Part of the reason he came to the U.S. was to kind of break out of that mold a little bit, and he has been 100 percent successful. Now he is back in his own country, representing his country in the Olympics.”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage

performance

43.3 XC speed rating: 21.7 Predicted rails: 4 average:

xc time

dressage

cross-country

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

N

ilson’s mission here isn’t to try to win Kentucky – it’s to prove to the Brazilian team selectors that he and Martini will be a valuable asset in Tokyo’s new three-combination team format. His job? To aim for the 41 mark, as he’s been doing for much of this year, and then produce a steady, confident clear round. Showjumping isn’t this horse’s easiest phase, but the WEG will have taught them valuable lessons about preparing for the final day at this level.

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M AG N U M ’ S M A RTIN I | N I LS O N MO R E I R A DA S ILVA ( B RA )

#28

JEmAileeK OLibB byI

Photo: Sherry Stewart

The essentials: 16.2hh, twelve-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Breeding: Ustinov x Expression, by Coriano Owned by: Linda Libby and the rider Groom: Bill Olson

A

nother one of the riders making a return to the five-star level after some time away, Emilee Libby is a California-based rider bringing forth the 12-year-old Belgian warmblood Jakobi as her comeback partner following a 14-year gap.

Emilee completed her first then four-star at the age of 19 in 2007 with her former partner, Cahir. Following Cahir, it was the extraordinarily talented Nonsensical who stepped in to fill his predecessor’s shoes.

Emilee and ‘Nonny’ narrowly missed out on making their debut at Kentucky due to injury. Now, it’s the bold jumper Jakobi who will bring some West coast flair to the Bluegrass this month.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Jakob FUN FACT: His favorite treat is Nature’s Valley Oats and Honey granola bars

To watch Jakobi jump is to watch pure raw talent in action, though Emilee says she’s worked hard on his rideability as a result. Indeed, he’s an exuberant guy, but this year Emilee says she’s seen a marked improvement in his comfort and willingness to listen.

This pair’s final prep came at Galway Downs in March, where they finished third in the CCI4*-S. That weekend, Emilee commented that ‘Jakob’ was really listening and feeling more comfortable and fit than ever – a good time to be peaking for a trip east! Indeed, the hard work they’ve been putting in showed: Galway would be the first time the pair made the time at the four-star level.

Having also had the benefit of an extra year of practice at the Advanced and four-star level, Jakobi now has two CCI4*-L under his belt, including a 2019 trip to Bromont, where he finished seventh.

Emilee will be accompanied to Kentucky by longtime friend Bill Olson, who can typically be found lending a helping hand or a supportive ear. These two have been best of friends as long as we’ve known them, and you can bet Bill will be watching every moment proudly as his friend reaches another career milestone.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

34.6

XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

44

Predicted rails:

0

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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milee and Jakobi are used to placing well at internationals – in fact, they’ve finished in the top ten in fourteen of their fifteen FEI competitions. It’s important to note that they’re based in California, and West Coast class sizes tend to be considerably smaller, but they’ve been competitive further east, too, finishing seventh at Bromont CCI4*-L in 2019. This is a big step up and the focus will be on an educational, steady round to prepare Jakobi for a bright future. He can learn speed at the level later on.

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JA KOB I | E MI L E E L IB BY ( US A )

K .ZoE e. CCra. wfo Z ArdR A

Photo: Shelby Allen

#30

The essentials: 16.1hh, fourteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Breeding: Aldatus Z x Puissance Flight, by Puissance Owned by: the rider Groom: Tegan Henderson

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his will be a five-star debut for both Reddick, Floridabased Zoe Crawford and her 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, K.E.C. Zara, and it’s one that was put on hold after the cancelation of last year’s event. But despite the delay and the uncertainty it brought with it, Zoe looked on the bright side: she had a happy, healthy horse and a lot of extra time to fine tune the basics.

Partnered with ‘Zara’ since the mare was 5 and she was a junior in high school, Zoe had only just begun to really get interested in eventing when she acquired the mare. K.E.C. Zara quickly proved herself to have a knack for the sport, taking to the cross-country like a fish in water – though Zoe has had to learn how to ride the mare at speed while still maintaining control.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Zara FUN FACT: While she tends to be “absolutely feral” at events, Zara can often be found being ridden in a halter and lead rope at home, where she’s the quietest horse in the barn

“I knew she’s always been a really fast horse, but it’s taken a while to sort of find the balance of being able to go quickly and have enough control to get everything done,” Zoe told EN last fall. Her efforts to learn how to more effectively ride the mare have paid off – the pair caught our eye in the CCI4*-L at Tryon last fall when they were one of just nine pairs to make the time on cross country.

Zoe is a former Pony Clubber, having belonged to the Norfolk Hunt Pony Club in Massachusetts throughout her high school years. She credits Jeanie Clarke, with whom she first forayed into the world of eventing as a working student, for developing her both as a horsewoman as well as an eventer. A two-time member of the USEF Eventing 25 Emerging Athlete Program, recipient of the 2018 Essex Horse Trials Grant, and member of the 2021 Development Training List, Zoe has many tools and more experience under her belt as she eyes her five-star debut. Certainly Zoe’s lofty goals don’t stop here, but it’s another box to tick off with her opinionated mare of a lifetime.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

41

XC speed rating:

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xc time

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Three-run dressage

16.3

Predicted rails:

0

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

K

.E.C. Zara’s need for speed should suit Derek di Grazia’s track and the open space well, though this will be an education-focused trip for these firsttimers. Don’t look for them to be hanging about though – this mare came to Kentucky to do some serious running and jumping.

The control they now have is allowing them to become more efficient on the cross-country course, and it’ll be a great test and fact-finding mission for them to tackle Saturday’s challenge.

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K . E .C . ZA R A | ZO E C RAWFO R D ( US A )

#31

F E A LWAYS I N T I M E Clayton Fredericks The essentials: 16.2hh, ten-year-old Trakehner gelding Breeding: Chateauneuf x Asta VI, by Wettsport Owned by: Adele and Eckart Siewert and the rider Groom: Leah Brayton and Molly Tulley

T Photo: Shelby Allen

he second of Australian rider Clayton Fredericks’ three rides, FE Always In Time is the youngest of the bunch.

The 10-year-old Trakehner gelding joins his stablemates in making his five-star debut at Kentucky, coming off a 14th place finish in his final full prep at Carolina International in March.

Most recently, the pair did the dressage and show jumping phases of the CCI4*-S at Chattahoochee Hills, electing to withdraw intentionally before cross country.

This is another that Clayton has produced since nearly the beginning, and he’s often called an exceptional jumper who has made the step up through the levels feel easy beyond his years.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Schnappy FUN FACT: Schnappy’s favourite thing to do at an event is nap – you can usually locate him in the stables by following the sound of his snoring

FE Always In Time has some extra time at the Advanced and four-star level under his belt now, and Clayton has called this year’s running of Kentucky a “moving target” in past interviews.

Indeed, it was a challenge experienced by many riders who in 2020 had fit horses ready to run a five-star. After Kentucky canceled last year, he circled the inaugural Maryland 5 Star, which would also fall victim to cancelation. From there, it was just a waiting game.

With his breadth of experience, Clayton certainly knows how to pilot an inexperienced horse around a tough track. He’ll be one to watch come cross country day as he navigates Derek di Grazia’s course three times, taking each experience back to the barn to prepare for his next ride.

As for FE Always In Time, as with his stablemates, time across the country will prove to be influential. However, this gelding loves to eat up cross country - and his growing prowess is reflected in his record. In total, FE Always In Time has had just two events in his career, FEI and otherwise, in which he incurred cross country jumping penalties.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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34.4 XC speed rating: 30 Predicted rails: 1 average:

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ronically, Always In Time hasn’t actually ever made the time in an FEI event – and it probably won’t happen for the first time at Kentucky, where the time is usually pretty tough to catch. But Clayton, who has three exciting horses to pilot around the course this year, won’t be here for heroics with this horse – instead, he’ll use the competition to lay the groundwork for the future with this promising young horse. We’ll be looking for a middle-of-the pack finish, but at this stage of his career, the quality of Always In Time’s performances will matter more than the placing.

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F E A LWAYS IN TIM E | C L AYTO N F R E D E RIC KS ( AUS )

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#32

c l as s i c m o e t Jonelle Price

The essentials: 16hh, eighteen-year-old British-bred Sport Horse mare Breeding: Classic x Gamston Bubbles, by Bohemond xx Owned by: Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and the rider Groom: Kerryn Edmans, Lucy Miles, and Megan Hodder

I

s Classic Moet the fastest horse in the world? It’s very possible – particularly when paired with her very, very quick rider. That’s what makes Classic Moet such a, well, classic contender for the likes of Burghley and Badminton – though her dressage has certainly come a long way over the last number of years, she’s not a first-phase leader. Instead, she climbs and climbs, and the tougher the time or the cross-country test, the better it suits our Molly. For that reason, Kentucky might not necessarily be her perfect battleground – but in an Olympic year, and with a quality field, we may see a premium di Grazia course on offer. That’s when Molly, one of the most experienced horses in the field, will really shine.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Molly

FUN FACT: Molly is a mum – she had a foal via embryo transfer in 2018, sired by Tom Carlile’s Selle Français Upsilon first impressions: Jonelle nearly turned down the ride on Molly in 2013 because she worried she wouldn’t be a fast horse

“She’s so unspecial that she’s incredibly special,” says Jonelle. “There’s nothing fantastic; she’s quite an ordinary mover, a bit of an unorthodox jumper, but she’s got a ginormous heart. She’s got a huge will to be an event horse and she’s fierce and courageous.” Her Badminton victory in 2018 – Jonelle’s first win at the level – felt like a fairytale come true: we’d all watched Jonelle and Molly battle it out and come so close for years, and it felt thoroughly wellearned, but it also aged everyone by about ten years to watch them pick their way around the showjumping course, tippy-tapping each pole and bouncing it in its cups. That they all stayed up seemed a miracle, whether you’d been watching all the near-misses yourself or whether you’d clocked that their previous clear showjumping round in an international had been a whopping four years prior. Some things just feel like kismet, and that was one of them – though there was an awful lot of hard work that went into making it happen.

Some of that hard work happens in the off-season, when Tim and Jonelle take a lorryload of horses down to Spain to make use of the winter showjumping tours. Molly joined fellow entrant Grovine de Reve for the trip this year, sharpening her skills for what realistically could be her final season. We’ve only seen her in one FEI event since 2018 – the British Open Championships at Gatcombe in 2019, which she won – and it wouldn’t be right to send her off without another big result. Realistically, she probably won’t win Kentucky – but a top-five finish here will be a jolly good way to prepare for an attempt at winning Burghley this autumn.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 32.5 XC speed rating:

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1.1

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Predicted rails: 1

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lassic Moet is a classic climber: she’s more likely than not to start sub-30, despite her average, and then she’ll be hoping for a tough cross-country day so she can overtake the competition. Realistically, this requires a Burghley or Badminton course – the room for movement here won’t be quite so capacious, but you can still expect a higher placing by the end of Saturday. Sunday could offer a plot-twist, though – Molly tends to jump by Braille and take a pole or two as a souvenir.

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C L A SSIC M OE T | J O N E L L E PRIC E ( N ZL )

#33

TIGHT LINES Will Coleman The essentials: 16.3hh, fourteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Turgeon xx x Merindole xx, by Tel Quel xx Owned by: The ConAir Syndicate Groom: Erin Jarboe & Hailey Burlock

T Photo: Jenni Autry

ight Lines, a French-bred Thoroughbred, got his start over fences as a steeplechaser in his native country making five starts before switching careers and being produced to the CCI2*-L level French eventer Paul Gatien. Will Coleman acquired him in 2014 through the Conair Syndicate’s connections, Canadian eventer Lindsay Traisnel and her husband Xavier.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Phish fun fact: Like several of his compatriots in this year’s Kentucky field, Phish is a sucker for a banana.

No word on whether he got into banana bread during lockdown.

Will immediately clicked with the mellow, independent gelding and nicknamed him after one of his favorite jam bands, Phish, which works well not only with his personality, but with his registered name too: Tight Lines is a fishing reference (your line is tight if you’ve caught a fish.) Phish is generally a bit of a loner when it comes to the company of other horses and doesn’t usually get along well with other equines with one notable exception: at home he gets turned out with a pony mare named Minnie whom he adores.

Phish has a number of double clears in both jumping phases under his girth and is quite fast, but despite being more than capable of clear rounds his record is marred by a series of unfortunate events resulting in cross country jump penalties in some of the bigger events he has contested, including the 2018 World Equestrian Games, Kentucky 2019, and Burghley 2019.

However, despite the single (and memorably contentious) flag penalty that blemished his otherwise fault-free weekend at Kentucky in 2019, Tight Lines was the highest-placed Thoroughbred that year finishing 13th overall.

Will has previously noted that the gelding is a bit of an unorthodox jumper, but he always tries his guts out, seeming genuinely to want to do well, and Will loves him for that. This will be Phish’s third trip to Kentucky, having made his first appearance in 2017, and we can expect a nice middle-of-thepack placing from Phish after the first phase which will position him to climb the leaderboard the rest of the weekend. Will would surely love to finish on this horse’s dressage score (in fairness, who wouldn’t?) to show just what he can do.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 32.1 XC speed rating:

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0

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ight Lines is one of those poster boy hunks for exracehorse enthusiasts, and although he won’t be chasing the win in this company, he’s got a good chance of a very exciting placing.

He’s been 12th and 13th here before – the latter after a contested flag penalty in the year that riders around the world fought for reform to the recently-revised and then achingly harsh flag rules.

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TIG H T L IN E S | WI L L CO L E MA N ( US A )

COOLEY MASTER CLASS

Oliver Townend

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#34

The essentials: 16.2hh, sixteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Ramiro B x The Swallow, by Master Imp Owned by: Angela Hislop Groom: Jessica McKie and Charlotte Holifield

O

liver Townend’s two-time Kentucky winner is an interesting horse, and not just because of those victories. His competition record over the last few years is noticably sparse compared to most of the other horses in the field, and Oliver rarely runs him in short-format internationals. Instead, he’ll tactically enter him at Open Intermediates, withdrawing if the ground is suboptimal or the horse doesn’t need the run, which can sometimes mean that the horse only actually goes cross-country a couple of times a year. But this is a system that has been honed over a number of seasons, and the proof is in the pudding: before both of his previous wins here, he ran two Intermediates at a slow, steady pace. And this year? He’s done the same thing, cruising around at the level at Oasby and Aston-le-Walls.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Coolio

FUN FACT: Coolio is considered the perfect gentleman of Oliver’s yard – he’s polite, well-mannered, and incredibly sweet on the ground. His one request? Extra time for long naps in his luxuriously deep straw bed

Like his other ride here, Ballaghmor Class, ‘Coolio’ lives in the equine equivalent of Millionaire’s Row, the optimal block of stables that can be seen from Oliver’s house on his Shropshire farm. That means that the sight of his two favourite horses bookends his days – and that’s just how he likes it. Though he tends not to be a soppy type outwardly, Oliver is enormously fond of his horses, and particularly of these two, who have given him and his team such an extraordinary amount of joy.

This feels like a big week for Oliver, and not just for the obvious reason that he could be about to win another five-star and equal Michael Jung and fischerRocana’s three consecutive victories here. An Olympic selection has somehow eluded the World Number One thus far in his career, and with the new Tokyo team format, only the most consistent horses in each phase will have a look-in. Cooley Master Class would make himself hard to overlook with yet another win here, while the exceptional Ballaghmor Class has a valuable chance to prove that he can travel well and compete to his normal standard on arrival. If his week goes as it should – and the chances that it won’t are slim – Oliver will have launched a very, very compelling campaign for one of those coveted tickets to Tokyo.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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27.8 XC speed rating: 5.3 Predicted rails: 0 average:

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t’s hard to bet against the reigning champion, particularly when that horse has won twice consecutively.

But this year’s field is so smoking hot that he’ll need to be at his very best in each phase. His stiffest competition? His own stablemate, Ballaghmor Class, who’ll almost certainly eclipse him in the first phase. They can both gallop home clear inside the time, but Coolio is the slightly stronger showjumper.

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COOL EY M A STE R C L A S S | O L IVE R TOWN E ND ( G B R)

O BoyNd MaC rtinU E

Photo: Jenni Autry

#35

The essentials: 16.3hh, fourteen-year-old Selle Français mare Breeding: Cabri d’Elle x On High, by Primitive Rising xx Owned by: Christine, Thomas, and Tommie Turner and the rider Groom: Stephanie Simpson and Jess Gehman

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oyd’s second ride of the day is another for the Turner family, who also co-own his 2019 runner-up Tsetserleg TSF. She was originally produced by Sinead Halpin, who found her in North Yorkshire on a shopping trip after Burghley in 2012, and fell in love with her for her saucy French personality, as described by former travelling head girl Meg Kep. Cue was bought by owner Christine and sent to Boyd’s Windurra Farm to resell as a top-level prospect, but horse and rider gelled so well in the process that the decision was made to integrate her into his own string.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Cue

IF SHE WAS A HUMAN, SHE'D BE: Kim Kardashian. That’s so fetch.

FUN FACT: Cue is notoriously tricky to catch – she won’t run away, but will just stay several feet out of reach.

Treats are key.

Since then, we’ve seen some impressive results from the pair. In their fourteen FEI competitions, they’ve notched up ten top-ten finishes – and four of those have been wins. The most newsworthy of these was her back-to-back CCI3*-L victories at Jersey Fresh and Fair Hill in 2018, which cemented her status as one of Boyd’s ones-to-watch. Those wins came some months after Cue’s only ever international cross-country jumping penalty, and her impeccable record in this phase in the seasons since suggest that she could be very exciting indeed in her CCI5* debut.

The fact that all eyes will be on her stablemate, Tsetserleg, could play to her favour – with the pressure off, and with course experience under his belt already from an early ride on Long Island T, Boyd will be able to let her find her feet in her greatest challenge yet. The one thing stopping her from being a true dark horse debutant? That pesky final phase. Since stepping up to fourstar in 2019, her record in the showjumping has become a bit patchier, and she’s more likely to have a rail than not. She jumped clear in her final prep run, a CCI4*-S at the Fork at Tryon, where she finished fourth, but a long-format is a different story – and a five-star is a different book entirely.

Still, there are big things to come from this mare, who Boyd describes as “the best galloper of the lot.” He’s planning to aim her for a sophomore five-star at either Burghley or Fair Hill if all goes to plan – an exciting prospect for this clever, classic eventing type.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

28.9

XC speed rating:

8

Predicted rails:

1

cross-country

performance

xc time

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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hough she wouldn’t be the frontrunner of Boyd’s string this year, purely by dint of her inexperience, On Cue’s dressage marks are often actually lower than those of Tsetserleg TSF. A spooky environment tends to bring out her extravagant side,, so we could see a career-best score for her here. If she performs at her best in the first two phases, she could fight for a top-ten finish. The only thing standing in her way? The inevitable pole – or two – on Sunday.

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ON CU E | BOYD MA RTIN ( US A )

#36

SCUDERIA 1918 DON QUIDAM

Kevin McNab

The essentials: 16.2hh, thirteen-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Breeding: Quidam x Nairoby, by Amethist Owned by: Scuderia 1918 and Emma McNab Groom: Ellie Howick

T Photo: Tilly Berendt

his will be a first trip to Kentucky for British-based Australian Kevin McNab, who had intended to bring Don Quidam here last year, before his plans were thwarted by Covid. Instead, they rerouted to Pau, where they’d finished seventh in 2019, produced another clear round – albeit with time penalties after they had to use some seriously clever footwork to avoid crossing their tracks mid-course. Not to be overlooked, though, is the fact that they bettered their previous five-star dressage score by more than six marks – and if that trajectory continues, they’ll be truly formidable here.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Don Don

FUN FACT: He’s the cuddliest horse on the McNabs’ yard, and loves it when people put their hands under his mouth so he can rest his head in them. “If he was a person, he’d be a cute little guy with big ideas,” says Emma McNab.

Kevin, whose careful training is responsible for producing Chris Burton and Jock Paget, among others, took the ride on Don Quidam in 2018 after he was produced to CCI4*-S by British rider Hannah Bate.

“Don Quidam is cheeky in a nice way; he’s a bit of a pretty boy, a bit blonde in a nice way. Every day’s fun with him — he’s a horse you enjoy riding each time,” says Kevin, who runs a thriving yard south-west of London with wife Emma, who rode on the Australian team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

Kevin has been vocal about the fact that Kentucky is perfectly suited to Don Quidam, and it’ll be exceptionally interesting to watch them through the week: though they’ve amassed time penalties in their two cross-country runs at the level, both of those have been at Pau, where the twisty, technical course negates any sort of galloping rhythm. Kentucky tends to be a much more forward course, though with enough technicality to thin the field and make the hunt for the win much harder. Don Quidam looks to be a horse who has a five-star win in him, and though the stats might not point to a victory over Ballaghmor Class just yet, it wouldn’t take us wholly by surprise if the competition just happened to land in his lap and rocket him to glory.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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28.4 XC speed rating: 24.3 Predicted rails: 1 average:

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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his is a very exciting horse indeed, and one who should be extremely competitive. A starting score in the high 20s – like the 27.6 they got at Pau last year – would set them just behind the leading pack, and they’ll be well suited to Derek di Grazia’s course. Don Quidam is still learning, and hasn’t yet found his sixth gear, so that could prove influential if the time is tight on Saturday, but it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see them finish in the top ten or thereabouts for their efforts.

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SCU D E R IA 1 91 8 D ON QU IDA M | KEVIN MC N A B ( AUS )

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#37

erroll gobey Buck Davidson The essentials: 16.3hh, ten-year-old Holsteiner gelding Breeding: Cassini II x Ulla II, by Contender Owned by: Cassandra Segal, Lisa Darden and Natalie Sandler Groom: Kathleen Murray

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t’s no surprise that Buck Davidson has multiple horses in the field, in fact, he has brought at least two horses to this event every year since 2013. Buck is, of course, no stranger to the Kentucky Horse Park -- after all, there’s a statue of his father, Bruce Davidson Sr., who basically invented the Kentucky Three-Day event, behind the grandstands of the main arena. Not one to live in his father’s shadow, Buck has certainly made a name for himself in the sport as a two-time World Equestrian Games athlete and a regular multi-horse Kentucky competitor.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Gobey fun fact: Gobey is quirky about, well, basically everything – and only head groom Kathleen Murray is able to put his bridle on him

Erroll Gobey, who will turn 11 years old next month, is the youngest of Buck’s three Kentucky entrants this year and is making his fivestar debut. ‘Gobey,’ as he’s known around the barn, is a Germanbred Holsteiner who began his eventing career in the UK where he competed in young horse classes and through the two-star short level under JP Sheffeld. He was imported in late 2016, landing at Buck’s Chesterland Farm later that year and picking up where he left off at the two-star level in early 2017, this time with Buck in the irons, and steadily moving up the levels over the next few years.

Gobey is one of the quirkier horses in Buck’s barn. But even with his quirks, he’s an amicable guy and gives off a jock vibe – a nice jock though, not an obnoxious one. He’s just super good looking and basks in everyone’s admiration.

Buck will likely be looking to give this promising young horse a confidence-building Kentucky experience, as we’ll surely be seeing more of this gelding in the coming years. Gobey underwent surgery to improve the function of his airways over the off-season, and Buck believes the gelding has turned a corner this year. The pair is coming off a third place finish in their final prep run at the Stable View CCI4*-S.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 29.9 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

26.5

xc time

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Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

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rroll Gobey comes to his first Kentucky on great form, having finished third in his prep run in the CCI4*-S at Stable View. Though he’s ordinarily a low-to-mid 30s scorer, he produced an easy 27.3 there – though whether he’ll continue to trend this low in the tougher five-star test is uncertain. More important, of course, is Saturday: Erroll is a good jumping horse, but has had some inconsistencies across the country. This will be his college education.

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E R R OL G OB EY | BU C K DAVID S O N ( US A )

#38

harbour pilot Hannah Sue Burnett The essentials: 16hh, eighteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Cruising x Shannon xx, by Catch on Fire xx Owned by: Jacqueline Mars Groom: Kristen Stammer

T Photo: Jenni Autry

he most experienced horse in the field returns for what will be his ninth CCI5* – and his eleventh season at Advanced w h i c h makes this the longest top-level partnership entered this year, too.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: William fun fact: William was bred by Ireland’s William Micklem, renowned coach, writer, and inventor of the Micklem bridle

He’s seen every kind of Kentucky there is to see, and this, the strangest one yet, might be the one that suits him best: Hannah Sue says that William is highly intelligent but rather claustrophobic, which means that he can feel a bit panicked when hemmed in by tight crowds, which then causes him to run on and lose some focus and rideability. Though the riders and horses will miss the enthusiastic Kentucky spectators dearly, it’ll be interesting to see the impact a closed-door competition has, particularly on these experienced horses who know exactly what to expect – or think they do, anyway.

William and Hannah Sue’s last outing at this level was at Burghley in 2019, where they were one of many combinations to retire on course after a mistake.

Previously, though, their appearances at five-star have been fruitful: they’ve been eleventh here once (2019) and fifteenth twice (2014, 2016). Their blips at the level have come when they’ve journeyed abroad, but they did pick up eighth place at Luhmühlen in 2018.

It’s an achingly tough prospect to have a great seasoned campaigner like William in the midst of a pandemic: it’s hard to know where to aim them and how to avoid losing the twilight of their career. If this year is William’s final Kentucky – which it may well not be – he has everything it takes to record another great result to bow out on.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 28.5 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

14

xc time

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Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

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W

e haven’t actually seen Harbour Pilot contest an FEI competition since Tryon in November, where he started in the CCI4*-L but was withdrawn after dressage.

Instead, we’ve seen him romp around a Preliminary at Ocala I and an Intermediate at Rocking Horse, where he ran steadily and finished third. This isn’t an insensible prep for a horse of his experience – indeed, it’s not dissimilar to the prep that the Britishbased horses will have had – but it does make his bid an unknown quantity. We’ll be expecting a high-20s dressage, a moderately quick cross-country round, and a rail to fall in his much-improved showjumping.

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H A R B OU R PILOT | H A N N A H S U E B URNE T T ( US A )

#39

J O L L Y B O Hawley Bennett-Awad

Photo: Kim Miller

The essentials: 15.2hh, seventeen-year-old British-bred Sport Horse mare Breeding: Jumbo x Polly Coldunnell, by Danzig Connection Owned by: The Jollybo Syndicate LLC and the rider Groom: Maralee Paul

I

f diminutive, spunky Jollybo was a person, she’d be rather like Serena Williams, says Hawley – that’s on account of her athleticism and the fact that she knows what she wants, a quality common to many of these upperlevel mares and one which can make them frustrating and rewarding in equal measure.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Jolly fun fact: Jolly is the smallest horse in the ield at just 15.2hh – but don’t tell her (or second-placed Classic Moet) that!

Jollybo was sourced in the UK for Justine Dutton by Kate Tarrant, and competed through to CCI4*-L by Justine before Hawley took the reins in mid-2016. The partnership cemented itself swiftly, with the pair finishing third in the CCI4*-L at Rebecca Farm – their first international run together. Perhaps they were able to mesh so quickly because of Hawley’s previous experience with clever, feisty little mares – after all, she’d had such an extraordinary relationship with Gin ‘N Juice – or perhaps it was because both horse and rider share the same kind of innate grit and will to win.

While Jolly’s gumption can be seen in action as she attacks colossal crosscountry fences, Hawley’s has been demonstrated throughout her life in a myriad of ways: the child of divorced parents, she worked at McDonalds and galloped racehorses from the age of fifteen to be able to scrimp the money together to ride. When she was told she’d never make anything of herself as a rider, sheer force of will propelled her to prove the naysayers wrong – and with two Olympics, three World Equestrian Games, two Pan-Am Games and thirteen five-stars behind her, it’s safe to say she’s done just that.

This will be a fourth trip to Kentucky for this pair: they first made the trip out from California in 2017, finishing twelfth, and then returned the next year, though ultimately retired on course. Later that summer they jumped clear around the WEG at Tryon, before heading back to Kentucky in the spring of 2019 for another clear round and twentieth place. This year, they’ll be up against the toughest field they’ve faced here, but they’re consistent and classy and should do their job with aplomb – much to their many, many fans’ delight.

We’ll raise a Jollybo-urbon Smash to that!

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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35.7 XC speed rating: 25.2 Predicted rails: 3 average:

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ollybo and Hawley are solid and reliable: they post scores between 33 and 35 consistently when they come out at an international, they tend to jump clear with a double handful of time penalties, and they usually tip a few rails, too, though they’d probably rather not show this kind of consistency in the last phase. They’re major fan favourites for a reason: though they might not be chasing the win in the class, they’re chasing their own personal wins, and it’s top-quality fun to join them for the ride.

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J OL LYB O | H AWL EY BE N N ET T-AWA D ( CA N)

QORRY BLUE D'ARGOUGES

Photo: Jenni Autry

#40

Colleen Loach

The essentials: 17hh, sixteen-year-old Selle Français gelding Breeding: Mr Blue x Hardie du Bourg, by Count Ivor Owned by: Peter Barry Groom: Lucine Claudel

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olleen Loach and her longtime partner, the 16-year-old Selle Francais gelding Qorry Blue D’Argouges, gave us a thrill in 2018 when they were first out of the box at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina. Despite the challenging nature of the track, Colleen and ‘Qorry’ made it look, well, easy – and that was on a day when many high-profile competiros faulted – adding just 10 time penalties to their dressage mark. It was the shot of confidence the rest of the field wanted to see from the first out.

Steady and reliable has become Qorry Blue D’Argouges’s reputation these days. Colleen has described the gelding as very rideable across the country, with a lot of consistency in all three phases. In short, he’s the type of partner you want to represent your country multiple times over, and he’s done just that.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Qorry fun fact: Qorry’s a treat-fiend, but his favourite snack? Cashew nuts. Very health-conscious.

Riding for Canada, Colleen and Qorry Blue D’Argouges have competed at the Pan American Games (2015), the Olympic Games (2016) and the World Equestrian Games (2018) – as well as one clear trip around Kentucky in 2018 – traveling the world together and checking off their bucket list.

This year, Colleen will be looking for some redemption after that 2018 trip to Kentucky ended prematurely when she and Qorry Blue D’Argouges had an unfortunate slip and fall on the flat. They’d rebound to finish sixth in their home country in the CCI4*-L at Bromont after that, so no harm, no foul – but Colleen will want to seal the deal on another solid completion here this weekend.

Colleen first met Peter Barry when she went to work for him as a groom about 17 years ago, and he and his wife, Susan, quickly became supporters of Colleen’s clear talent and work ethic. Colleen first partnered with the gray gelding in 2014 and quickly formed a partnership that has only continued to blossom as time goes on. She regularly expresses her gratitude for Peter and the influence he’s had on her horsemanship and her riding.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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31.8 XC speed rating: 18 Predicted rails: 1 average:

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orry Blue d’Argouges and Colleen come into Kentucky on great form, having finished second in the CCI4*-S at Red Hills last month after adding just 1.2 time penalties to their 32 dressage. That’s a great boost to have pre-CCI5*, and though we won’t see this pair in contention for a victory here, three solid performances could well see them finish in a respectable place in the line-up.

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QOR RY B LU E D’A R G OU G E S | CO L L E EN LOAC H ( CA N )

Photo: Shelby Allen

#41

QCSDIAMANTAIRE ydney Elliott The essentials: 17.2hh, ten-year-old Oldenburg gelding Breeding: Diarado x Lantana, by Sandro Hit Owned by: Carol Stephens Groom: Elizabeth Abbott

H

ailing from Louisiana, Sydney Elliott is returning to the five-star level with a new partner, Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire, after making her debut at the level in 2016 with Cisko A. Perhaps more easy-going in general than his predecessor, the 17.2 ‘Q’ is a gentle giant, preferring to conserve his energy for when it really counts: out on the cross-country track.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Q fun fact: Q can’t stand water – though it hasn’t affected his competitive performances – and he absolutely adores hanging out with children

A longtime supporter of Sydney’s, Carol Stephens has been a backbone of the operation, stepping in to help bring Cisko A to the U.S. and now owning QC Diamantaire.

Carol has formed a relationship with the big, dark bay gelding, herself – he’s even happy to take her for a ride or hang out with her during barn chores.

But don’t mistake that affable demeanor for a lack of competition. This pair is known to be fairly competitive on the flat, averaging a 29 in the last three Advanced/4* competitions leading up to Kentucky. They’ve also gotten quicker on cross country this season, though you might see a pole drop on the final day of competition. In all, Sydney’s set up to make a successful return to Kentucky, and she’s over the moon to be coming back with her talented partner.

Named to the 2021 USEF Eventing Pre-Elite Winter Training List, Sydney and QC Diamantaire have benefitted from some additional training with coaches such as USEF Eventing High Performance Director Erik Duvander and show jumping coach Peter Wylde. This pair was also named as an alternate for the U.S. team at the 2019 Pan American Games.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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average: 29 XC speed rating:

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6

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n their last thirteen international runs, Sydney and QC Diamantaire haven’t finished outside of the top ten – and that makes them a formidable dark horse pair looking for a super placing in the horse’s debut CCI5*. Of course, much is unknown when a horse hasn’t competed at this level before (and at five-star, even the most experienced horses can falter), but his record so far suggests a high-20s dressage, a quick and economical clear on Saturday, and a 50/50 chance of a clear on Sunday.

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QC D IA M A N TA IR E | SYD N EY E L L IOT T ( US A )

#42

FAVIAN

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride The essentials: 16.2hh, thirteen-year-old Oldenburg gelding Breeding: French Kiss x Risiko, by Relevant Owned by: the rider Groom: Paige Ansaldi

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nother one of this year’s crop of Land Rover Rookies, Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride and her 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Favian, will head to Kentucky from their home base not far from Annapolis, Maryland early this week. Valerie also runs a full business, Blue Clover Eventing, and moonlights as an FEI dressage judge on weekends when she can get away. Now this week, she gets a chance to focus just on her top horse and on a career milestone she’s had in mind since she first got a taste of eventing as a young rider.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Faves fun fact: Favian has to travel with his emotional support animal – a miniature horse companion

Training with Karen O’Connor in the early days, Valerie never imagined a life without an upper level horse, pursuing those lofty dreams. But the top level continued to elude her throughout her career. Though she competed through the Advanced level with her former partner, Clifton Jade, the horses that followed always came just shy of stepping up to the five-star level.

After finding Favian, who is U.S.-bred out of Hidden Spring Farm in Mountain Center, California, through Liza Horan, Tamie Smith and Heather Morris, Valerie made a whirlwind trip West and fell in love with the gelding. Valerie came out swinging with Favian at the then one-star level, and she says he’s always given her a gut feeling that he’d be something special - particularly on cross country.

“He was so casual and brave, but not stupid, on cross country from the very beginning,” Valerie told EN. “I trust him so much and he so badly wants to be a good boy and look for the jumps.”

Indeed, the pair’s record reflects budding confidence and growing experience.

Favian has incurred just two cross country jump penalties in his career, neither of which came at the Advanced or four-star level. A cross-country lover, indeed! As for Valerie, she’s putting faith in her ongoing education - the opportunities to see other four-star riders as a judge is invaluable for mental sharpness, she says - and a lucky pair of llama socks for her Kentucky debut!

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 33.2 XC speed rating:

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54

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hough they won’t have come to Kentucky to try to topple Oliver Townend from his throne, Valerie and Favian have put in the legwork to engineer a great first five-star performance that’ll give them masses of experience for the future. We’ll be looking at a mid30s dressage, and although they’re not yet truly speedy across the country, they are exceptionally reliable. If the course is tough and they exhibit their usual gutsiness, they could climb on Saturday.

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FAVIAN | VA L E R I E VI ZCA R R O N DO PR ID E ( US A )

#43

mw gangster's game

Photo: Jenni Autry

Daniel Clasing

The essentials: 16.2hh, ten-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Solitair x Fernhill City Girl, by Ghareeb Owned by: The MW Gangster’s Game Syndicate Groom: Katie Mays

W

e last saw Virginia-based Daniel Clasing here in Kentucky with his Anglo-Arabian gelding, Houston, in 2013 for his debut at the level.

Now he returns with a new talent in the 10-year-old gelding, MW Gangster’s Game.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Frank fun fact: This sensitive soul is spooky about pretty much everything – except natural looking cross-country jumps. You can follow his adventures using #FrankTheTank on Instagram

Bred by Ruth Honey, MW Gangster’s Game (or Frank, as he’s known at home) is another that Daniel has produced for the entirety of his eventing career, starting him out at Training level in 2016. After taking their time to put some solid seasons of Preliminary and Intermediate on the clock, the pair successfully stepped up to the Advanced level in 2018.

This pair is a bit thin on CCI4*-L experience, but they do have an 11th place finish at Bromont under their belt from 2019 and they’ve enjoyed a solid early spring season of prep in 2021. In fact, they capped off their preparations with a win in the CCI4*-S at Fair Hill earlier in April.

This pair has been threatening with dressage scores inching lower in recent months, so Daniel could very well be chasing a stellar debut at Kentucky this week should the gelding find that the unique atmosphere of the Rolex Stadium adds sparkle, not spook – a big question mark, since Frank is a spooky horse at home, tending to find just about everything except for natural-looking cross country jumps to be highly offensive. Lucky enough, this makes him a clean, careful and expressive jumper.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 31.9 XC speed rating:

cross-country

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24

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e’ll be expecting a low-to-mid 30s score from MW Gangster’s Game, but really, the priority this week is to give the inexperienced gelding an educational, confidencebuilding trip across the country. He has three CCI4*-L starts on his record, but has only gone clear in one of them – that was Fair Hill, back in 2018. They do come here on good form, having won their prep run in the CCI4*-S at Fair Hill – a venue they apparently gel with well – and that should give them a boost ahead of this debut.

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MW G A N G STER ’ S G A M E | DA N IE L C L A S I N G ( US A )

#44

covert rights Colleen Rutledge The essentials: 16.2hh, fourteen-year-old Thoroughbred x Clydesdale gelding Breeding: BFF Incognito x Let’s Get It Right xx, by Covert Operation xx Owned by: FSG Inc. and the rider Groom: Skylar Decker

F Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

an-favorite rider Colleen Rutledge, who bases in Maryland, brings back her half-Clydesdale gelding, Covert Rights, this year for a third attempt at Kentucky and a fourth start at the five-star level. The 14-year-old Thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross previously finished 11th here in 2015 in his debut at the level; he also started Kentucky in 2018 but was withdrawn after cross country. In addition, he completed Burghley in 2015, finishing 22nd.

A homebred for Colleen, who chose her former event mare and first Advanced horse, Let’s Get It Right, as the dam, ‘CR’ has lived up to the big dreams she’s had for him since day one. Covert Rights’ sire is the Clydesdale-Thoroughbred cross BFF Incognito.

Fact File:

Colleen rose to fan popularity with her former partner, Shiraz, with whom she completed nearly every then four-star in the world excluding the Australian International. Since Shiraz, the feisty chestnut, she’s had several partners work up through the levels, but Covert Rights is her first one to reach the five-star level.

STABLE NAME: CR

Colleen likes to compare Covert Rights to an action film star. “On film, a major bad-ass, and then at home a bit of a princess about things,” she described.

fun fact: CR’s team reckon that if he was a person, he’d be a Hollywood movie star: a major bad-ass when everyone’s watching, but a total princess behind the scenes

Showjumping has been this pair’s nemesis through the years, though they have proven on multiple occasions that they’ve got clear rounds in them, even turning in a double clear effort on the grass at Burghley. They’re also competitive on the flat, averaging a 27.5 in their last three Advanced/4* runs. Seasoned and not in need of a ton of prep, Covert Rights has had a light run up to Kentucky, running an Intermediate at Pine Top and the CCI4*-S at Carolina International.

Listen for Colleen to cheer on the big gelding all around Derek di Grazia’s cross country track on Saturday – she loves to give her horses vocal encouragement and tell them how great they are all the way around, so she can often be heard crossing the country before she’s seen.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 27.5 XC speed rating:

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34.5

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overt Rights’s first-phase performance will put the gelding and his rider in a competitive position early on, though much will hang in the balance on Saturday: their results have become much more consistent since their last Kentucky run in 2018, when they notched up 40 jumping penalties, so they’ll be looking to solidify that. They can be quick on their day, and the horse is experienced enough for Colleen to push for the time.

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COVE RT R I G H TS | CO L L E E N R UTL E D G E ( US A )

#45

ISLANDWOOD CAPtain jack

Photo: Tilly Berendt

Caroline Martin

The essentials: 16.3hh, twelve-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Jack of Diamonds x Suir Touch, by Touchdown Owned by: Sherrie Martin and the rider Groom: Casey McKissock

C

aroline Martin launched her career as a professional event rider at the age of 18, fresh off a win in the 2013 North American Youth Championships. Hers has been a familiar name at the upper levels of eventing since then, and she has focused much of the early part of her career on gaining experience at the four-star level without pressuring herself to make a quick move up to a five-star. Her five-star debut came at Kentucky in 2017 and her name has decorated the entry roster each year since.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: James fun fact: He hates wearing blankets - which is bad news for a bright grey. Luckily, Caroline keeps her barn stocked up with Mane N Tail brightening shampoo

Caroline brings forward one mount this year, Irish Sport Horse gelding Islandwood Captain Jack. Caroline knows ‘James’ well, as she has brought him along since the beginning of his eventing career. He’s an opinionated, food-oriented guy with a ‘me first’ attitude who thrives being the center of attention while he’s at shows.

Having previously juggled a number of Advanced level campaigners at any given time, Caroline refocused and restructured her business to a more sustainable model throughout 2019 and has thinned her competitive herd. Along with her business partner Casey McKissock, who will also be grooming for her this weekend, Caroline has built a booming sales business sourcing horses through Emil Spadone and Paul Hendrix, of Redfield Farm in New Jersey/ Florida and Hendrix Stables in the Netherlands.

At home, James is the ‘wild child’ of Caroline’s barn, and his personality is as big as his jump: “He loves his food more than any other horse I have, but he’s very sweet,” said Caroline in an interview with The Chronicle of the Horse in 2019. “He’s the kid that has all the talent, but he just wants to rush through it because he wants to get done and go home and go eat. If I had a bag of potato chips he’d eat it. He has no shame. He whinnies like crazy when it’s time to eat. He’s rearing and pacing the stall. You have to feed him first.”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 35.5 XC speed rating:

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xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

11.8

Predicted rails: 0

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hile he won’t be sitting pretty in a top spot after the first phase, this horse is no slouch across the country and holds a pristine record at the Advanced and fourstar level. Major appearances at that level includes a second place finish in the CCI4*-L at Rebecca Farm in 2018 and a third place finish overseas at Millstreet CCI4*-L in 2019. The pair were also tapped to represent Team USA in the Nations Cup leg at Aachen in 2019 where they finished 21st overall individually, adding just cross country time penalties to their dressage score. They’ll be chasing a clear round this week – they were eliminated in 2019 – and will climb off the back of it.

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ISL A N DWOOD CA PTA IN JAC K | CA R OLIN E M A RT I N ( US A )

#47

BEmEaNKluD IgmG anO The essentials: 17hh, eighteen-year-old Thoroughbred cross gelding Breeding: Refuse To Lose x dam unknown Owned by: Jeni Klugman and the rider

2 Photo: Shelby Allen

3-year-old Ema Klugman is another of our five-star firsttimers this year in Kentucky, and she’ll be bringing forth her partner and horse of a lifetime, Bendigo, an 18-year-old Thoroughbred cross gelding. This pair didn’t cross paths until “Ben” was 10 - he’d dabbled in some show jumping but hadn’t evented - but as soon as Ema took the reins, she knew she had a special horse.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Ben

FUN FACT: Ben didn’t do his first event until he was eleven years old – before that, he did a bit of showjumping, but it was when he teamed up with a then-fourteen-year-old Ema that he got his first real job

Working with the late Packy McGaughan as well as Marilyn Little through the years, Ema and Bendigo have focused their efforts on building confidence and becoming better at their craft. Ema is preparing to enter into law school at The George Washington University in Washington, DC this fall, so consider this a bit of a “last hurrah” of sorts for Bendigo (who definitely would tell you he’s only 10 if he could talk).

Ema and Bendigo love the cross country phase. They’ve worked hard on confidence and smoothing out their riding, and it’s paid off this year as they’ve turned in multiple double clear efforts in their last handful of Advanced/4* runs.

Ema says she’s a bit nervous for the week to come, but she’s mostly aiming to soak in this opportunity. As for Bendigo, he’ll be enjoying the time as Ema’s sole focus - she typically has young horses and clients to coach at most shows! Ema’s mother, Jeni, will be grooming this week, so it’s a veritable family affair for the Klugmans.

You can also find Ema Klugman’s byline on Jumper Nation, Eventing Nation’s sister site which she edits. She’s also quite the intellectual, always expanding her worldview as she fully believes in balance and holding interests or skills outside of the horse world.

In all, Ema’s a tough kid with a good head on her shoulders, and that level headedness and experience will serve Bendigo well through the week.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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44.2 XC speed rating: 33 Predicted rails: 0 average:

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s one of the rookie pairs in this year’s field, Ema and Bendigo will be here to gain experience first and foremost – particularly as Ben is in the latter stages of his career and will help Ema get valuable mileage to pass along to her upcoming Advanced horses. Their first-phase score will put them out of the hunt in the bottom half of the pack, but for a rookie pair, this is no bad thing – it keeps the pressure off and allows them to go out and give the jumping phases their full attention. They could well climb on Saturday, and certainly on Sunday – they’re reliably clean over the poles.

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B E N D IG O | E MA KLUG MA N ( AUS )

#48

Voltaire de tre Leslie Law

The essentials: 16.3hh, twelve-year-old Selle Français gelding Breeding: Gentleman IV x Jasmina du Fresne, by Socrate de Chivre Owned by: Tré Book Groom: Mackenzie Regan and Anna Fitzhugh

H Photo: Shelby Allen

alf of the Leslie/Lesley-squared power couple returns to Kentucky, having made his long-awaited return to the event in 2019 after nigh-on a decade away. Spicy, mercurial Voltaire de Tré has been an exciting horse for the 2004 Olympic champion, granting him his first team appearance since 2005 – a winning team effort at 2018’s Great Meadow Nations Cup leg – and catapulting him back into the spotlight.

That’s not to say that Leslie’s been lying low, mind you. He and wife Lesley, who rides for Canada, run a thriving operation out of Ocala, Florida, where they import, produce, compete, and sell top prospects and coach an array of up-and-coming riders, too. Leslie is also instrumental in developing the US teams of tomorrow in his role as USEF Eventing Emerging Athlete Coach and coach in the North American Futures Team Challenge series. Oh, and he and Lesley have a young son, Liam, who we expect keeps them busy, too!

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Splash

FUN FACT: If Splash was a human, Leslie says he’d be like UFC champion fighter Conor McGregor. Lean and ginger? Notoriously punchy? We’ll go with the latter – although he’s a perfect gentleman to hack out, we’re assured he’s ‘lethal’ to lead!

Leslie has always been known and loved for his big personality and easy sense of humour, and he’s certainly met his match in ‘Splash’, who’s something of a prankster. Though he tries hard to behave himself, his joie de vivre sometimes bubbles over and then, Leslie says, “he can turn in a bit of a bull in a china shop!”

That enthusiasm has impacted his performances in the past, but he’s beginning to look as though he’s mentally maturing. He’s a blood type, and a natural galloper, though like many forward-thinking horses, it’s taken time and patience to manage him and get him focused on the finer nuances of the task at hand. Finishing on his dressage score in the CCI4*-S at Red Hills suggests that it’s all coming together, and 5.2 time penalties in the CCI4*-L at Tryon gives us another hint of a reformed Splash.

He’s certainly at his best in a long-format international, which requires more energy and stamina and can tend to help these kinds of horses settle into a rhythm. That can be seen most plainly in his showjumping record – he’s a talented jumper, for sure, but his clears tend to come on the final day, likely because he’s mellowed himself out enough to tackle the job at hand.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 33.8 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

22

xc time

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Predicted rails: 0

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busy brain and conformation suited to galloping means that Voltaire de Tre will be off the pace in the first phase. In the past, he’d have had a job on his hands to climb after that – but recent form suggests he’s growing up and learning to listen, and he’s getting faster and more economical on cross-country as a result. He’s a super jumper, so Sunday will allow another climb – perhaps back into the top ten.

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VOLTA IR E D E TR E | L E SL IE L AW ( G B R))

D Jess I AeCCaH mpE LbellL O

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#49

The essentials: 17hh, eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding Breeding: Diarado x Visser Cholin, by Chello I Owned by: Kent Gardner and the rider Groom: Hannah McLean

Y

ou may not yet have seen Diachello, or Danny, out on the circuit, but rest assured that he’s on the cusp of making himself very well known indeed. Jesse is one of the Kiwi squad’s best-kept secrets (except, of course, if you live in the UK, and then you can be smug in the knowledge that you knew his early work), and in Danny, it looks like he might finally have the horse who will catapult him into the global spotlight.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Danny

FUN FACT: Danny’s a firm favourite among the team at Jesse and wife Georgie’s Wiltshire base, where he’s Mr Perfect in every way – except, of course, when he gets bored on his holidays and jumps the farm’s five-bar gates for fun

Produced to CCI2*-L by Italy’s Giulio Guglielmi, Danny joined Jesse’s string in early 2018 and promptly finished second in the CCI2*-L at Houghton Hall, adding just a solitary showjumping time penalty to his 27.1 dressage. From then, Jesse has produced him conservatively and sympathetically, amassing just eleven FEI runs through their partnership and allowing the rangy horse to grow into himself. This has allowed the horse time and space to learn, and it’s also taken the pressure off them both, as the long-term goal of producing him to be a successful five-star and team horse has far outweighed any concerns about winning every run along the way. Instead, Jesse has been happy to run the horse steadily around CCI4*-S classes, and as a result, the horse has largely gone under the radar.

A third-place finish at Lignières in Danny’s second CCI4*-L changed all that. Though we’d all gotten used to seeing doubledigit time penalties on cross-country, Jesse saw the event as a perfect opportunity to take the handbrake off and allow a more established and bold Danny to put his education to the test at speed. It paid off marvellously, and the gelding romped home easily just one second over the time. It might look like a blip on paper, but rest assured: this is clever production and the harbinger of big things to come. A top ten finish here isn’t at all out of their league. For Jesse, who’s a familiar face at European five-stars and has a number of top-20 finishes to his name, it would mark the start of a new era in his career.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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performance

29.9

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1 Predicted rails: 0 XC speed rating:

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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iachello has been somewhat overlooked, partly because of Jesse’s commitment to taking his time and not running at speed when producing his horses through the levels. We can expect a different picture from the pair now that the horse is ready to step up to the big leagues.

A dressage around 30 will put them in the top third and then we’ll see them climb through the weekend. We shouldn’t see any green errors on Saturday, but for a debutant, they’re always a possibility.

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D IAC H E L LO | J E S S E CA MPB E L L ( NZL )

#50

SUPERSTITION Harry Meade

The essentials: 16.2hh, eleven-year-old Hanoverian gelding Breeding: Satisfaction FRH x Calendula, by Cordalme Z Owned by: Mandy Gray and the rider Groom: Jess Errington

T Photo: Tilly Berendt

hough Harry and Superstition are a relatively new partnership, they’re an enormously exciting one – within two weeks of taking the reins from New Zealand’s Lucy Jackson, who had produced the gelding to great success at the four-star level, Harry took him to Strzegom CCI4*-L in Poland and won. This was rather an out-of-character move for Harry, who has inherited an old-school horsemanship from his father, the late, great Richard Meade, and often gives new recruits plenty of lower-level runs to get to know them. But taking on the ride in October meant that he had two choices: either get out there and give it a go, taking it as a learning experience whatever happened, or spend a long winter waiting for March to first run the horse. He opted for the former, pointing out that you only really get to know the heart of a horse – particularly one of this experience level – by running them.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Slinky

FUN FACT: Harry comes from equestrian royalty – but he rubs shoulders with real royalty, too. He’s great friends with Prince William and Kate Middleton, with whom he and wife Rosie enjoy skiing holidays

As a result, one of the most talked-about horse transfers of 2019 became one of Britain’s most exciting new partnerships. The transition has been such a smooth one partly because of Harry’s friendship with Lucy – she’s played an instrumental part in ensuring that her beloved partner thrives in his new home. It really does take a village, eh?

Harry and Slinky’s journey to Kentucky isn’t just a big deal as part of their outside chance bid for a place on the Tokyo team – it’s also a poignant return to the main stage for this much-loved rider, who suffered a horrific freak accident at the British Young Horse Championships at Thoresby in October. A fall early in the course quickly turned into every rider’s worst nightmare when his foot got caught in the stirrup and he was dragged at a gallop, sustaining repeated kicks to the head that eventually knocked his hat off. In the months since, he’s undergone multiple surgeries on his elbow – both of which were badly broken in a previous accident some years ago – and extensive rehab to rebuild strength and regain his balance and vision, which were affected by trauma to his brain’s vestibular system. It’s been a joy to see him and his wife, Rosie, back out on the circuit, where they always have a smile and a kind word to share. A top ten finish here would be the icing on the cake.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

dressage

Three-run dressage average:

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32.9

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uperstition’s dressage average puts him slightly out of the hunt in the first phase, but he’s proven he’s capable of outlier scores – he posted a 28 in the CCI4*-L at Strzegom and has dipped his toe into the 20s enough times to suggest it could soon become a habit. His real strength? The jumping phases. His crosscountry speed rating is as good as it gets, though he only ever seems to make the time at long-formats – probably in part because he’s quite a classic, bold, and forward type of event horse who needs space to shine.

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SU PE R STITION | H A R RY ME A D E ( G B R)

B uAlls ison i n eSps sringbere n

Photo: Abby Powell

#52

The essentials: 16.2hh, eleven-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Artie Schiller xx x Min Elreeh xx, by Danzig xx Owned by: The Business Ben Partnership Groom: Hailey Gahan

W

hen Allison Springer first met Business Ben as a fouryear-old, she immediately saw the potential the dark bay unraced Thoroughbred gelding oozed. Initially taken on as a training horse for Andrew Motion of Old Chapel Farm, Allison took a strong liking to the gelding by Artie Schiller and decided to take a leap and keep him for herself.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Ben fun fact: Groom Hailey discovered that Ben adores citrus fruits – particularly Halos clementines

Of course, you’ll likely be familiar with Allison – who just purchased her own farm in Upperville, Virginia – and her longtime five-star partner, Arthur. After traveling the world together and ticking off multiple career achievements, including a second place finish at Kentucky and a sixth place at Burghley in 2012, Arthur certainly left some big shoes to fill.

In 2014, when Allison first met ‘Ben,’ Arthur was 15, and it was time for her to begin thinking about her next upper-level partners. When setting about to build a string, it was Ben who would become an early member and now is Allison’s Kentucky ride as he looks ahead to his debut at the level.

Business Ben is an opinionated guy, in particular taking a dislike to show jumping before cross country – he needs to get his cross country fix before he can focus, he would likely tell us if he could be interviewed.

Lucky for him, he’ll get to enjoy the biggest cross-country challenge of his career here before he even needs to think about those pesky poles.

All said and done, though, Allison has big plans for the talented gelding, who is eleven this year and with any luck, has plenty of years left in the tank. This debutant weekend should prioritize confidence and miles, but regardless it’ll be wonderful to see Allison back in Kentucky - she hasn’t been here since 2016, her final five-star run with the late and legendary Arthur.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 32.9 XC speed rating:

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34.5

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usiness Ben’s dressage scores have also been working down, little by little. In his last three Advanced/ CCI4*-S runs, Business Ben is averaging a 32.8, which won’t necessarily be enough to threaten the leaders after dressage but will still have him within a healthy striking distance should he turn in two solid jumping rounds. This won’t necessarily be his year to be highly competitive, but it’s a great moment for him to come and take his education to the next level.

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B U SIN E SS B E N | A L L I S O N S PRING E R ( US A )

#53

BDomO LYSTchA IraR mmB The essentials: 17hh, fifteen-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Breeding: Polytair x Nobelle, by Glennridge Owned by: Team Bolytair B LLC Groom: Emily Lehman

W Photo: Jenni Autry

hen affable, high-energy Dom tells you that Bolytair B likes to jump, he really isn’t kidding – as a foal in Holland, he used to make a habit of jumping out of his field and cantering down to the local village to terrorise the kindly Dutch shopkeepers, who presumably had his breeder on speed dial. These days, he saves his most extravagant efforts for the crosscountry course – which is probably better for Dom’s heart rate, anyway.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Boly CELEBRITY dOPPELGANGER: If he was a person, Boly would look like Tom Brady – except kind of crazy, Dom tells us

This will be a second Kentucky and a third five-star for Dom and Boly, who ventured over to England for Burghley in 2019. Remember that Burghley? If you don’t, allow us to refresh your memory – it was the one that was so big and so tough that it looked like Captain Mark Phillips had just kicked a few local families out of their homes and plonked said residences onto the Burghley estate. The duo picked up 31 jumping penalties over that course – a 20 and then a further 11 for knocking one of the many frangible pins activated that day – but they’ll have learned an awful lot from it. (They also had a frangible pin at Kentucky that spring – so Dom will surely be hoping that the third time’s a charm and the pins all stay where they’re meant to!)

Dom and Boly looked good in their prep run in the CCI4*-S at Tryon earlier this month – their first FEI run since Burghley. They finished in the top twenty there and put a 30.6 dressage on the board – a tantalising little taster of how their hard work behind the scenes might be paying off. Consolidating it all at Kentucky will go some way to consoling them on another missed opportunity to go to Badminton.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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32.7 XC speed rating: 53 Predicted rails: 1 average:

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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olytair B’s dressage average has been creeping downward over the past few seasons, and although it won’t threaten the likely first-phase leaders, it should put them into a good, low-pressure position going into crosscountry. They’ve had a lot of learning opportunities since their last trip around the Bluegrass, and although they’re not going to break any speed records, a classy clear is within their grasp.

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B OLYTA IR B | D O M SC H RA MM ( AUS )

H O N O R M E Lisa Marie Fergusson

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

#55

The essentials: 17.1hh, fourteen-year-old Welsh cob X Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Brynarian Brenin x Dream Contessa, by Royal Chocolate Owned by: the rider Groom: Victoria Hain

Y

ou’d be hard pressed to find a more poignant story than that of Canada’s Lisa Marie Fergusson and her Welsh Cob/Thoroughbred gelding, Honor Me.

It wasn’t long ago that Lisa made her five-star debut (2016, to be precise) with Honor Me, but a few years prior, she’d qualified for the level with her former Advanced horse, Smart Move. While Smart Move wouldn’t make it to the top level, his full brother - Honor Me - would. As it turns out, Honor Me is aptly named for his late brother.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Tali fun fact: Tali’s fifteenth birthday takes place on showjumping day – so the team will have no excuse not to pop the bubbly

Honor Me, or “Tali”, first came to Lisa as a four-year-old with “bone chips in three out of four ankles,” she recalled in an interview with The Chronicle of the Horse. But her patience in rehabbing him - aided by an agreeable personality that made his rehab easier - paid off, and by 2013, the pair were ticking up through the levels consistently. A fun fact: Lisa kept Honor Me barefoot up through the two-star level, as she prefers to do when she is able to with her horses.

Fast forward to today, and this pair have represented Canada in four Kentucky completions and one trip to the FEI World Equestrian Games at Tryon in 2018. It’s been a dream of a trip for this pair, and they’re heading to Land Rover Kentucky coming off of a pipe-opening run in the CCI4*-S at Carolina International and some extra dressage and show jumping prep at Fair Hill earlier this month.

Tali, who will turn 15 on show jumping day this year, has emerged as a consummate professional, eager to do his job in all three phases. He’s a friendly guy who will give you a kiss for a treat and who Lisa calls herself lucky to partner with day in and day out.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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33.8 XC speed rating: 21.9 Predicted rails: 2 average:

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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his is a super-consistent crosscountry pair going into their fifth Kentucky, and so it’s fair to expect that they’ll once again pop round the course with aplomb. Just a proclivity for time penalties will stop them from making huge gains up the leaderboard, as will the two rails that are likely to fall. Nevertheless, a fifth completion out of five starts is an excellent accomplishment and one they should be proud of.

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H ON OR M E | L I S A- MA R I E F E RG US S O N ( CA N)

F R H B U T T ' S AV O N D A L E

Anna Siemer

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#56

The essentials: 16.1hh, thirteen-year-old Hanoverian mare Breeding: Nobre xx x Heraldik’s Amelie, by Heraldik xx Owned by: Prof. Volker Steinkraus Groom: Ayleen Stuhr

O

ur sole German entrant this year reroutes to Kentucky after missing Pau last year due to a misplaced shoe nail.

That, too, had been a reroute – before the pandemic hit, Anna had planned for a Kentucky trip with the horse in 2020.

This will be Anna’s first time back at the level since Luhmühlen in 2011, when she started – though didn’t complete – with Charlott 23.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Avo

FUN FACT: Though she’s a sharp, spooky type and has occasionally put her riders on the floor with her antics at home, she’s a real softy and becomes a different horse completely with children.

But that doesn’t mean that she nor her debutant mare are lacking in experience. They’ve represented Germany on a number of occasions, most notably at the 2019 European Championships, at which they competed as individuals. They finished thirteenth there, adding nothing to their dressage score of 31.9 and thoroughly impressed with their cool-headed, classy performances throughout the week in what was a debut Senior Championship for the former Young Rider medallist. The subsequent announcement last year that they’d been placed on Germany’s Prospective squad came as no surprise to anyone.

Anna’s had Kentucky in mind for this mare for quite some time.

She flew over to watch teammate Michael Jung here in 2015, when he first contested and won the event with fischerRocana, and noted at the time that the terrain of the track would suit Avondale perfectly. Now, on her second attempt to get there, it’s all finally falling into place – though the pandemic has meant that prep runs have been short on the ground.

Still, though, ‘the fastest horse in Germany’ and her talented rider are well-prepared for the task ahead. They notched up top-ten finishes in CCI4*-S sections and Luhmühlen and Arville last year and finished just outside the top ten – eleventh – in their other four-star run at Strzegom. They’ll have plenty of eyes on them in this field as the only German entrants, but it’ll pay to watch them as a potential dark horse combination for the top fifteen.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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33.3 XC speed rating: 7.3 Predicted rails: 2 average:

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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hile Avondale won’t follow the fischerRocana school of leading from the outset, this horse is a real stayer and her natural strengths – that serious gallop and stamina that come from being 99% Thoroughbred – have been buoyed along with some seriously scientific help from Dr. Steffi Horstmann, the German team’s best-kept secret for bespoke fitness plans. They’ll be hoping for a tough, influential Saturday so they can make the most of their climb. Though their Sunday form looks less promising, their showjumping has been on the up-and-up, so we’re optimistic.

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F R H B UT T ’ S AVON DA L E | A N N A S IE ME R ( G E R)

MHoll O R yE Jac I N Sks-P ISm R ATitheI OrN

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#57

The essentials: 16.2hh, sixteen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Breeding: Inspired Prospect xx x Gentle Buck xx, by Buckley Boy xx Owned by: Bruce Smither and the rider Groom: Liz Hawley

I

f More Inspiration – or Morris, as he’s known to his pals – was a human being, he’d be like Eminem: tough, outspoken, and capable of rising to the top of his game from an unlikely background, says Holly.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Morris fun fact: Morris has a unique conformational defect – he’s swaybacked. It doesn’t stop him from doing his thing, though.

It’s not hard to see what she means. He’s one of the double handful of ex-racehorses in this year’s field, and Holly, who has a background rich in racehorses, tapped into her college fund to be able to afford his $2,000 price tag when he retired from his first career. The plan at the time had been to sell him on once he hit Preliminary and buy something a bit fancier with the profits, but along the way, Holly recognised the rare gumption that can take a horse to the top level. Now, he’s got more stamps in his passport than many people, with trips to Aachen and Pau under his belt already. Still, though, he hasn’t lost sight of who he is.

“I’ve never been bucked off a horse more than him,” Holly told EN after the duo’s first Kentucky trip in 2017.

“Not maliciously — he’s just fresh. He leaps, cracks his back and squeals. He’s a pretty happy horse, and I like having a happy horse!”

Though little mishaps have punctuated their attempts at Kentucky in the past, the third time’s the charm – and anyway, they’ve been able to take a lot of useful experience and information out of their previous runs here in 2017 and 2018. Most heartening was that super showjumping round in 2017, after the longest and toughest course of their lives to date – on a day when the poles were falling left, right, and center, they tipped just one and looked fresh and classy throughout.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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35.7 XC speed rating: 25.2 Predicted rails: 1 average:

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Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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olly and More Inspiration return to Kentucky for a third time with a point to prove: their first run here was marred by a crossed track when Holly’s reins got grease on them and became too slippery to hold.

The next time she came to the bluegrass in 2018, she took a tumble across the country. But a twelfth-place finish at Pau in 2019 proves that they’ve got a solid result in them – and now, they know it too.

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M OR E IN SPIR ATION | H O L LY JAC KS -S MITHE R ( CA N)

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#58

Z Phillip Dutton The essentials: 16.3hh, twelve-year-old Zangersheide gelding Breeding: Asca Z x Bellabouche, by Babouche VH Gehucht Z Owned by: Tom Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Annie Jones and Caroline Moran Groom: Emma Ford

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uarte Seabra always knew that Z was destined to be a special horse for someone. The Portuguese rider was one of the earliest people familiar with the now 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Asca Z, and it was through Fernhill Sport Horses Carol Gee that Phillip Dutton eventually found himself in Portugal to take Z for a spin as a six-year-old.

It was Duarte’s brother, Francisco, who originally rode Z in his younger years. After Francisco tragically passed away in a cross country accident on another horse in 2015, the Seabra family set about finding the proper landing spots for his horses. When Z met Phillip, Duarte knew the unassuming but scrappy gelding would go to great places. And he did.

Described as “shy” and “meek” by those who knew him when he first traveled to the U.S. to join Phillip’s string, one thing was evident: this horse lived to

Fact File:

jump. “He was a bit worried, a bit insecure at times, but on cross-country, he’d jump a house,” Duarte recalled of the gelding. Thanks to the gentle coaxing of longtime Dutton Eventing head groom Emma Ford and Phillip’s patience with quirky horses, Z began to emerge from his shell and show his talents. Phillip’s had to experiment with different warm-up techniques, doing what he can to keep the gelding from getting too inside his head at times - he’s

STABLE NAME: Zedd fun fact: Zedd loves few things more than a good game of tug-of-war – except, of course, carrots

a real trier, and he can internalize his emotions at times.

But it didn’t take long for the team’s efforts to begin paying off. In his then CCI4* debut at Kentucky in 2018, Z finished fourth. He would go on to be a part of the U.S. team for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina, where he finished 13th individually. Returning to Kentucky in 2019, he finished seventh. His most recent major finish was a second place in the CCI4*-L at Tryon last fall.

Z’s strengths can be found in all three phases, making him a solid competitor for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team this summer. He’s averaging a 25.9 in his last three Advanced/CCI4* starts leading up to Kentucky, and you can bet Phillip’s got the gelding in fighting fit shape and ready to tackle his third run around the bluegrass.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 25.9 XC speed rating:

cross-country

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xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

2.3

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hough Z had a turbulent 2019 – a win at Stable View CCI4*-S and seventh at Kentucky were countered by a highprofile elimination while riding on the US team at Aachen – he’s been on extraordinary form since the autumn of that year, finishing in the top ten in the five FEI events he’s done since then. His last three have seen him finish runner-up each time.

He’s reliable in the dressage, quick and ordinarily clear across the country, and he hasn’t had a rail in an international in nearly two years. Could the first American to win Kentucky since Phillip Dutton in 2008 be...Phillip Dutton?

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Z | PH ILLIP D UT TO N ( US A )

x av i e r Fa e r

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#59

Tim Price

The essentials: 16.3hh, fourteen-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Catherston Liberator x Faerie Dazzler, by Catherston Dazzler Owned by: Trisha Rickards, Nigella Hall and the rider Groom: Kerryn Edmans, Lucy Miles, and Megan Hodder

O

nce again, we defer to comic genius and Team New Zealand lynchpin Jacky Green for her assessment of Xavier Faer, or Hugo, as he’s known at home: “He really should have been named ‘Faerie Groundhog Day’ as every day is a new day to Hugo... literally,” she writes on Tim and Jonelle’s website. “He is not the smartest tool in the box but he has a great relationship with Tim. He is spooky and is so in love with Classic Moet that he has even learnt to jump on his own to join her in whatever paddock she is residing in.

Hugo is like a typical boarding school kid...he has no idea where the washing machine is but he knows exactly who the staff are.”

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Hugo

FUN FACT: Hugo was bred by the Prices’ long-time owner Trisha Rickards, and is a maternal half-brother to Jonelle’s Luhmühlen winner Faerie Dianimo – though you’d never guess to look at them. Hugo is much taller than the diminutive grey mare.

Spooky indeed – we’ve spotted Tim nearly eating dirt on numerous occasions after Hugo has completed a dressage test and then nearly fainted of stage fright upon exiting the arena. But he knows when to put his head down and focus on getting his homework done, and as a result, he’s responsible for rather a lot of exciting placings through his career, including a third-place finish at Badminton in 2017 – Tim’s best result at the event. He was third here in 2019, too, and thirteenth at Pau last year – though he does have the odd blip under his belt too, and was retired at Burghley in 2019 after picking up a 20.

We didn’t see much of him in 2018 due to a series of unfortunate events: he fractured a leg when his pony companion kicked him in the field, and then a minor soft-tissue injury prolonged his recovery.

Tim’s had the ride on Hugo since 2014, taking the reins from Canada’s Rebecca Howard, who produced him to CCI4*-S and had taken over from Ireland’s Esib Power, who brought the horse to CCI3*-L and a top-ten finish in the British Seven-Year-Old Championships. In 2015, he finished tenth in Blenheim’s prestigious eight- and nine-yearold CCI4*-S, generally a reliable indicator of an illustrious top-level career to come. He’s certainly proven that point in the years since, and should earn Tim another great result here.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 29.3 XC speed rating:

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3.6

xc time

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Predicted rails: 0

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avier Faer’s previous form here suggests that he’ll be able to fight for another top-five finish – though the quality of the field this year makes that a tougher prospect than normal. He’ll need to do some climbing after a dressage mark around 30 will set him slightly off the pace, but he’s a reliable campaigner over the weekend and will go out with a wealth of knowledge about the challenge ahead at his disposal. Not a winner this year unless disaster strikes the front-runners, but a reliable placer.

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XAVI E R FA E R | TIM PRIC E ( NZL )

mama's magic way Will Faudree

Photo: Abby Powell

#60

The essentials: 16.3hh, ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding Breeding: Mighty Magic x Straightaway, by Star Regent xx Owned by: Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables Groom: Christina Curiale

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orth Carolina-based Will Faudree is down to just one ride this weekend after his second ride, Pfun, was sidelined with a minor injury. The spotlight then falls to Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables’ Mama’s Magic Way, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Mighty Magic who will be making his five-star debut in Kentucky.

Will describes ‘Mason’ as a comedian, and while he’s a greener horse at the upper levels, he’s already shown us glimpses of what sort of talent he’s packing.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Mason fun fact: Will describes Mason as “a three-year-old boy on a sugar high in a candy store”

Originally piloted in Germany by Andreas Dibowski through the two-star level, Will took over the ride in 2019 and, save one blip in their first competition together at Preliminary, they’ve had nary a cross country jump penalty since joining forces. Will and Mama’s Magic Way capped off a strange 2020 in high fashion, finishing 10th in the gelding’s first CCI4*-L effort at Tryon in North Carolina. Most recently, they took home a win in the Advanced division at The Fork earlier in April.

Will is well-known and widely respected for his dedication to his program and the well-being of his horses. He’s been through the wringer, to hell and back again, but through it all he’s maintained a steadfast dedication to his horses and his craft. And no one could ever get away with calling Will anything but incredibly resilient. After breaking the C6 and C7 vertebrae in his neck due to a fall in 2015, he was back on a horse - and winning - just six months later. Two years later, he would return to the five-star level, finishing 25th at Kentucky with Pfun in 2017.

Mama’s Magic Way will be the fifth horse Will has brought to the five-star level. With him, he carries the lessons taught by each horse that came before – horses such as Antigua, his first top horse who took Will to the Pan American Games, the World Equestrian Games, and the biggest then-four-star events in the world – believing in his program, his veterinary care at home and his continued education as he sets out of the Kentucky start box with yet another star in the making.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 31.4 XC speed rating:

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0

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Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

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hile their likely mid-30s mark won’t put them near the top of the pack after the first phase, Will and Mama’s Magic Way once pulled a 22 seemingly out of thin air, and so you never quite know what could be around the corner for them. It’s more realistic to expect that they’d be well positioned to climb, and barring any green errors or educational long routes, they should do – this is an efficient horse across the country and one to keep an eye on for the future.

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M A M A’ S M AG IC WAY | WI L L FAUD R E E ( US A )

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#61

M Tam A I ieBSmA ithU M The essentials: 16.1hh, fourteen-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Loredano x Ramira, by Rike Owned by: Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell Groom: Bridget London and Anni Grandia

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e tend to look at established five-star combinations as the likeliest winners in hot fields at this level, but it’s not at all out of the question for a rookie horse to take it all – after all, that’s exactly what we saw

the behemoth that is Ballaghmor Class do on his debut at Burghley. Chief among those rookie horses here is Mai Baum, whose hotly-anticipated CCI5* debut also sees rider Tamie – who also has experience competing at Grand Prix dressage and in the showjumping ring – make her first trip to Kentucky since 2009. Tamie’s own story is something of a you-can-have-it-all fairytale: she climbed her way up the ranks as a young single mother, managed to get a business degree in the process, and now her daughter, Kaylawna, is a four-star eventer herself.

Mai Baum, or Lexus as he’s known at home, certainly isn’t short of experience as he makes the step up. He’s got 22 FEI competitions under his belt – four under owner

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Lexus – or Lexie-Poo

Alexa Ahearn, who produced him to CCI3*-L as a junior rider – and of those, an extraordinary seventeen are top ten finishes. Ten – yes, ten – are wins. Five of those wins were clocked up consecutively. When he’s on form, he’s nearly impossible to beat – and despite a quiet 2020, wherein he won the Advanced at Rebecca Farm but didn’t do an awful lot else, he’s certainly looking to be on good form now. He’ll head to Kentucky off the back of a win in an Advanced Intermediate section at Ocala and third place in the Fork at Tryon’s CCI4*-S, where he started his weekend on a 20.4

IF HE WAS A HUMAN, HE'D BE: The Queen of England FUN FACT: Lexus has ‘a list of quirks too long to mention’ – but among those is an aversion to sprays and a deep dislike of being clipped

dressage. He’s also used to pressure, having finished eleventh in the Nations Cup finale at Boekelo for Team USA – though his uncharacteristic blips on course at the 2019 Pan American Games were high-profile. A great result here – and boy, are they capable of a GREAT one – would put that memory well and truly to bed and make them very hard to overlook for the Tokyo team.

Lexus, whose FEI name comes from the German term for ‘May pole’, used to celebrate the first of May in festivals around his motherland, is a consummate gentleman around the barn – except for his few major dislikes, which his team of people are happy to work around. All the better for the good-looking gelding, who protests to what he considers a lack of attention by throwing his halter across the barn aisle. The reaction he’s looking for? Someone to come and hang out outside his stable, telling him he’s wonderful and taking lots of photos of him. Sounds like a horse who’d quite enjoy a certain kind of Sunday spotlight, doesn’t it?

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average:

19.4

XC speed rating:

1

Predicted rails:

0

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ai Baum’s stats are formidable, and he’s actually got the lowest dressage average in the field, which sets him up for a closely-fought match race with Ballaghmor Class and RF Scandalous for the lead. His late draw helps this, as does Tamie’s cool head in this phase – and come Sunday, we could see him jumping for the win, because he’ll be quick across the country, too. The only small question mark that remains is Saturday – he wobbled for 40 penalties at the Pan Ams in 2019, though that’s been his only blip since 2014.

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M A I B AU M | TA MIE S MITH (US A)

#62

Quantum leap Doug Payne The essentials: 16.3hh, ten-year-old Zweibrucker gelding Breeding: Quite Capitol x Report To Sloopy, by Corporate Report Owned by: Jessica Payne, Susan Drillock, and the rider Groom: Courtney Carson and Laila Bolsteins

O Photo: Tilly Berendt

ne way that Doug and Jessica Payne have set up their business for the future is to acquire young horses and produce them from the ground up, creating a pipeline of talent coming up the levels. One such product of this system is Quantum Leap, a 10-year-old Zweibruker gelding who will be making his five-star debut this weekend.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Quantum fun fact: Groom Courtney Carson likens Quantum Leap to the kid who always stresses himself out because he thinks he did poorly on a test – but actually scores a 98%

You can’t quite call him ‘baby Quantum’ these days, but it’s the nickname we’ve become accustomed to as we’ve watched Doug patiently produce this all-out talent to the competitor he’s swiftly becoming. Purchased as a weanling from his breeder, Elizabeth Callahan, Doug took the time to lay in the groundwork and instill confidence in the careful gelding. This patience has paid off in spades: Quantum Leap has just one blemish in the form of a crosscountry jumping penalty on his eventing record, and a squeaky clean cross country record in FEI competition.

Of course, for a 10-year-old horse who has by any account made rapid progress up the levels, there are bound to be learning moments and experience to be gained, but Quantum Leap has the right pilot for the job. Look for Doug to test but not overface the young gelding, who’s certainly a talent to be kept for the future.

Quantum Leap has a handful of long-format events under his belt, including a trip to the Young Horse Breeding World Championships in Le Lion d’Angers, France as a seven-year-old, where he finished in the top 30. There’s potential just oozing from this one, and you’ll want to bookmark this one to keep up with as his career continues to evolve. He’s a real trier, and as his confidence continues to fill out we’ll likely see even greater things to come.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 31.6 XC speed rating:

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performance

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23

Predicted rails: 0

Maggie Deatrick

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uantum Leap’s dressage looks better and better, with his last two four-star marks slipping down to 30 and 30.2 – and we’ve seen him break the sub-30 barrier at the level, too. Le Lion d’Angers gave him crucial exposure to atmosphere at a formative age, and so he could rise to the occasion in the spooky, atmospheric stadium – even without crowds. Then, wait for the climb – his jumping phases are impressive and reliable.

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QUA N TU M L E A P | D O UG PAYNE ( US A )

#63

stella artois Jennie Brannigan

Photo: Tilly Berendt

The essentials: 16.3hh, thirteen-year-old Hanoverian mare Breeding: Satisfaction I x Comtess, by Contender Owned by: The Stella Artois Syndicate Groom: Tyler Held

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hen Stella Artois became available for sale as a five-year-old, Jennie Brannigan knew she had to have her. Using the insurance money she received after the passing of her beloved Young Riders horse to secure her half, Jennie partnered with Beth Battel to purchase the Holsteiner/Thoroughbred mare, thus beginning her journey from Novice level to five-star with Jennie in the irons for the entire ride.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Toddie fun fact: Stella Artois has had foals by embryo transfer, including the six-year-old Stella Royale, currently competing at Training level with Jennie in the irons

Sourced in Germany by Philipp Kolossa, ‘Toddie’ is the slightly more seasoned of Jennie’s two Kentucky mounts, boasting several seasons of Advanced level experience both in North America and overseas. After winning the CCI3*-L National Championship at Fair Hill in 2016, the pair were named recipients of the USET Foundation Connaught Grant, which helped fund a trip to Ireland for the Millstreet CCI4*-L in late 2017 where the pair finished fourth overall.

Another top CCI4*-L placing came in 2019 at The Event at Rebecca Farm – a big win for Jennie after nearly two years fraught with injury and other difficulties.

Toddie’s other overseas experience came with being named to the Nations Cup team for Boekelo in 2019. As the test event for the new Olympic format, which gives countries the option of substituting in an alternate rider after an elimination or having the eliminated rider continue on with a penalty added to their score, Jennie and Toddie were actually able to contest all three phases (and notched a double clear show jumping round) despite falling on cross country.

That fall at Boekelo is the only blemish on the mare’s otherwise squeaky clean cross country jump record at the Advanced level. In addition to being a great jumper, Toddie is a proper mover too, with a personal-best dressage score in the mid-twenties at last year’s Great Meadow International CCI4*-S. While she couldn’t stand still for photos after her 2016 Fair Hill win, Toddie has matured and mellowed out a bit over the years. She’s bonded with Jennie and her head groom Tyler Held and enjoys their company as well as the company of Jennie’s other mount, FE Lifestyle, who is her turnout buddy. Toddie can still be a bit bossy and opinionated to this day, but that just goes along with her popular-girl personality.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 30 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

xc time

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7

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he second part of Jennie Brannigan’s double-handed attack on Kentucky this year is a mare who’s already been headhunted for team USA – she headed to Boekelo for the Nations Cup in 2019, where she had an educational weekend rather than a glory-covered one. That education has clearly been put to use – they’ve been consistently on-form since. Their first-phase scores fluctuate – we could see a high20s mark, or it could edge into the low 30s, but in any case, Jennie will be looking ahead to Saturday, where she’ll work to set this smart mare up for a typically efficient clear.

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STELL A A RTO IS | J E N N I E BRA N NIG A N ( US A )

#64

DENIRO Z Liz Halliday-Sharp

Photo: Jenni Autry

The essentials: 16.2hh, twelve-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Breeding: Zapatero VDL x Zonne-Trend, by French Buffet xx Owned by: Ocala Horse Properties LLC Groom: Claire Tisckos

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his will be Liz Halliday-Sharp’s first Kentucky as a local – she moved the UK arm of her business, where she previously spent the bulk of the year, to Lexington last year. That’s not to say, of course, that it’s her first trip her – nor is it a first Kentucky for Deniro Z, or Niro, who contested the event in 2019 before a successful trip to a very big, tough Burghley in the autumn.

Though their Kentucky debut ended early, with an uncharacteristic tumble early in the course, Burghley helped them prove a major point: on a day when many riders failed to complete, Liz romped home aboard a bright-eyed Niro to finish 15th overall. Through the week, the charismatic gelding stepped up from being a boy to being a man –though admittedly, he’d already been something of a boy wonder, taking eighth in his CCI5* debut at Luhmühlen in 2018.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Niro Monkey see, monkey do: Niro wears his heart on his sleeve and will flap his lips to show his approval – and the best way to win that approval?

Offer him a bit of banana.

Like most top horses, Niro has his quirks – particularly on the ground at shows, where he can show off some pretty acrobatic movements. This has become something of a showpiece at trot-ups – much to Liz’s chagrin, we imagine – but it doesn’t translate to his work under saddle. He’s a consummate professional, who loves to perform in a big atmosphere, and Liz describes him as a very happy horse who simply enjoys his job.

That certainly shows, particularly in the first phase, which has gone from strength to strength as he’s matured and strengthened. We haven’t seen him score above 28.8 in his last nine internationals, and it’s plainly evident that he’ll be a reliable low-20s scorer in the future – the only expensive hindrance along the way has been the changes, which Liz has worked hard to improve and produce under the careful tutelage of James Burtwell, Pammy Hutton, and Robert Dover.

They’ll be up against a seriously strong field here this week, but Liz and Niro come to Kentucky on super form, with two wins and a 6th at CCI4*-S and a 5th at CCI4*-L making up their last four international runs. After that Burghley experience, they’re ready to chase the clock and fight for the top spot.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 26.3 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

31.8

xc time

dressage

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Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

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hough they probably won’t lead the first phase, a performance of their usual calibre will put them in a very enviable position – and if they can nail down those changes on the day, they’ll make their competitors very nervous indeed. Their time at Burghley wasn’t among the quickest but they’ve proven on several occasions that they can be quick – and now that they’ve tackled the biggest course in the world, they’re ready to come back here and find their sixth gear.

Don’t take your eyes off them this week.

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D E N IR O Z | L I Z H A L L I DAY-S HA RP ( US A )

#65

FE STORMTROOPER Clayton Fredericks

The essentials: 16.2hh, twelve-year-old Hanoverian gelding Breeding: Stakkato’s Highlight x Levina, by Levisto Owned by: Kingfisher Park Groom: Leah Brayton and Molly Tulley

F

E Stormtrooper, who brings up the tail end of Clayton Fredericks’ rides this year, found his way back to the Australian rider in roundabout fashion after originally being imported by Clayton and then sold to Kingfisher Park.

Photo: Shelby Allen

Originally piloted by Dana Cooke, FE Stormtrooper proved to be a strong ride for her, and soon Clayton took up the reins and has been steadily chipping away with the Hanoverian gelding, who is 12 this year.

“He’s always been kind of a nervy horse, in a funny way,” Clayton told The Chronicle of the Horse last year. “He’s very quiet to handle and do everything with, but when you’re riding him, he’s really quite nervy. He’s an interesting character!”

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Stoner Stu

FUN FACT: Stu is little Hunter Fredericks’s favourite horse in the barn, as he’s such a sweet character – but when cross-country starts, his wild side emerges

But as the gelding’s confidence has grown, Clayton says he’s felt more comfortable asking for speed across the country.

This five-star first-timer might not be one to push too hard for the time his first go around, but all signs seem to be pointing to a seasonal peak for the gelding. He capped off his Kentucky prep with a combined test at Chattahoochee Hills, and he also finished 12th in the CCI4*-S at Carolina International in March.

It’s a matter of trust and partnership with an event horse, but in particular at these top levels. For all his depth of experience, Clayton still understands the concept that a five star horse isn’t such until it comes time to leave the start box and test the mettle. Look for Clayton to put a competitive edge on his educational trajectory for both of his equally talented horses this week. It’s thrilling to watch a younger horse grow into itself out on a crosscountry track, and that’s what we’re likely to see from this talented duo and their cool, collected pilot.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

Three-run dressage average:

performance

30

xc time

dressage

cross-country

43 Predicted rails: 0

XC speed rating:

Maggie Deatrick Crunches the numbers

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layton’s second debutante in this year’s renewal of Kentucky is also his most experienced. His firstphase performance won’t threaten the leaders, but it’ll put him in a good position to try to climb from –though Clayton’s modus operandi come Saturday will be to give his exciting horse a super education for the future, not necessarily to try to revolutionise his speed in his first CCI5*. But even a conservative clear could see them climb, and they’ll do so again on Sunday if they can produce the classy clear they’re very capable of.

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F E STOR M TR OOPE R | C L AYTO N F R E D E RIC KS ( AUS )

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#66

GROVINE DE REVE

Jonelle Price

The essentials: 16.1hh, thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Hermes de Reve x Erkina Jane, by Rimilis Owned by: Therese Miller, Jo Preston Hunt and Philip Hunt Groom: Kerryn Edmans, Lucy Miles, and Megan Hodder

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Fact File: STABLE NAME: Reve FUN FACT: Reve’s biggest phobia is the invisible dragons he’s convinced live in the corners of arenas.

hough the partnership between Grovine de Reve and Jonelle is fairly new – they only joined forces in early 2019 – Reve brings plenty of experience to the table. Produced to CCI3*-S by Rodney Powell and then to CCI4*-L by Dan Jocelyn, Reve has made the trip to American before: he was part of the Kiwi effort at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, where he finished 38th after a 32.8 dressage, a clear cross-country round with 13.2 time penalties, and two rails knocked on the final day. That was to be his last competition with Dan, and since then, we’ve seen some exciting results from the horse, including top-ten finishes in Event Rider Masters classes at Wiesbaden and Jardy and a second place finish in the CCI4*-L at Camphire.

Reve comes to Kentucky off the back of a busy six months: he made his CCI5* debut at Pau in October, finishing 12th, and then travelled to Spain to showjump over the winter, though this venture was cut short by the tragic outbreak of neurological EHV and he and stablemate Classic Moet had to undergo a stint of necessary quarantine and testing to ensure that they were safe to travel on to Kentucky.

Though Reve might not be as well known as the likes of Classic Moet or Faerie Dianimo, he’s actually a frontrunner for her Tokyo campaign, and so a good result here will be crucial. They won’t win in this company, but they could do very well indeed. With five horses in it, the Price family look set to create a formidable opposition for everyone else on the entry list this year.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 31.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

4

xc time

dressage

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Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

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W

e aren’t likely to see a hugely competitive first-phase effort from Grovine de Reve, though if he can replicate his 30.3 from Pau, he’ll put himself into a comfortable hunting ground for the weekend. Then, the job is to make gains up the leaderboard – and on Saturday, he’ll likely do just that, delivering a quick, clear round over the bluegrass. It all hangs in the balance on Sunday, when he’s got a 50/50 chance of going clear. If he does, he could bag a top-ten placing.

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G R OVIN E D E R EVE | J O N E LL E PRIC E ( NZL )

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#67

OFFWiTHE RECORD ll Coleman The essentials: 16.2hh, twelve-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay, by Ard Ohio Owned by: the Off the Record Syndicate Groom: Erin Jarboe & Hailey Burlock

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y the time they leave the startbox on Saturday, Will Coleman will have already made two trips around the track and will be able to set his final mount, Off The Record, up for a great ride. This will be important to Will, as a good showing this weekend on this horse may pique the interest of Olympic selectors.

Sourced by Richard Sheane and imported as a four-year-old through Cooley Farm, Off The Record is an extremely exciting horse for Will.

Will has previously described ‘Timmy’ as a bit gangly and rogue when he was a four-year-old and mentions that despite his Irish roots, the gelding hates being cold. But Timmy has blossomed into an impressive top event horse and, in true Irish fashion, won his Advanced level debut during downpour conditions at Carolina International in 2018.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Timmy fun fact: Though he’s a total professional to compete, Timmy’s known for saving his naughtiest antics for when he’s being handwalked at shows

Timmy has gone on to become an extremely consistent performer for Will, finishing within the top ten at the Advanced and four-star level at ten out of eleven competitions. Four of those placings have been wins, including their most recent showing at this year’s Carolina International CCI4*-S last month, where they finished on their sub-30 dressage score.

The pair also made a trip back to Timmy’s native Ireland in 2019 and very nearly took top honors at Tattersalls CCI4*-L. While they led the field after storming around double clear across the country, they tipped a heartbreaking rail in the final phase for a still very admirable third place finish amongst a field littered with notable European riders.

Will has always had the bigger picture in mind with this horse, spotting his talent early and carefully sculpting him into what he hopes will be a championship mount. Even with his impressive competition history, Off The Record may be flying a bit under the radar in this Kentucky field, given it’s the gelding’s first start at the five-star level. However, this pair’s finesse on the flat combined with jumping ability and impeccable speed rating make them a pair to keep an eye on all weekend.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 27 XC speed rating:

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0

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ff The Record heads to his first five-star on exceptional form, having won his final prep run in the CCI4*-S at Tryon, where he

finished on his dressage score of 27.5. We’ve seen him produce an exceptional 21.9 test at four-star in the last

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year, too, with this phase becoming a real showpiece for the gelding. Expect a high 20s to 30 performance and then look forward to watching him across the country, where prior form suggests he’ll be gutsy, genuine, and swift in his efforts. Finally, he showjumps well but has lost events because of a rail before. In any case, he’s absolutely a horse to keep your eye on this week for a very competitive result.

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OF F TH E R ECOR D | WI L L CO L E MA N ( US A )

Ballaghmor class

Photo: Tilly Berendt

#68

Oliver Townend

The essentials: 16.2hh, fourteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Breeding: Courage II x Kilderry Place, breeding unknown Owned by: Karyn Schuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan Groom: Charlotte Holifield

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or much of Oliver Townend’s top-level career, we’ve seen him coax results out of horses who perhaps weren’t quite cut out to be five-star competitors. Such is his dedication to competitive excellence – he’s known to be on a horse before sun-up – and his strength in the saddle that he can make that work, although perhaps it did always feel rather like, well, a lot of work.

These days, though, Oliver’s string is much reformed, with a heaping helping of top-calibre horses who have absolutely nothing to prove. Top of the pack is Ballaghmor Class, who won his CCI5* debut at Burghley in 2017 as a ten-yearold, eating up the biggest course in the world as though it were a particularly moreish dessert. The following season, he finished fifth at Badminton and then second at Burghley, and in 2019, he was second at Badminton and third at Burghley. That’s an insane five top-five finishes out of five runs at the level.

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Thomas

FUN FACT: He hasn’t finished lower than third place in an international since the summer of 2018.

DADDY ISSUES: Thomas shares a sire with a number of top horses, including Ringwood Sky Boy. You’ll rarely see any of them trusted to do their own lap of honour.

‘Thomas’ had a quiet 2020, with Oliver carefully assessing exactly how much work would benefit each of his horses and allowing for time off for those who could use it. His one FEI run was in the CCI4*-S at Burgham, which he won handily on a finishing score of 24.2, looking as though he was out for a hack but only clocking up two time penalties along the way.

If Thomas sounds like something of a fairytale come to life, allow us to remind you that he spent the early part of his career garnering a bit of a reputation for being a bit of, well, a tricky bugger. Everyone at Oliver’s Gadlas Farm has a story to tell about being put on the floor by the lanky grey, whether that’s tastetesting the footing on the gallops or getting a bit too up-close-and-personal with the arena mirrors. But with age comes experience and, we hope, a bit of mellowness – not that Thomas’s spiciness has ever impacted his performances at competitions. Nor, indeed, has it lessened his rider’s fondness for him.

“He has the main box in the yard,” says Oliver. “It doesn’t matter which window I’m looking out of; I can always see Thomas, even from the bathroom!

He’s the first horse I look at in the morning and the last horse I see at night.

He’s as special a horse as I’ve ever ridden.”

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 22.2 XC speed rating:

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4

xc time

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Ballaghmor Class victory is about as close to a sure thing as you’ll get. He flirts with the 20 barrier consistently, so we’ll be looking at a match race between him and RF Scandalous for the dressage lead. On crosscountry, he’ll go clear inside the time, barring any unforeseen freak incidents – but on Sunday, he’ll have everyone’s hearts in their throats. He’s got a 50/50 chance of going clear – and sometimes, as at Badminton in 2019, the time in this phase can be tricky.

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B A L L AG H M OR C L A SS | O L IVE R TOWN E ND ( G B R)

#69

TSETSERLEG TSF Boyd Martin

Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

The essentials: 16.1hh, fourteen-year-old Trakehner gelding Breeding: Windfall x Thabana M, by Buddenbrock Owned by: Christine, Thomas, and Tommie Turner and the rider Groom: Stephanie Simpson

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he 2019 second-place finishers – and US National Champions – are among the highest hopes for a home-nation win. But if you were to meet Tsetserleg at home, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t instantly

recognize him as champion material.

“He can be a mediocre performer at the barn, but he loves his job and turns it on at shows,” says ‘Thomas’s’ owner, Christine. “He would do anything for his rider — if he likes them — and he loves Boyd.”

Fact File:

STABLE NAME: Thomas

FAVORITE TREAT: Carrots FUN FACT: His name comes from an ancient cultural hub in Mongolia – but his stable name is a nod to owner Christine Turner’s husband Thomas and daughter Tommie

The ‘funny little character’ is a consummate showman, and while he tends to economise in his performances in training, he knows exactly when he needs to rise to the occasion – and that’s when his adoring fans are watching. He’s experienced enough that Kentucky’s closed-door policy this year shouldn’t affect his performance, but it’s certainly a factor we’ll need to keep in mind when looking at horses who tend to save themselves for big days.

This will be a third trip to Kentucky for Thomas, who finished 11th in his debut in 2018 before returning as runner-up in his sophomore attempt. Now, he and his ultra-ambitious rider will attempt to make third time the charm – and because Thomas, in true Trakehner fashion, has been a slow burner to produce, it’s not a leap to expect we may be about to see him at his best.

Running near the end offers some advantages – and some potential drawbacks. Boyd will know the course like the back of his hand by the time he heads out on his top horse, but he’ll also face what could be the trickiest ground conditions of the day, as the 4*-S and much of the 5* field will have gone before him. In the first and final phases, too, this draw could affect Thomas – he’s a horse who generally likes a bit of space to warm up.

As for his form? In the last two seasons he’s run at six internationals – and won four of them. The other two? That second-place finish here and a schooling run last year in a CCI3*-S under Phillip Dutton, where they finished 24th. You wouldn’t want to bet against them if your hopes are on the home side.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

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average: 24.8 XC speed rating:

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performance

6

xc time

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hey’ll be there or thereabouts after the first phase, though with heavyhitters like Ballaghmor Class and RF Scandalous in the field, they’ll need to make up ground in the jumping phases if they want to challenge for the win. A lot will ride on that 50% clear rate on the final day – and they’ll need to repeat last year’s clear round inside the time on Saturday to stay in touch.

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TS E TS E R L EG | BOYD MA RTIN ( US A )

#70

vermiculus Lauren Kieffer The essentials: 16.1hh, fourteen-year-old Anglo Arab gelding Breeding: Serazim x Wake Me Gently, by Be My Native xx Owned by: Jacqueline Mars Groom: Sally Robertson and Emma O’Neal

I Photo: Leslie Threlkeld

t’s hard to imagine that a horse whose name means ‘Worm’ had anything less than inauspicious beginnings, but reality couldn’t be further than the truth. The Anglo-Arabian was given the moniker to honor Lauren Nicholson’s first 5* mount Snooze Alarm, who went by the barn name of Maggot. It’s fitting that Vermiculus bore the name honoring Snooze Alarm; after all, they are full brothers.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Bug fun fact: If Bug was a person, he’d be Kevin Hart – another small man with an enormous personality

Bug, as he is known in the barn, entered Lauren’s barn as a threeyear-old, and he quickly established himself as a character larger than his size would suggest. When he was six, Jacqueline Mars took over ownership, allowing Lauren to continue to produce him to his full potential. Despite his odd build, Vermiculus continued to defy expectations, getting listed as an alternate for Lauren for the Pan American Games in 2015.

It wasn’t until 2017 though that he really blossomed until the competitive athlete that he is now, when Lauren decided to take a new tack with him and in her words, “stopped trying to train him.”

The method worked and suddenly he was breaking the 70% mark in dressage just as he was entered in his first 5*, turning heads with a 29.2 at Kentucky that year. Although he would end up withdrawing from the event after cross-country, 2017 showed that Vermiculus would be Lauren’s heir apparent to her team horse Veronica.

A cracking top five finish at Kentucky the following year would demonstrate that the so-called ‘cheeky bugger’ had grown into himself, and Lauren found herself named to the 2018 US WEG team on Vermiculus. Although a rider fall on cross country derailed their fairy tale story, they redeemed themselves in 2019 with top ten finishes at both Kentucky and Burghley. Bug will be Lauren’s top prospect for a good finish this weekend, but will need to be on his A-game in all three phases to compete with some of the best of the best in this field.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 27.7 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

30

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

W

e’ve gotten used to seeing Vermiculus in the top ten at FEI events –after all, he’s done it at over half of the 32 he’s competed in. That includes Kentucky on two occasions and Burghley, too, in that very tough 2019 renewal of the event.

Look for ‘Bug’ to be in touch after the first phase and clear and quick-ish in the second, with a likely rail on Sunday but a great chance of another appearance in the top ten this week.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

VE R M I CU LU S | L AU R E N N I CH OLSON (USA)

#71

carlevo Buck Davidson The essentials: 16.3hh, thirteen-year-old Holsteiner gelding Breeding: Caresino x Ramatuelle, by Levernois Owned by: Katherine O’Brien Groom: Kathleen Murray and Julie Robertson

R Photo: Tilly Berendt

ounding out Buck Davidson’s 2021 Kentucky cohort is his most experienced mount, Carlevo, who’ll serve as the Team BDJ anchor and will be the last horse of the competition to enter at A. With this horse able to dip into the sub-30 marks in the dressage, you’ll certainly want to keep watching until the very end of the day on Friday.

Fact File: STABLE NAME: Carl fun fact: Though Buck hasn’t yet won Kentucky, he’s twice won the USEF National Championship here for being the highest-placed American

Ridden through the three-star short level by Germany’s Dirk Schrade before being imported to the US, ‘Carl’ has been a part of Buck’s string since 2015 and has become quite well traveled with him in the irons. The pair have represented the US in Nations’ Cups twice and competed overseas at Boekelo, Tattersalls, Aachen, Millstreet, and Blenheim Palace. One of Carlevo’s best finishes also came on international soil at Bromont CCI4*-L in 2019, where he finished fourth overall.

While he exudes confidence, Carlevo is a love bug of a horse who is easy to be around in the barn. Were he a human, his team reckons he’d be a Wall Street CEO, but with a big heart – stoic and intimidating, but a really nice guy on the inside.

Carlevo is well established on the flat and that stoic yet confident nature likely plays to his advantage in the first phase, helping him to reach those coveted sub-30 marks and clinching a number of wins at the national Advanced level.

Since Carlevo easily earns the best dressage scores out of Buck’s bunch, he may be his best shot at a good placing at the end of the weekend, although he’s not the fastest across the country. They’ll also be looking to improve upon their score from the horse’s only prior five-star start which came in 2018 at Kentucky, where they finished 20th overall.

EVENTING NATION PRESE N TS: K E N TU C KY 202 1 | T HE U LTIM ATE FOR M G U ID E

average: 26.1 XC speed rating:

cross-country

performance

29

xc time

dressage

Three-run dressage

Predicted rails: 1

Maggie Deatrick

Crunches

the numbers

A

s the last down the centerline, Carlevo could shake up the leaderboard a bit before heading into cross-country, though they probably won’t challenge the very top spots – though his scores are improving all the time, and he could surprise us with an excellent performance. He’s experienced enough that he should be reliable across the country – though not the fastest – and he’ll likely tip at least one rail, but had three in his prep run at Stable View. A lot of little things need to go very right if he wants to tiptoe into the top ten.

showjumping performance

three-phase performance

index

CA R L EVO | BU C K DAVID S O N ( US A )

GO EVENTING