24 Irish Sport Horses Entered for 2017 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
A whopping 24 Irish Sport Horses, plus one Irish-bred Thoroughbred and two Irish Sport Horse cross-breeds, are set to compete in the thrilling 2017 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Land Rover, April 27-30 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
“The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is one of the most exhilarating and toughest competitions in the world and we are very excited to watch the Irish riders and the Irish horses tackle it!” said Elaine Hatton, Director of International Marketing for Horse Sport Ireland. “Out of the 68 entries, a total of 27 horses have Irish-blood running through their veins-40 percent of the entries-proving that the Irish horse is the athlete of choice for many of the top international riders competing at this prestigious event!”
The Irish Sport Horses entered to compete includes:
• Master Tredstep (ISH) – bay gelding ridden by Aidan Keogh (IRL)
• Luckaun Quality (ISH) – 2005 bay gelding ridden by Tim Bourke (IRL)
• Clip Clop (ISH) – 2003 bay gelding ridden by Joe Meyer (NZL)
• Obos O’Reilly (ISH) – 2003 bay gelding ridden by Will Coleman (USA)
• Park Trader (ISH) – 2002 bay gelding ridden by Buck Davidson (USA)
• Copper Beach (ISH) – 2006 chestnut gelding ridden by Buck Davidson (USA)
• Harbour Pilot (ISH) – 2003 bay gelding ridden by Hannah Sue Burnett (USA)
• LCC Barnaby (ISH) – 2006 bay gelding ridden by Lillian Heard (USA)
• Ballylaffin Bracken (ISH) – 2000 bay gelding ridden by Kristin Schmolze (USA)
• Fernhill Fortitude (ISH) – 2004 bay gelding ridden by Jenny Caras (USA)
• Arthur (ISH) – 1999 chestnut gelding ridden by Allison Springer (USA)
• Spring Easy (ISH) – 2006 chestnut gelding ridden by Caroline Martin (USA)
• Fernhill By Night (ISH) – 2003 dark bay gelding ridden by Liz Halliday-Sharp (USA)
• Fernhill Fugitive (ISH) – 2005 bay gelding ridden by Phillip Dutton (USA)
• Mr. Medicott (ISH) – 1999 chestnut gelding ridden by Phillip Dutton
• Delux Z (ISH) – 2005 dark bay gelding ridden by Kurt Martin (USA)
• Loughan Glen (ISH) – 2003 bay gelding ridden by Clark Montgomery (USA)
• Cooley On Show (ISH) – 2007 grey gelding ridden by Sharon White (USA)
• Cooley Cross Border (ISH) – 2007 dark bay gelding ridden by Kim Severson (USA)
• Fernhill Classic (ISH) – 2006 bay gelding ridden by Ryan Wood (USA)
• High Kingdom (ISH) – 2001 bay gelding ridden by Zara Tindall (GBR)
• Super Socks BCF (ISH) – 2006 chestnut gelding ridden by Matthew Brown (USA)
• Ringwood Sky Boy (ISH) 2003 bay gelding ridden by Tim Price (NZL)
• Pfun (ISH) – 2007 grey gelding ridden by Will Faudree (USA)
• Landmark’s Monte Carlo (ISH/ US TB) – 2006 grey gelding ridden by Lauren Kieffer (USA)
• Share Option (Irish TBx) – 2002 chestnut gelding ridden by Lillian Heard (USA)
• Who’s A Star (ISH/NZL TB) – 2004 bay gelding ridden by Courtney Cooper (USA)
Ireland’s own Tim Bourke, who is based in the U.S., will be competing his own “Luckaun Quality.” Last year the pair finished in 11th place and Bourke was awarded the Bank One Trophy as the highest placed owner-rider. This year will be Bourke’s fourth time competing at “Rolex Kentucky.” Fellow Irishman Aiden Keogh, owner and founder of the equestrian product line Tredstep Ireland, will be competing “Master Tredstep” owned by Patrick Hughes. Last year the pair finished 8th at the Ballindenisk CCI*** in Ireland and 10th at the Hopetoun CIC3*in Great Britain. This will be Keogh’s first-ever attempt at the U.S. four-star event.
54 riders representing nine countries (Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand and USA) have entered 68 horses. Other top riders competing at this year’s event include two-time defending Champion Michael Jung of Germany, Zara Tindall (formally Phillips) of Great Britain, the Queen’s granddaughter, Joe Meyer and Tim Price of New Zealand, Jessica Phoenix of Canada, and U.S. Olympic veterans Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, Kim Severson, Lauren Kieffer and Will Coleman, to name a few.