The 2027 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (22-25 April) promises to be another exciting five-star competition. We can't wait to bring you all the news from the US’s top spring event.
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The 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (23-26 April) marked a first five-star win for US eventer Will Coleman riding Diabolo. Will became the first US winner of Kentucky since Tamie Smith in 2023. Fellow US rider Caroline Pamukcu finished second on Blake, with Britain’s David Doel third with Galileo Nieuwmoed.
Our expert eventing reporter Pippa Roome was on the ground to bring you all the headlines, big name interviews and analysis of the action, accompanied by beautiful photography throughout each day of competition.
Kentucky Three-Day Event dates
The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event will be held from 22 to 25 April 2027. The event is running both five-star and four-star-short competitions.
Visit the Kentucky Three-Day Event official website
Who is the Kentucky Three-Day Event course-designer?
After 18 years in the role, Mike Etherington-Smith handed over Kentucky cross-country course-designer duties to Derek di Grazia ahead of the 2011 running of the event and Derek is still the course-designer now.
Kentucky Three-Day Event history
Horse trials have been held at the Kentucky Horse Park since 1976 and the venue became the first US host of the eventing World Championships in 1978.
Individual world champion Bruce Davidson retained his world title riding Might Tango, while Canada were the winners of the team gold medal on that occasion. Since then Kentucky has frequently been used as the selection trial for the US eventing team for major championships.
In 1998 Rolex Kentucky became the only CCI4* event held outside Europe (all the world’s four-stars were upgraded to five-star when the FEI changed the classification of eventing levels in 2019).
The Kentucky Horse Park also hosted the World Equestrian Games (WEG) – encompassing the World Championships for eight equestrian disciplines – in 2010. Britain won the team gold on that occasion, with Michael Jung taking his first senior championship individual gold on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW.
Long-time title sponsor Rolex stepped down in 2017, and the title sponsorship of the event was taken up by Land Rover ahead of the 2018 running. The name of the event was changed to Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Mars Equestrian, for 2024.
The 2020 running of Kentucky Three-Day Event was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the following February it was announced that the 2021 five-star was cancelled too. However, a grassroots fundraising effort brought in more than $550,000 (approx £400,000) in less than a week, which persuaded organisers to change their minds and go ahead with the five-star, which was won by Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class.
Michael Jung achieved his fourth Kentucky win when he landed the title in 2022 on FischerChipmunk FRH. In 2023, Tamie Smith scored a huge victory for the home side when she piloted Mai Baum to become the event’s first US winner since Phillip Dutton won in 2008.
In 2024, Oliver Townend headed an all-British podium when he took his fourth Kentucky title, this time on the young grey mare Cooley Rosalent. Michael Jung won his second Kentucky title with FischerChipmunk FRH in 2025 and his fifth in all.
What is Kentucky Three-Day Event?
Kentucky Three-Day Event is one of just seven five-star events in the world and one of only two held in the US. Five-star is the highest level of eventing competition, where the very best horses and riders in the sport compete against each other in three phases: dressage, cross-country and show jumping. The same horse and rider combinations take part in all three phases and their penalty scores are added up. The horse and rider with the lowest penalties is the winner.
Latest Kentucky Three-Day Event news
‘I needed help to get out of bed’ – Tim Price’s story of riding through Kentucky and Badminton with a broken collarbone
‘Riders’ focus on their horses’ body health is a positive step,’ says Pippa Roome after Kentucky Three-Day Event
‘He was absolutely mega’: podium finish for British rider at KentuckyNews
‘I think winning a five-star is one of the hardest things to do in equestrian sports’: milestone win at KentuckyNews
Tina Cook’s daughter Isabelle secures top 10 finish at Kentucky: ‘The event has had a championship feel’News
‘I want to end on a high’: 19-year-old horse with unique style to retire after 11 five-star runsNews
One horse held at Kentucky final trot-up, plus one British horse withdrawnNews
Politeness and power combine as thoroughbred leads Kentucky after cross-country: ‘He’s a champion’News
Harry Meade on dramatic Kentucky moment: ‘I saw the fishes and tried my hardest not to join them’News
British riders play leaderboard snakes and ladders as Kentucky cross-country proves influentialNews
A fast clear, a run-out and a fall: mixed fortunes for Britain’s rising stars in KentuckyNews
‘He’s a two-star horse with a six-star mentality’: the Irish pair making their Kentucky debut
Super thoroughbred scores new personal best for Kentucky dressage leadNews
‘He couldn’t have given me more’: Brit on Kentucky five-star podium after dressageNews
Isabelle Cook makes Kentucky debut: ‘Dressage isn’t easy for him, but he tries hard’News
‘He loves a crowd’: young Brit grabs podium place in Kentucky dressageNews
‘There aren’t words to express what this means’: injured rider returns to event and watches her Olympic horseNews
‘He’s a learner with real presence’: smart five-star first-timer takes Kentucky dressage leadNews
‘Intense mental effort’ pays off for Harry Meade and Superstition in Kentucky dressageNews
