If you go to your mail, select “new message” and type in my name it will go through. I don’t have DMs blocked. 
You’re welcome!
Does anyone know who withdrew. I counted twice and there are 41 entries now in the 5*.
Joseph Murphy withdrew.
We are keeping up with all withdrawals here: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/2025-defender-kentucky-cci5-l-withdrawals/
4 Likes
So wonderful that it attracts so many international riders. only about half the field is American.
I wish I was going to watch. I have not been to Kentucky for at least 10 years.
Pretty excited Michael Jung is coming back, hope it holds! One of my most favorite things is to watch him warm up for dressage from the farthest ring on up to walking down the ramp, always on a long rein.
He’s a master.
11 Likes
Country Life Farm is in my hometown so I adore anything Malibu Moon 
2 Likes
Halo was very dangerous, but a great sire. And a nice mix with anything AP Indy on top.
1 Like
He passed that temperament on sometimes too, but he’s far enough back now that it isn’t as common to have the mean gene come through.
My Malibu Moon gelding had Halo on his dam’s side and was one of the most difficult and when things weren’t going his way one of the nastiest horses I’ve ever been around (but gorgeous and a great jumper). I’ve always wondered how much was genetic and how much was being gelded late etc.
1 Like
Back in the early 2000’s I remember spending the whole day at KHP watching XC. If I remember correctly XC started at 10 and finished at 3. I could be off on the exact times. Out of curiosity I looked back at entries for various years.
2012 (Olympic year) 73 entries
2014 (WEG year) 82 entries
2016 (Olympic year) 71 entries
2017 61 entries
2018 (Weg year) 60 entries
2019 37 entries
After 2019 we had two years of COVID. But these stats beg the questions - what happened between 2018 and 2019 that entries dropped so much? and why have they never recovered? Often here people post about a decline in entries because it is an Olympic year or a WEG year but obviously this was not the case ten years ago. 2019 was pre-COVID and five years out we should be well past the impacts of COVID.
3 Likes
The MER qualifications have substantially increased…and at the recent FEI meeting there was discussion about increasing them more. Fewer people and horses qualify
1 Like
Allegedly, the sharp decline in entries we saw in 2018/2019 was the residual impact from the great recession 10 years earlier. 2008/2009/2010 caused a marked decline in horse breeding worldwide, which we started seeing in nearly all competitive disciplines roughly 10 years later (earlier in disciplines like racing).
I also think short-format has weeded out a considerable number of competitors over time because you cannot be competitive (and safe) at the upper levels without considerable skill. And to develop and maintain that skill, you need significant funding. A lot of the “old guard” hung on through the transition, but then they started aging out and we have a lot less younger riders coming up the ranks either due to lack of affordability or because it is just so darn hard. Plus, like @Sharon said, things like MERs have gotten tougher.
7 Likes
Also add in the number of riders without the financial backing to maintain a string of horses at or working toward the upper levels combined with the amount of bad luck that some people have had over the last ~8-10 years. Lose one horse and suddenly you’re looking at another 5-10 years before that person may be able to get a different horse back up the levels. I’m in the barn of one of those people and it’s not a lack of talent/skill that has prevented her from sticking around at the top, it’s the lack of funds and enough horses.
7 Likes
The 2014 WEG and 2016 Olympics (and earlier) were run at the 5* level. The 2018 WEG and 2020 Olympics were run at the 4* level (speaking specifically of cross-country).
3 Likes
I thought that transition happened earlier?
It’s hard to track because of the stupid star system change smack in the middle of the time period. But the stars changed after they knocked the Olympics down to a lower level.
This ^^^
See this article, dated December 2016: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/fei-eliminates-show-jumping-final-four-and-downgrades-cross-country-three-star-weg/
In eventing, the World Games will now follow the “Olympic” format, which means the dressage and show jumping will be at the four-star level, but cross-country will drop down to three-star, with a 10-minute course and a maximum of 45 jumping efforts.
(Remembering, as you mentioned above, that four-star in this quote is the same as current five-star, and three-star is current four-star. Clear as mud?)
2 Likes
Oh, my goodness.
