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Land Rover KY Countdown!

Now that entries close today, I feel we need a countdown thread!

5* entries: https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/5-star-list/

4* entries: https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/4-star-list/

Several riders coming over from Europe! Going to be a great competition! :crossed_fingers:t2: USA can come out on top this year!

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Happy to see the Canadians!
Ollie will for sure bring home the win again :wink:

Would love to see one of the leading ladies on top.

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Ollie’s bringing the big guns! Yet I suppose they all are with this being the only spring 5*. I’m not counting William Fox-Pitt out, but I’d also love to see one of our amazing ladies bring home the win.

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I adore WFP’s Little Fire on a personal level, and I’m so excited to watch him go, but I would bet my entire bank account on Ballaghmor Class to win. I think that’s the best horse in the world right now.

I must say, as heartbroken as I am to miss Badminton, it’s very interesting to see the best of the best concentrate at one spring five star. As much as I love them, I’m not sure the Americans will get near the top 5. This is a heck of a field, and it will make for some EXCELLENT viewing, even remotely!

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It will be great to see the ones who have entered but I think the entry list is far from the best of the best imo. Missing a lot of majorly huge players. That being said will be cool to see how everyone fairs and how that changes plans going toward Tokyo.

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I totally missed WFP on the list, he has very good words to say about that horse too.

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It’s possible I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but given that we only saw the international entries start to pop up today, and given who has shown up on the list in the last six hours, I think anyone who still has a case to make for the British team may well show up (and it’s very hard to be a sure bet for that team, especially with only three riders). I doubt we’ll see the big Germans, who are obviously strong, and we don’t see any French riders yet either, but neither of those nations tend to favour spring 5*s anyway. I do think that if you cross-reference:

  1. Riders/nations who like to run spring 5*s
  2. Horses who are currently available to run
  3. People who think they have a shot at team selection

You are going to see the majority of the best from that group show up on this list.

I could be wrong. Maybe this is about all we’re going to see. Even so, it’s a much stronger field than we’ve seen at Kentucky for a while. And I do think nearly all the Americans have an uphill battle in front of them. It will definitely put the “elite list” designation to the test, and it’s fabulous prep for Tokyo. I’m sure Eric Duvander is over the moon right now.

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For some reason I thought entries closed today?

I think if the UK is bringing their contingent then Piggy, Pippa and Ros will be showing up also! I have a feeling those who came funded themselves and want a stab at the prize money and FEI points. Ollie will be keen to stay at number 1 and coming over helps with that a lot!

I know the Irish wanted to come over before all this but maybe Brexit put a halt in that.

They did, but they always filter in over the next couple days. I have no idea if this is processing delays or if people still use snail mail or what, but it’s typical for entries to be added in the days immediately following closing. Per Eventing Nation today (bolding my own):

Joining in on the fun are several overseas entries that have just populated the list – and we’re likely to see a few more pairs trickle in after today’s closing date. Word on the street is that we just might be seeing some additional UK-based pairs hopping on a plane next month.

Agreed - I’m keeping an eye out for Laura Collett, Alexander Bragg, Tom McEwen, Gemma Tattersall, maybe Nicola, maybe Izzy, maybe Tina. I’d love to see Mollie Summerland make it work, and I’d love to see Chris Burton (AUS) and Sarah Bullimore back again. Maybe Imogen Murray? I love watching Andrew Nicholson ride but I doubt we’ll see him as we all know he’s not aiming for the Olympics.

Not sure on this. In terms of other nations, the Japanese are a talented but relatively inexperienced team who will be under the pressure of their lives later this summer and could really use a prep run. Especially with WFP coming, I have to think we’ll see Kazu at least.

…or maybe that’s it and we’ve seen it all. Who knows? But we could all use a silver lining these days so I’ve decided to remain irrationally hopeful :smile:

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No Lynn? What’s going on with her 4* horse? What about Donner?

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I see there is one German planning on coming.

Donner is now 18 and hasn’t run since the WEG in 2018 (time flies during a pandemic…). Under Suspection is 17 and hasn’t run since 2019.

RF Cool Play does have two 4Ls under his belt at this point, but Lynn tends to run him sparingly and those would be his only FEI runs at that level since 2018 (when he was stepped back to run the Pan Ams very successfully in 2019). He’s now 13. I’m not sure if she ultimately plans to run him at 5* or not.

On a related note, someone needs to buy that lady more horses!

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You’re on the ball with the deets lately! Appreciated! I agree, someone get her a horse!

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Hahaha thanks! There’s very much nothing better to do right now so I am focusing on the few interesting things there are left :laughing: Not that I’m complaining. People are in far worse situations than being bored, I’m all too aware.

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Harry Meade has only recently started back riding after a horrid fall last summer. It seems a bold move to take a horse to Kentucky but he has a lot to prove if he is in with a chance of going to the Olympics.

I just read a short H&H article about Harry Meade’s current health - he said he is taking it step by step, but you can’t compete at Kentucky if you don’t enter, so he entered.

I agree with you that it is bold to be competing at such a high level so soon. He is definitely still experiencing post-concussion effects (as he described them). Personally I would probably not be comfortable taking chances with second impact syndrome. However, professional riders make different risk assessments, I guess. He finished four horses this past weekend in the top 15 at Oasby.

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agree, but he is also taking a chance on behalf of his horse

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To be fair, if second impact syndrome is the risk, that won’t affect his horse. It would only come into play for him after they’ve already parted company. Not sure it’s a risk I’d personally take, but to each his own. Given his finishes at Oasby this past weekend it does seem that as long as he remains atop the horse, he has recovered enough to do a good job up there.

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Do you know if the event will be available to stream?

It’s supposed to be free livestream!

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