Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event

Lexington, Ky., April 26, 2026 Despite it being an American event, American champions have been hard to come by over the last 18 years in the CCI5*-L at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), with only Tamie Smith’s 2023 win standing out in a sea of foreign victories. But Will Coleman has entered his name into the record books as just the second American in nearly two decades to take home the top prize. He and Diabolo added just 0.8 time penalties in the final phase to finish on a score of 28.1 and take home the trophy. Double-clear show jumping rounds propelled Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (28.6) and Great Britain’s David Doel on Galileo Neiuwmoed (30.8) to 2 nd and 3 rd respectively. Overnight leader, New Zealand’s Monica Spencer and Artist, dropped three rails to fall to 7 th . “I probably can’t put it into words,” he said of his victory abord the Diabolo Group’s Holsteiner gelding. “It’s a surreal feeling; it’s something we all dream about. Winning (a five-star) is the hardest thing to do in equestrian sports, and I feel like (all the riders) deserve the win. It’s such a hard game, it takes so long to get good enough at it to contend at this level. “I have so much respect for the sport, and the horses and riders, so it feels like it’s unfair that I’m the only one that gets to take home the win,” he continued. “But I’m overjoyed for the horse and all who are involved in his journey — the owners, my family, my coaches, and our staff at home. I wake up most days feeling like the luckiest guy in the world and today I feel extremely lucky.” As the highest-placed American, Coleman is also the winner of the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. riders.

Lexington, Ky., April 25, 2026  Fresh off his win in the show jumping World Cup Final, world #2 Kent Farrington continued his winning ways by streaking home fastest in the jump-off with Descartes SR at the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute part of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), the penultimate stop on the Major League Show Jumping tour. Mclain Ward and High Star Hero put in a strong performance to stop the clock in 40.42 but couldn’t quite catch Farrington’s time of 39.92. Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and James Kann Cruz chased them both, but his time of 40.71 was only good enough for third. “I’m really excited about this horse,” Farrington said. “He’s just 9 and this is his first five-star, and we started it the right way. He has an incredible stride like a racehorse and I know he can eat up the ground.”