Newsdate: Thu 28 April 2016 – 07:00 am
Location: LEXINGTON, Kentucky

Don’t miss the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 28-May 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park! Come on out to watch the top riders from the U.S. and around the world compete for their places on their countries’ Olympic teams and $350,000 in prize money.

Horse and rider at Rolex event

Known as 'The Best Weekend All Year,' RK3DE offers something for everyone: the highest-level of equestrian competitors, tailgating, shopping, bourbon tastings, a 5K and a performance by 5-time Grammy-nominated Hunter Hayes!.
© 2016 by Ronald C. Yochum, Jr.

Eventing is considered the triathlon of the equine world, where horse and rider teams compete in three distinct equine disciplines: Dressage, Cross-Country and Jumping. The team with the lowest number of faults and the fastest time wins the competition.

Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” RK3DE offers something for everyone: the highest-level of equestrian competitors, tailgating, shopping, bourbon tastings, a 5K and new this year: a performance by 5-time Grammy-nominated Hunter Hayes!

And the sport … Only the toughest horse-and-rider pairs in the world! Each pair must compete in three phases – stately Dressage on Thursday/Friday, breath-taking Cross-Country on Saturday and stunning Stadium Jumping on Sunday (unfortunately, sold out).

Watch Olympic hopefuls compete in the only Four-Star Event in the Western Hemisphere. And be sure to round out this exciting weekend of Olympic-level competition with:

• Maker’s Mark Commemorative Bottle Fundraiser, Thursday, April 28, 2016, at 7 p.m. at The Livery in Lexington. All proceeds from the auction will go to Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the official charity of the 2016 RK3DE.
• The RK-5K Twilight Race Friday evening – also a fundraiser for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
• Five-Time Grammy Nominee Hunter Hayes will be performing in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park following Saturday’s Cross-Country. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will benefit the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
• Maker’s Mark Bourbon Tastings, held throughout each day of the competition.

Thursday, April 28
7 a.m. Gates Open
8 a.m.–5 p.m. Hospitality Tents Open (Hospitality Ticket Required)
9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sponsor Village & Trade Fair Open
8 a.m. Dressage Test Ride — Rolex Stadium
8:30 a.m.–Noon Dressage Tests Begin — Rolex Stadium
Noon–3 p.m. Maker’s Mark Tastings
12:45–3 p.m. Demonstrations and Exhibitions:
12:45 p.m. Keeneland Pony Club Quadrille — Walnut Ring
1 p.m. Friesian Horse Association of North America — Walnut Ring
1:30 p.m. Miniature Horse Equine Ambassador — Walnut Ring
2 p.m. Elisa Wallace – Mustang Horse — Walnut Ring
2:30 p.m. KWPN – North America (Dutch Warmblood) — Walnut Ring
3 p.m. Irish Gypsy Cob — Walnut Ring
1:30–4:00 p.m. Dressage Tests Continue — Rolex Stadium
4:30–6 p.m. Arena Familiarization — Rolex Stadium

Friday, April 29
7 a.m. Gates Open
8 a.m.–5 p.m. Hospitality Tents Open (Hospitality Ticket Required)
9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sponsor Village & Trade Fair Open
89:30 a.m.–Noon Dressage Tests Resume — Rolex Stadium
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Demonstrations and Exhibitions:
9:30 a.m. Unbridled Vauting Club — Walnut Ring
10:15 a.m. Keeneland Pony Club Quadrille — Walnut Ring
10:30 a.m. Kentucky Horse Park/Lexington Fayette Urban County Gov’t Mounted Police — Walnut Ring
11 a.m. Paso Fino Horse Association — Walnut Ring
11:30 a.m. Elisa Wallace – Mustang Horse — Walnut Ring
12:30 p.m. Prince Philip Cup Games – Celebrity Round — Walnut Ring
1 p.m. Prince Philip Cup Games – Round 1 — Walnut Ring
2:30 p.m. Irish Gypsy Cob — Walnut Ring
3 p.m. Friesian Horse Association of North America — Walnut Ring
3:30 p.m. Miniature Horse Equine Ambassador — Walnut Ring
4 p.m. Thoroughbred Makeover Preview — Walnut Ring
Noon–3 p.m. Maker’s Mark Tastings
1:30–4:00 p.m. Dressage Tests Continue
6 p.m. RK-5K Twilight Race (Register to walk/run here.)

Ticket options typically include four-day, three-day, and single-day general admission as well as group rates and reserved grandstand seating. Ground admission tickets include parking, admission to the grounds, International Trade Fair and the Kentucky Horse Park. To watch the competition in the Rolex Stadium, a reserve stadium seat in addition to the Grounds Admission ticket needs to be purchased.