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Kentucky Three-Day Event
Written by Tonya Abeln • Photography by Ben Radvanyi
he ultimate test of horse and rider. One event, three disciplines, testing the resolve of the timeless partnership between horse and rider. Race enthusiasts in this region embrace and celebrate the bond between horse and jockey, the unspoken bond, the symbiotic relationship that, when translated to mutualism for two minutes of the first Saturday in May, results in absolute magic. The greatest race. The greatest day. The greatest time of the year, we pridefully boast about the Kentucky Derby. We fill the week before with brunches, tastings, parties and, of course, many more hours at the track when you factor in Opening Night, Dawn at the Downs, “Thur y” and Kentucky Oaks. What many don’t realize is that the week before we gather to sing “My Old Kentucky Home” at Churchill Downs, merely an hour away from the famed spires, is one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions, known to its fans as “Th Best Weekend all Year.” It is the Rolex Kentucky Th ee-Day Event held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. So how is it, for all the global fame and stature that this competition has garnered, and at such a close distance, that most in Louisville are completely unaware of its existence? The event specifics come in the great rule of threes, though it is not quite as simple as “win, place and show.” Instead you have “Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping.” The culture surrounding the Th ee-Day Event is a bit counter to what is expected from a Derby weekend though there is an offici Land Rover Tailgating experience that may feel familiar for those who like their horses with a side of bourbon. Think golf etiquette as opposed to “Go, Baby, Go!” Think understated cloche hat instead of a wide brim adorned with feathers and fl wers. Thin Dubarry of Ireland boots to brave the dirt and mud instead of the traditional Hunter Wellington boot. The event has a very distinct fashion culture and flat or comfortable shoes for walking are an absolute
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must. If the Kentucky Derby feels quintessentially Southern, the Th ee-Day Event most certainly feels English. In fact, it is the English that coined the descriptive term “Th ee-Day Event” when the sport of Eventing became entrenched in the equestrian activities of Great Britain. Despite the Old World feel of the competition, its history doesn’t stretch as far back as horse racing, which was established in the United States in 1665. The equestrian sport of Eventing was introduced at the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1912 under the name “The Militaire,” given that it was patterned after the
Laine Ashker with Anthony Patch.
SPRING 2017
3/17/17 2:50 PM