Eventing

Lexington, Ky . – The dressage phase of the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L presented by MARS Equestrian™ concluded on Friday, April 24 with Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake finishing as the highest-placed U.S. combination to be the overnight leaders in the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship. The duo is currently in fourth place overall on a dressage score of 26.6. Tamie Smith and Danito maintain their lead in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, atop the...

Lexington, Ky . – The 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L presented by MARS Equestrian™ kicked off on a beautiful morning in the Bluegrass for the first day of dressage competition. Diabolo and Will Coleman sit as the current overnight leaders in the CCI5*-L competition on an impressive score of 27.3 penalties. The combination also currently tops the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship, as the highest placed U.S. combination. The Cosequin Lexington...

Lexington, Ky. – The 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) is set to begin following the conclusion of the first horse inspection with the first day of dressage starting tomorrow, April 23. The field of 29 horse-and-athlete combinations representing five countries will compete in this year’s CCI5*-L. The competition will play host to the 2026 Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian™ . The highest placed U.S. combination in the...

Meg Pellegrini has emerged as one of eventing’s rising talents, building a reputation of consistent results over the past several years. Her momentum was further validated earlier this year when she was named to the 2026 USEF Eventing Development 25 Program. Pellegrini now plans to compete in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, a US Equestrian Open Eventing qualifier. ©US Equestrian Raised in Oklahoma, Pellegrini was the first in her family to develop an interest in horses. “No one...

The 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day presented by MARS Equestrian™ is days away with the first draw of horses set to head down the center line on Thursday, April 23 rd . An elite field of world-class horse and athlete combinations will compete across three phases including dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. The best weekend all year is not only comprised of exciting competition but also unlimited shopping, delicious food, and so much more! Defender Defender, the title sponsor of...

When Braden Speck’s trainer, Erin Strader, received a phone call in 2019 from longtime friend, Annie Goodwin, telling her she had the perfect horse for Speck, no one could have predicted just how far the partnership would go. What began as a horse to heal Speck’s heart, has evolved into a remarkable journey of resilience and partnership, with Speck and BSF Liam now preparing to make their CCI5* debut. Speck and Liam | Photo provided by Speck BSF Liam, simply known as...

Cross country day at the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian is a highlight for spectators that travel to the Bluegrass from across the nation. More than 50 athlete-and-horse combinations will gallop through the Kentucky Horse Park, tackling imposing fences, water complexes, and technical terrain in the CCI4*-S and CCI5*-L. With crowds lining the lanes to watch their favorite combination soar over the famed Ditch Brush or splash into the Head of the Lake, safety, for...

The first time Isabelle Bosley sat on Conner, she knew he was something special. “The moment I sat on him, the feeling he gave, the balance he had as a straggly little five-year-old, was just something I had never felt before,” she recalled. Conner, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Casiro 3 x Monique) owned by Karen Martin, had been imported from Germany by Kara Angulo in the fall of 2022 and Bosley had been waiting. She told Angula at the Maryland 5 Star the previous year that she had...

At the 2025 US Equestrian Open Eventing Final, a new partnership became the talk of the weekend. Will Coleman and Very Dignified delivered an impressive performance in their CCI4*-L debut, finishing third in a highly competitive field. After a bold and efficient cross-country round vaulting them from 18th place to 6th, the duo sealed their podium finish with a fault-free show jumping round, proving their fresh partnership had already started to find its rhythm. ©US Equestrian To spectators...

(©Shannon Brinkman) Mya Poulos spent the 2025 season doing what she does every year: mapping out her competition schedule, trusting her horses and her plan, and putting in the work. Throughout last year’s season, she logged a remarkable 17 runs with three of her top horses at the CCI2* level which was more than any other competitor in the USEF National Championships League and emerged as the YETI/USEF CCI2* Eventing Amateur National Champion. What makes the accomplishment even more...

When it comes to competitions and events, some of the most vital roles on the showgrounds are filled by those working outside of the spotlight – our licensed officials. "Licensed official” is the overarching term for those serving in roles such as course designer, judges, para classifiers, stewards, or technical delegates, each playing an integral part in ensuring a fair field of play and a safe competition environment for both equine and human athletes. For Alex Ambelang, becoming...

In spring of 2024, US Equestrian announced the launch of the USEF Eventing National Championships League (“League”), with 2025 welcoming the inaugural year of action, which was a success by many measures and beginning an exciting new chapter for the sport in the U.S. What Changed and Why? The goal of restructuring the Championships was to provide access regardless of geographic location, a paramount factor in a country the size of the U.S., while also aiming to recognize consistent,...