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 CCI4*-S, a qualifier in the US Equestrian Open Eventing Series, is led by Danito and Tamie Smith, who finished on a dressage score of 27.0, the only sub-30 score on the first day of the CCI4*-S competition.

Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L

Will Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Diabolo, a 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Roulett M), owned by the Diabolo Group, laid down an impressive dressage test in their CCI5*-L debut as a combination, earning an impressive score from the judging panel to set themselves apart from the rest of the combinations following the conclusion of the first day of competition.

"The first time you do a five-star at a place like this, in this kind of atmosphere, you're never totally sure how your horse is going to cope," said Coleman. "He got a little excited when he got up here to the ring Even in my final warm-ups, I didn't feel like I totally had him, but to his credit, he went in there and really stayed with me and did his job as best he could. I can't be anything but proud of him — I just really, really adore this horse."

Coleman described "Dabs” as a horse with a unique personality and a deep desire to learn. "He really likes to be taught things. He has a real conscience about everything that he does, really wants to be a good boy, but has a little bit of anxiety because of that. It's really teaching him to have confidence in himself and in what we're asking him to do. I think now he's starting to get that. He has a real presence about him too, an energy that I think is pretty cool."

Hot on Coleman's heels in second place is fellow U.S. combination Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Penn.) and Possante, who posted a score of 28.1. Similarly to Diabolo, Possante, a 2013 KWPN gelding (Namelus R x Wendelien), owned by The Possante Group, is also making his five-star debut this weekend with Dutton in the irons.

Building a solid partnership with Possante has been a patient process, but one Dutton feels is now beginning to pay off. "We've taken it slow. We struggled a little bit when I first got him, and I've had him for quite a few years now, but he's starting to come together,” Dutton explained. “He's a kind horse. He wants to do the right thing, and he's not trying to get out of things. It's just he's bigger, and it's taken a while to get him quicker footed and secure in what he does, so let's hope I've got him right now."

With a demanding cross-country phase yet to come on Saturday, Coleman acknowledged the challenge that lies ahead on Derek di Grazia's (USA) course. "The drops are a little bigger than anything he's ever experienced. The course is a little longer; the jumps might be a little bigger in places, but you just hope your preparation is going to make him feel comfortable." Coleman added that the time on course will be no easy feat. "It just doesn't give you a lot of time or places to really make up at any time. It feels like you've got big scopey questions, followed by very, very nimble rideability questions. It's really just a test of your training, a test of your horse and partnership — as it's supposed to be."

Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S

The Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S got underway with a strong first day of dressage competition, as Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Danito, a 2009 Hanoverian gelding (Dancier x Wie Musik), owned by Ruth Bley, set the early pace at the top of the leaderboard on a score of 27.0.. Tommy Greengard (Petaluma, Calif.) and That's Me Z, his own and Andrea Pfeiffer’s 2017 Zangersheide gelding (Take A Chance On Me Z x Veneita) sit in second place after day one with a score of 31.4 penalties, while Dan Kreitl (Muncie, Ind.) and Carmango, a 2013 Westphalian gelding (Chirivell x Taramanga), owned by Kay Dixon, round out the top three on 32.0 penalties, keeping the podium positions tight heading into the remainder of competition.

The CCI4*-S serves as a qualifier for the US Equestrian Open Eventing Series, adding an extra layer of significance to the weekend. With two athletes at the top of the series standings, in Caroline Pamukcu and Boyd Martin, both turning their attention to the CCI5*-L this year, the door is wide open for the field to shake up the leaderboard and make their mark in the series standings.

Competition Information 
Dressage competition continues tomorrow, Friday. April 24, starting at 8:00 a.m. ET starting with the second half of the CCI4*-S combinations, followed by the CCI5*-L athletes-and-horses starting at 1:00 p.m. ET. Combinations will contest Derek di Grazia’s (USA) cross-country course on Saturday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. The competition will conclude Sunday, April 26, with the final phase of show jumping to ultimately decide the winners of the 2026 K3DE, alongside the 2026 Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian™, for the highest-placed U.S. combination in the CCI5*-L division. 

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