Lexington, Ky. – Dressage competition concluded on Friday at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian. Michael Jung (GER) and fischerChipmunk FRH remain in the lead in the CCI*5-L division on an impressive 18.6, while the competition ahead will be increasingly dynamic as combinations head out on cross-country tomorrow. Boyd Martin and Commando 3 are the top U.S. pair on the CCI*5-L leaderboard in second place. In the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, a notable shift in the leaderboard occurred with William Coleman and Off The Record taking a commanding lead on a personal best dressage score of 21.8.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L
While Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH’s score of 18.6 held strong in the first phase, second place was overtaken by Boyd Martin Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Commando 3, a 2013 Holsteiner gelding (Connor x R-Adelgunde) owned by Yankee Creek Ranch, who were last to go down the centerline. Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality (Obos Quality 004 x Bay Coffey Cavalier), a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by John & Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn sit in third place.
Despite the sky opening mid-test, the pair were able to produce an excellent showing for the judges, highlighted by their strong trot and lateral work, which had them trending above the 75% mark throughout the test and finishing on 26.0. Martin maintains his lead in the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian, while simultaneously occupying second and third in the National Championship division with Luke 140 (Landos x Omega VI), a 2011 Holsteiner gelding owned by the Luke 140 Syndicate holding sixth place overall, and crowd-favorite Fedarman B (Eurocommerce Washington x Paulien B), a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate, just sitting outside of the top ten in eleventh overall.
"[Commando 3] is very good on the flat," said Martin. “He’s flamboyant. He’s good looking. He’s got presence and enthusiasm.” Martin noted that Commando 3 benefitted greatly from arena familiarization earlier in the week, and overall, he was pleased with the focus throughout the test in the rain.
With the cross-country phase to look forward to on Saturday, Martin described Derek di Grazia’s course as “juicy.” “It will be quite challenging; it’s a big course the whole way around. There are a couple of alternates that aren’t as expensive timewise. A bit of strategy might come into play, so we’ll have to see how it all pans out.”
Sharon White (Summit Point, W.Va.) and Claus 63, her own 2012 Holsteiner (Catoo x Tina II) gelding, sit in fourth position for the National Championship and fourteenth overall with a dressage score of 32.3. Jennie Brannigan (West Grove, Pa.) and FE Lifestyle (Leo von Faelz x Berina A), a 2010 Warmblood gelding owned by Nina Gardner, round out the top five of the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian contenders, finishing the dressage phase in sixteenth overall with a score 34.0.
Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S
Spring time in Kentucky means there is always a chance of rain. The start of the second day of CCI4*-S dressage competition was delayed in the morning due to the weather, but William Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay) owned by Off The Record Syndicate, executed a brilliant dressage test to bring some sun to the day, showcasing the depth of their longstanding partnership. Coleman and “Timmy” were able to finish atop a competitive field on day two with a tremendous personal best score of 21.8 and their lowest score at the level since 2020.
U.S. Eventing Team veteran Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) occupies both second and third place in the class as he focuses his efforts this weekend on the CCI4*-S division. Possante, a 2013 KWPN gelding (Namelus R x Wendelien) owned by the Possante Group, who Dutton partnered with for day two of dressage competition, executed an exceptional test, highlighting the gelding’s lovely trot work and balance to impress the judges as one of the final rides of the class. With Dutton guiding, the duo scored a 23.1 to close the gap between Will Coleman’s test with Off the Record. Aboard Denim, a 2015 Hanoverian gelding (Dinken x Celia II), owned by Caroline Moran, Dutton earned a score of 25.6 to keep both mounts inside of the top three looking ahead to a challenging and influential cross-country day tomorrow.
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