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If I WANTED to go to LRK3DE....?

Eventing
#1

I figure this is a good time to ask since it’s fresh in everyone’s mind but not about this year’s event. What if I wanted to attend, say, next year? Obviously I know how to buy tickets and airfare online but what else should I be looking to buy/budget for to make it easier? Hotel? Car rental? I see there are questions about parking and parking passes, but also comments about shuttles.

Hit me up with the minutia of attending. Or even if you recommend a different UL event that might be less intimidating for an out of towner traveling alone.

2 Likes
#2

There is free parking - you don’t need the pricey parking pass (but it is nice! I got gifted one last year on sunday and it was nice, but I don’t think it was worth the $$ unless you split it with others). Free parking is a little bit of a walk, but free & I had no issues.

I went for the first time last year - and did most of the days by myself (which I really enjoyed, could do exactly what I wanted when I wanted). I am close enough to drive (5+ hours though) and so no rental for me. Last year I was able to stay with a friend on an air mattress in her apartment living room. This year me and 3 others are going and we got an airbnb. It’s not super close, but I am planning on getting there early each morning and staying till the end - only sleeping at the airbnb.

#3

We drive to save $ on plane tickets. It’s ~8hour drive for us, so not fun but not the worst. We also book the hotel as soon as it’s available. We do stay in a kind of meh hotel (Days Inn), so we save a lot of $ there. There are a LOT of hotel options in every price range, and for me I just hate to spend extra $ on a hotel when I could be buying fun things at the event instead :joy: I would love to stay in the Kentucky Castle someday, but I just can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money.

What we’re doing this year to save $ is packing pre made meals in a cooler, frozen, and keeping them in the hotel fridge instead of ordering out for every meal. We spent a lot on GrubHub deliveries to the hotel last year because tbh once we get back after a long day at KHP, we’re too tired to drive somewhere and get food. We will be saving a few hundred $ from packing our own meals.

Tickets are also cheaper the earlier you buy them (early bird prices). I don’t really have a need for a special or preferred parking pass, so we save $ there. The shuttles around KHP are free. Regular parking is free. The only parking thing I didn’t like about last year was we got there so early for XC day that we were parked way out in a field that had a LOT of ditches/hills/ruts, and my poor little car really struggled. I’ll probably get there a little later this year for XC day just to avoid that field. All of the other days, we went really early and parked very close to the entrance. Those fields are nice, flat, and easy.

Maryland 5* is also a lot of fun but without the intimidating bigger city navigation struggles. There aren’t nearly as many hotel or food options there, but there are enough and it’s a really fun event.

2 Likes
#4

Agree with driving instead of flying! I flew once, the spring turbulence on small planes made me swear never to do it again! Book your lodging early! Be that an AirBnB or hotel or whatever. We do cheap hotels that offer free breakfast to take care of one meal. Leave the other half at home and split a room with a friend. Bring in a high protein snacks/fruit and water/alcohol vs trying to eat lunch/buy drinks inside the park. Backpack for carrying that or smaller purchases. I personally love preferred parking and buy it every year, esp if you shop, it’s a much shorter walk to drop off big packages. The stadium seats up higher/under cover are nice in that you might get some break from the sun and are covered if it rains. Arrive first day of dressage on Thurs unless you want to watch the jogs on Wed (the jostling for a view gets irritating). Stay Sunday night so after stadium is over Sunday, you can walk around XC and get up or on jumps for great photo ops!

1 Like
#5

I should add, it’s 2500 miles away for me, so I need accommodations :laughing:

I almost want to come to a different event later because of a maybe-baby I have a pending contract on that would be born after LDK3DE in TN…

2 Likes
#6

Not much help with that as I usually have only gone for XC day and live within a 2 1/2 hour drive of the KHP.

Parking - dunno what it costs but usually you park in a grassy field somewhere, I usually would go with my mom and I’m not all that sure we ever sprung for the parking past. never took the shuttle, just walked.

Buy tickets in advance as others are saying, from what I recall that’s usually cheaper.

Depending on what day you’re going, check the ride times, etc. so you know when you wanna try to hit the trade fair if that’s your thing. No advice for buying big things, only tack I ever bought there was a halter from Perri’s. I feel like in the later years I went (first went in '13, went nearly every year, mainly for XC day, until maybe '18 or '19, I got bored of going and then the pandemic hit) there weren’t really as many good deals at the trade fair so it might not be worth checking out so much or you might not find anything. One year in college I hung onto some Christmas/birthday money some distant relatives gave me and bought an Animals to Wear sweatshirt.

I think the very first year I went my mom and I stayed at a hotel in Lexington or maybe Dry Ridge/Georgetown.

1 Like
#7

Other non-travel/cost related things that have been GAME CHANGERS:

A mini backpack. I can’t believe I used to go to big events with a crossbody purse. My mini backpack is hands down my favorite purchase for this kind of thing, and I got it for maybe $20 on Amazon.

Water bottle. Pretty self explanatory.

Portable phone charger with cable. I take photos of everything, and I use my phone pretty heavily so having full battery is really important to me. I will tell you that your phone will become a brick on XC day. I’m hoping they bring in those portable towers like they did for Maryland last year, even vendors had trouble with sales etc. because the service was so overwhelmed.

Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, rain coat, waterproof shoes. Self explanatory. I did get a sunglasses case that clips to my backpack so I don’t have to carry it in my hands.

Mini snacks so you don’t spend a fortune on food inside KHP. Apples, trail mix, etc.

If you’re shopping for something specific, get it early so it doesn’t sell out.

Also not really a product but KHP has a lot of stuff to see other than LRK3DE. The museum, Hall of Champions, the monuments, it’s all 100000% worth checking out.

We also do a TB breeding farm tour every year. Very affordable and a nice change of scenery.

3 Likes
#8

For camping at the KHP when do spots open for 2024?

What is the difference between electric, electric primitive, and primitive? Can I park my horse trailer on a primitive site and run on solar/generator?

What is electric primitive/electric difference? I’m an experienced camper at state parks but haven’t done the KY3DE before.

#9

They open 365 days before the event and sell instantly.

None have septic, they do have a truck to pump your tanks. The sites are nice, but many are tight and the asphalt pad might be 8’ wide…and the drop off to the ground in some is …a good drop lol.

#10

I looked for next year and they say sold out already, maybe it’s because they aren’t open yet.

#11

If you are considering this trip comparison shop prices on car rentals and flights if you fly into a distant city such as St Louis or Indy rather than flying into Lex or Cincinatti/Louisville

You may find the airfares and rental prices more to your advantage. Price inflation for key events can be a factor and if you have the time and willingness, you might be better for an extra 5 hours drive

1 Like
#12

From the Reserve America site:
The maximum reservation window is 12 months in advance to the date

#13

Good tip!

I still sorta want to wait for a later event, in case my maybe-baby is a yes-baby and make it a breeder visit and vacation wrapped into one. My vet is getting me a list of other events in the area because everything on Google is all LR and nothing else :laughing:

But these tips are definitely useful, maybe I’ll win the lotto and do both!

1 Like
#14

You’re probably looking at Area 8

Calendar - USEA, United States Eventing Association, Inc. ® US National Combined Training, Horse Trials: Dressage, Cross Country, Show Jumping | United States Eventing Association® (useventing.com)

You have May-Daze 5/26-28, Midsouth 6/23-25 and Champagne Run 7/14-16 at the KHP.
And the Eventing Championships (AEC 8/29 -9/03) at KHP. So you can have the KY Horse Park experience.

1 Like
#15

August in KY would be misssserably hot.

#16

Go to LRK3DE at least once!! I’ve been twice and enjoyed every second of it. Go, go, go!

We stayed in Georgetown and did pay for a parking pass. April weather in KY can be fickle so have ready to pack light weight warm things and lightweight rain gear. The flip side is appropriate sun protection if the weather is perfect!

On cross country day we took chairs and an easy to carry cooler of drinks & snacks and moved around the course taking in the various jumps. It is overwhelming!

On dressage days I enjoyed hanging out by the warm up ring. It was a nice close up way to see the big names and up and comers.

The shopping is fun, so much to choose from- horse stuff to home decor.

3 Likes
#17

I always book an airbnb rather than a hotel. Stay in Georgetown or downtown Lexington and it will be the same price or less than a mid-tier hotel but more comfortable and has a kitchen. I book as soon as dates are announced - this means that I booked for this year in early May of last year.

I fly into whichever city w/in 2 hours has the best flights (combo of cost and time). This year and last year that is Cincinnati (I’m coming from Seattle). In 2015 and 2018 it was Louisville. I rent a car about 6 months out and then set an alert on Kayak and Expedia for a better deal.

We always hit the grocery / liquor store when we land and pick up breakfast, coffee, snacks, lunch fixings, and dinner for at least one night. We pack in snacks, lunch, bourbon, and water in a small backpack. This year I’m also going to toss in a good insulated mug so I’ve got ice for my water / bourbon as last year was WARM weather.

I always look for an airbnb near restaurants so if we don’t want to cook we can walk to pick up takeout or go out. At the end of the day the last thing I want to do is drive. If you do want to eat out, think about reservations ahead of time. Places are BUSY because LRK3DE usually overlaps with the last weekend of races at Keeneland.

Pack for all weather conditions - especially rain - that means it won’t rain. I specifically value having a sunhat, sunglasses, sun shirt, and sun screen. Last year my friend put a pair of flip flops in her backpack to wear in the stadium for dressage and jumping, Brilliant idea. Put a hand towel or small camping towel in your pack to dry off stadium seats if it’s raining.

I’ve never paid for parking - if you come in early enough in the morning and don’t have mobility issues the free parking is an easy enough walk in. Make sure you drop a pin in the map app on your phone. Finding the car at the end of a long day can be tough - all the fields and trees look the same.

If you can, add a few days to go bourbon tasting, catch the races at Keeneland, visit Churchill Downs, go to Daniel Boone national park, etc. It’s a beautiful part of the country and well worth being a tourist.

2 Likes
#18

I agree you don’t need the parking passes but they are nice. I have been several times, and done all 4 days. A couple of years ago we came up and just did XCountry and included Keeneland, horse farms and bourbon tasting. I suggest if you are coming 2500 miles, that you should get in some bourbon tasting! That time we did the Economy tour and stayed at the Red Roof Inn. It was ok, we only slept there - but this year we are actually splurging and staying at the Marriot Griffin Gate. The men are coming with us, and well, they apparently have standards :). I looked into staying at the Castle but they wanted the entire stay upfront and I refused.

If you like to people watch the Marriot Griffin Gate is a great place to go in the evening and sit in the lounge. A lot of the owners and riders stay there.

The key is to get everything early. As soon as I knew we were going which was last May - I booked the hotel. Keeneland tickets are cheap but they go fast - so if you want in the grandstand you have to get those the day they go on sale.

But I second everyone on the snacks and the changes of clothes - the weather is quite fickle.

#19

Same area, I would be checking prices out of Seatac and Bellingham when actually shopping because they are both options for me. I would rather fly non-stop so I could check a bag and I’m not sure Bellingham handles planes big enough to do that… Thanks for the tip :slight_smile:

#20

Okay I am apparently not smart. I’m trying to use the search function for events and it isn’t finding anything at all from 12/31/23-12/31/24 in any state. That can’t be right…

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