Overnight leaders in the CCI5* – Britain’s Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
What a day of dressage we had yesterday! The sun was shining on Kentucky and our stars of the show stepped up to the plate. Here’s our top three as things stand:
1️⃣ In pole position after the first day’s dressage is Great Britain’s Yasmin Ingham with Banzai du Loir on a score of 26.
2️⃣ 5 points behind, also from Great Britain, are Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI on 31.
3️⃣ And rounding out the top three, just 0.1 behind, we have Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp with Carlitos Quidditch K on 31.1.
Ready for even more? Oh yes we are!
Here’s a taste of what we’ve got to look forward to today:
🇺🇲 From the US cohort we have the current top 3 on the USEA leaderboard:
1️⃣ Phillip Dutton is here with his stunning mare Azure;
2️⃣ World No. 3 Boyd Martin comes forward with Maryland 5* winner and fourth place finisher here in 2021 On Cue;
3️⃣ Liz Halliday’s exciting talent Cooley Nutcracker is making his 5* debut.
🇬🇧 The Brits are here in force with Olympic team gold and individual silver medalist Tom McEwen back with last year’s runner-up JL Dublin, and gunning for his fourth Kentucky win is World No. 1, Tom’s Olympic gold teammate Oliver Townend, who brings forward Maryland 5* third place finisher Cooley Rosalent.
🇦🇺 The Aussies are represented by 5* rookie combination Rebecca Braitling and Caravaggio II.
🇳🇿 And at the other end of the scale, in the Kiwi camp we have seven-time Kentucky competitor Joe Meyer with his 5* first-timer Harbin.
🇩🇪 Going for Germany this afternoon, we have World Championship team gold medalist Christoph Wahler, who’s been on hot form recently with his ride here this week, 5* first-timer D’Accord FRH.
I kid you not, the field is so totally stacked I could have highlighted them all – and if you’re wishing I had, then you’re in need of EN’s epic Form Guide, which you’ll find right here.
The USA’s Sharon White and Claus 63 will kick off the action today at 1pm ET / 7pm CEST.
If you want to see when your favorites are going, you’ll find the ride times here.
Missed out yesterday? Don’t fret. Catch up with every step from Dressage Day One with the live blog, which you’ll find right here – and read our round-up report here.
Will there be a change at the top after today’s action between the white boards? Who will be heading into the best day of the year as leader of the pack? I’ll be bringing you live updates throughout the afternoon, so keep this page refreshed and watch this space! If you’re catching up with this later and are the type to like things in order, scroll ⬇️ and read ⬆️. If going backwards is more your jam, have at it.
If your appetite for all things Kentucky is as insatiable as ours – all hail the eventing nerds! – we’ve got a whole bunch of content coming your way, and then some. We’ve got more live blogs comin’ at ya – tune in tomorrow for the 4*-S and 5* cross country, and on Sunday for the finale of the 5* show jumping. AS WELL AS THAT we’re posting daily reports from each stage of the competition and we’ve got loads of great IG content happening courtesy of our team on the ground too @goeventing. Click here for all the Kentucky content you can handle.
Let’s turn our attention to the center line, and go eventing!
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.
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1:24pm ET
Mia Farley and Phelps (USA)
Facts and Form:
5⭐ form – This duo burst onto the 5* scene with the only clear inside the time at Maryland last season, which earned them 5th place on their top-level debut.
💲 Phelps cost $1! Seriously! At EN we think he’s worth his weight in gold!
👀 This pair are ones to watch on Saturday, that’s for sure. From 16 FEI runs there are zero XC jumping penalties on his record – not a single one.
📈 They were 8th in the 4*-S at Bouckaert Farm last month.
📋 We can expect a low-30s score in the first phase – at Maryland they put down a 32.9.
Phelps flew ‘round his first 5*:
Today’s Test:
Phelps enters the ring and there’s a trot step or two as they come into the halt. They get off into their test happily though and right from the start look like a partnership that’s on the same page.
Phelps is answering every question Mia asks of hi. He’s obviously trying hard for her. This isn’t a horse with the biggest movement, but everything he’s doing is accurate and neat. He really relaxes nicely at the beginning of the walk. The scores have been increasing consistently as this test has progressed. A little tension creeps in to the end of the walk work, and the reinback isn’t as smooth as it could have been. They strike off into canter and Phelps is back to looking very happy in his work.
The changes are clean but Phelps comes a little bit above the bridle sometimes. He takes the contact in the stretch circle and is really showing that he’s listening to Mia at this point.
There’s a big cheer as they halt at the end of their test. Mia gives Phelps the biggest pat. Overall this was a nice demonstration of a horse and rider working well together.
Mia Farley and Phelps score 33.8.
1:16pm ET
Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way (USA)
Facts and Form:
5⭐ form – They were 16th at Burghley last season and 13th here at Kentucky. They also completed in 31st place at Badminton in 2022, and had two 5* finishes in 2021 – Maryland and Kentucky, where they finished 24th and 14th respectively.
🧬 ‘Mason’ is the product of two eventer parents – Mighty Magic, who won the Seven-Year-Old Eventing World Championships in 2011 with Andreas Dibowski (who also rode Mason), and Straightaway, a 4* campaigner in her own right.
🤖 As we may expect given his parentage, Mason is an out-and-out XC machine. In 25 FEI competitions he has just a single jumping penalty – one.
📈 They were 20th in the 4*-S at Carolina this season where they produced a speedy XC round, adding just 3.2 time faults to their dressage of 37.4. They rolled two poles in the show jumping to complete on a score of 48.6.
📋 Mason is what you could safely call, enthusiastic. Will’s challenge is keeping all that enthusiasm contained in this phase. At Burghley last season they scored the first 10s of the competition for a drool-inducing halt, earning them a career-best sub-30 score. They put down a 35.1 at Kentucky last year and a 38.8 at Badminton in 2022.
😘 There are a few people at Team EN who’d love a smooch from Mason:
Today’s Test:
Mason shows off his twinkle toes as he trots around the ring. He’s truly stunning, and obviously talented, but boy, does he look hot (not in the good way). There’s a fair bit of tail swishing going on. Will pushes for the extended though and Mason really travels across the arena.
There’s clearly a fair bit of tension going on, but Mason is a good boy in the walk – he’s a little speedy and his head comes up a little in places, but there’s no jigging going on. Mason has a little look around in the halt.
They go off into canter and Mason just wants to get quicker and quicker. There’s some very electric looking strides across the arena and Will does really well to get Mason back. He’s having to ride masterfully to deal with all the excitement that’s bubbling over for Mason.
Mason really gets more and more difficult to keep a lid on as the test goes on and Will must be very relieved when he comes to the final halt. Mason looks very pleased with his efforts and obviously can’t wait for tomorrow’s cross country. Will looks incredibly disappointed as he rides away.
Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way score 40.6.
1:08pm ET
Zachary Brandt and Direct Advance (USA)
Facts and Form:
5⭐ form – Zach and ‘Rosco’ completed here last year in 24th place.
🏆 For that completion, he was awarded the James C. Wofford “On the Rise” trophy.
📈 They were 6th in the 4*-S at TerraNova last month, where they added just 3.6 XC time to their dressage of 39.2.
📋 Their best 5* dressage result was at Maryland in 2022 where they put down a 35.9; they had a hoof in the 40s in 2023. They scored 43.5 here last time around.
#toothpastepants 🪥 👖
Today’s Test:
Roscoe looks very relaxed as he canters around the ring waiting for the bell. They come up the center line and there’s a few trot steps into the halt. They wiggle a bit as they set off but Zach keeps things together. Roscoe could show a little more bend and suppleness in the lateral work but his trot is nice and rhythmical. They’re not pulling in the top marks but everything is coming up accurately. Zach’s really riding Roscoe sympathetically, keeping him relaxed and soft to the contact.
There’s a little jiggy-jog under the surface of the walk, it’s clear Roscoe would rather be cantering.
Ohhh, Roscoe’s waves at the judges when Zach asks for the reinback. But comes straight back for Zach. That’ll affect their marks although it would have made a cool photo.
Roscoe settles a bit better once the canter starts. The accuracy’s back on the whole, but the changes are tricky for this gelding. The marks aren’t quite so good as in the trot work, but Roscoe is trying and is answering Zach’s questions.
They halt and Zach looks a little pensive. Overall Roscoe did a nice job really, except for that one moment in the halt at C, but he came back to Zach and worked for him for the rest of the test.
Zachary Brandt and Direct Advance score 41.2.
1pm ET
Sharon White and Claus 63 (USA)
Facts and Form:
5⭐ first-timer! Claus, not Sharon – in fact, this is the 6th horse Sharon’s brought up to 5*.
🥈 Sharon and Claus were part of the US team in at the Pan-Ams in Santiago last season and brought home a team silver medal, finishing 10th individually.
📈 They had an unfortunate 20 on the XC in the 4*-S at Carolina this season, which saw them finish in 32nd place. They won the 4*-S at Ocala International last season, where they very nearly finished on their dressage score. They’re no strangers to the Horse Park, having competed in the 4*-S in 2022 when they came 17th.
📋 They had been trending in the low-30s in the first phase at 4*, although they posted a 39.1 at Carolina earlier this season.
Braids for days and a day to remember today as Claus sets out in his first 5*:
Today’s Test:
Here we go – the first of the day! Sharon makes a very straight entrance and nails the first halt – a great start to their competition. Claus really is a lovely mover, really bouncy and expressive. The scores are very good at the start of their test. He could show a little more bend in the lateral work, but there’s a really nice cadence to his trot. This is a horse and rider who make a real picture together.
Claus is very relaxed in the walk. He’s not taking massive steps, but he’s listening to Sharon nicely and doing his best. Another lovely halt at C and very obedient in the reinback. Very seamless work from this pair so far.
They set off neatly into canter and the first flying change comes easily. The second one is also very tidy. Claus is really in a lovely frame and the scores are consistent throughout this part of the test. Everything’s so accurate and considered, really showing what a team they are.
Sharon grins at the end of the test, she looks delighted with her horse and so she should be – this was a lovely test throughout, so much potential on show for this 5* first-time horse.
Sharon White and Claus 63 score 30.7.
