50 Years of
The Kentucky Three-Day Event
History of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
In October 1976, Equestrian Events, Inc. organized the first horse trials ever held at the Kentucky Horse Park as preparation for the upcoming World Championships. The following year, EEI continued building momentum by hosting the National Pony Club Rally in August and producing the North American Junior Three-Day Event Championships in September.
That momentum culminated in September 1978, when the World Three-Day Event Championships were held in the United States for the first time. Hosted at the Kentucky Horse Park from September 14–17, the Championships were an unprecedented success. Individual World Champion Bruce Davidson successfully defended his title aboard the courageous American Thoroughbred, Might Tango, while Canada claimed Team Gold. Read TIME magazine's original 1978 coverage of the historic Championships here.
What began as a championship venue quickly evolved into one of the sport's most iconic annual traditions. For nearly five decades, the event has welcomed spectators from around the globe to witness the world's best horse-and-rider combinations compete. Each year, the event draws nearly 100,000 spectators over four days of competition, often representing all 50 U.S. states, more than a dozen countries, and thousands of cities around the world.
1976
- First Horse Trials
1978
- Organized the World Championship of Eventing
- The inaugural year of what has since become known as the Kentucky Three-Day Event
1980
- U.S. Selection Trial for Fontainebleau, France
1981
- Rolex Watch U.S.A. becomes Title sponsor of Kentucky Horse Trials
1982
- U.S. Selection Trial for Luhmuhlen, Germany
1984
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California
1986
- Intermediate Level Three-Day Event added
1987
- U.S. Selection Trial for Pan American Games in Indiana
1988
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea
1989
- Added Young Riders (16-21) Open Intermediate Horse Trials Division
1990
- U.S. Selection Trial for the World Championships Team
1992
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain
1993
- First FEI Americas Cup Final
1996
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia
1998
- Rolex Kentucky becomes the only CCI**** held outside of Europe
- Kentucky holds both CCI**** and CCI*** Events
1999
- Last year for Kentucky to host CCI*** event
- Grand Slam of Eventing introduced offering $250,000 in prize money to any rider winning Kentucky, Badminton, and Burghley in succession
2000
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia
2002
- U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games
- 25th anniversary of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
2004
- Bayer Modified Four Star Three-Day Event offered (short format) along with Rolex Kentucky
- Rolex Kentucky broadcast on NBC for the first Time
2005
- 25th anniversary of Rolex Watch U.S.A. title sponsorship
2006
- Rolex Kentucky permanently shifts to short format
2007
- 10th year for Rolex Kentucky as a CCI****
2010
- U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park
- Mike Etherington-Smith retires as Cross-Country Course designer after 18 years
2011
- Derek di Grazia becomes Rolex Kentucky Cross-Country Course Designer
2012
- U.S. Selection Trial for Summer Olympic Games in London, England
2014
- U.S. Selection Trial for World Equestrian Games
2016
- U.S. Selection Trial for 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil
2018
- Land Rover North America becomes title sponsor of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
- 40th anniversary of the 1978 World Eventing Championships, held for the first time in the U.S.
- EEI introduces the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event
2019
- MARS Equestrian™ signs on as the presenting sponsor of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event
- Hagyard Equine Medical Institute signs on as the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix
2020
- Kentucky Three-Day Event cancelled for the first time in 42 years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic
- Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix cancelled for the first time since it’s inception in 2018
2021
- Kentucky Three-Day Event returns but without spectators due to the continuation of COVID-19 global pandemic
- Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix cancelled
- Debut of the Lexington CCI4* competition
2022
- Kentucky Three-Day Event returns to full capacity after COVID-19 global pandemic
- Cosequin® signs on as the Lexington CCI4* Title Sponsor
- For the first time, the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*, the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4* and the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix events all run concurrently
2024
- The Kentucky International - previously known as the Kentucky Invitational Grand Prix - elevated from CSI3* to CSI4* status
2025
- Marking a historic first outside of a world championship, both CCI5* Eventing and CSI5* Show Jumping ran in the same week, positioning EEI as the only event organizer globally to host a CCI5*-L and CSI5* side by side
- The Kentucky International elevated from CSI4* to CSI5* status
- Cosequin Lexington CCI4* served as US Equestrian Open Eventing Series Qualifier
- The Vehicles of HM Queen Elizabeth II on display with Defender throughout the competition
2027
- Will represent the 50th anniversary milestone of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
