Rolex Kentucky – New Vocations & Retired Racehorse Training Project Fundraiser & Dubarry Babies

Dawn comes early, especially during Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgeston. Last night, however, we feasted very well at the Alltech Press Dinner hosted by Dr. Pearse Lyons at his Alltech Brewery, home of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.
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Rolex KY 3-Day Event: Early Leaders After 1st Day of Dressage

Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone: okay, we’re not surprised at all by the early leaders after day one of dressage – after all, the “brand” for Rolex is that crown of excellence!!! In first place, after being next to last to go on Thursday’s dressage schedule, is Remington XXV and Boyd Martin. We’re very pleased to rely on the press release produced by chief press officer Marty Bauman and his Classic Communications staff, considering the lateness of the hour and encroaching exhaustion… Boyd Martin & Remington XXV - all three judges put this duo into first place after day one of dressage. © Beth Harpham/equidigital.com   All three judges placed Boyd and Remington XXV first – on a score of 45.3 penalty points. Boyd, 32, (West Grove, PA) said that Remington XXV, 16, was one of the first horses he competed when he moved from his native Australia seven years ago. The Hanoverian gelding, owned by Henley House Stables, had only foxhunted before Martin began working with him. “He’s a good old horse,” said Boyd, grinning. “He’s taken me all around the world now, and it was wonderful to ride a test on a horse who knows what he’s doing.” Boyd rode on his first U.S
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ROLEX 3-Day: Dubarry Style Awards, Cross-Country Course Walks, Things To Do, ETC

Welcome to Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone – and the first day of dressage. We had just enough time to get to the stadium where we took a few pix of Sinead Halpin and “Tate” – Manoir de Carneville, who performed the test ride. Last year they finished third at Rolex, winning the USET Foundation Pinnacle Cup as the highest-placed US rider/horse combination as well as Best Conditioned Horse.
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Rolex Kentucky – 57 Horses Will Start

The first veterinary inspection took place at Kentucky Horse Park at 3 p.m. today under sunny, balmy skies: 57 of the 58 horses presented were passed by the jury composed of Anne-Mette Binder (Denmark), Michel Assaray (France) and Nick Burton (Great Britain). The jury did not accept Llewellyn, ridden by Brittany Kart (USA), they also held  two other horses and accepted them when they re-presented. It was a pretty parade of ponies, all things considered and the riders went all out, fashion-wise. We can’t hope to prognosticate in the same league as Jimmy Wofford, and we will admit with unabashed honesty that often sentiment and friendship drives our partisanship toward certain horses and riders. We certainly have a healthy respect for anyone who gets to the four-star level: it takes guts, determination and over the top horse craziness, but we digress. Karen O'Connor & Veronica, owned by Team Rebecca LLC © Lauren R Giannini Karen O’C looks fit and ready for Rolex
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ROLEX – Jump Start To London Olympics for US Riders

A lot rides on Kentucky Rolex Three-Day Event, sponsored by Bridgestone, April 25-29 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Not only is it the premier four-star this side of the big puddle (Atlantic Ocean), it is THE PLACE where the Selectors for the US 3-Day Olympic Team will be watching the US contenders through high-powered microscopes. Then, too, there is the British invasion to roil the Rolex “waters” as William Fox-Pitt (GBR), 2010 winner of Rolex with Cool Mountain,  is slated to ride Parklane Hawk: they won 2011 Burghley, which was Fox-Pitt’s sixth triumph in the testing September four-star.
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ROLEX KENTUCKY – OMG – ALREADY!!!!

Never let it be said that we sat around, twiddling our thumbs, bored as all get-out with nothing to do – OMG, this April has been one loco, uber-crazy month! We just ran to the main house and put a huge load of laundry in the front-loader, but we need some of the items so we don’t freeze during the Fairfax Races at Morven Park – the last ever races at that wonderful course…  We have one story to finalize, but its subject, Kelse Bonham and the SCAD Equestrian Team are in the last day of the ANRC Finals, so we’re waiting to see if Savannah College of Art & Design picks up their 8th team title. Our pony is confirmed to have “something” in his hock, some heat, some arthritis, whatever – he isn’t happy so we’ve taken the advice of vet Todd Ruddick to put him on a three-week series of IV Polyglycan. Peter will have had his second injection and a couple of days to absorb the benefits before I get back from Rolex.
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Clinic in VA with Hollywood Movie Horse Trainer

Where did the last week go? Well, we spent eight days & nights  horse/dog/cat/chicken/pig & farm sitting – the pig was a real pig, but her people love her and that’s what counts. It’s grand to be home and a few minutes away from our dearling Lord Peter and other lovely pony projects at Bryan and Brandy McDonald’s The Fine Equine Stables, the reason for this post. They will host a clinic with Rex Peterson on March 30, 8:30 am to 6 pm. Here’s the release we put together for Brandy who is the clinic organizer. RJ, star of Hidalgo with Viggo Mortensen, entertained spectators after the last clinic hosted by The Fine Equine Stables with a demonstration of his repertoire of movie tricks with acclaimed Hollywood horse trainer Rex Peterson.
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Countdown to Rolex CCI****: Cross-Country, Exile Concert, Kentucky Cup Reining – Oh My!!!

What could be more fun during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone than the Saturday schedule – four-star cross-country all day, followed by a concert by county music group, Exile,  then that evening the Kentucky Reining Cup Freestyle? That’s the news about April 28. Anyone holding a ticket for the cross-country or the Kentucky Cup Reining Freestyle can attend that Equestrian Events Inc (EEI) concert for free.
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Countdown to Rolex Kentucky – April 26-29!

It’s all starting again – the insanity of putting together the May issue with the Rolex preview, but it’s a labor of love, because of a lifelong passion for eventing. DAGGNABBIT! just lost about 300 words – okay, it’s after midnight, we have worked hard today: met a deadline, didn’t get to ride, hauled a horse to the Middleburg Training Center in the big rig, drove back to the farm, ran to Upperville for the Riding Far LLC equestrian sports psychology presentation by Dr. Paul Haepner, drove home (very careful about the deer), got into a good rhythm writing, needed to track down some info, hit ‘save draft’ and returned to the blog to discover that forces beyond our control had wiped out 45 minutes of work… Breathe. Think good thoughts. Breathe… In the big scheme of things, this is merely a minor bump in the road of life… So far, Rolex Ke ntucky boasts a few stellar entries, including four from William Fox-Pitt (GBR), two from Karen O’Connor, and two from Oliver Townend (GBR). The three featured riders are James Alliston (GBR), Jan Byyny and Doug Payne
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Rolex in Retrospect & Getting Excited about 2012

Last year, we left Lexington about 5 pm on Monday, having delivered copy and pix about Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. We had a few nice little goodies: Rolex microfiber eyeglass pouch, Rolex lanyard with jump drive, Bridgestone water-resistant “bag” with unique drawstrings so it can be slung like backpack, and from the Alltech Press dinner a highlights DVD of the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games and a huge umbrella that promptly turned inside out in the high winds. We did no shopping whatsoever – no time for such pleasurable pursuits – we didn’t even bring back any Kentucky Ale.
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