EVENT HISTORY
History of the Kentucky Three-Day Event
In October 1976, as preparation for the World Championships, EEI organized the first horse trials ever held at the Horse Park. In 1977, the organization coordinated the staging of the national Pony Club Rally in August and produced the North American Junior Three–Day Event Championships in September.
The 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships, held for the first time in the United States September 14–17, were an unprecedented success. (See the original 1978 Time Magazine story on the event here.) Individual World Champion Bruce Davidson of Pennsylvania retained the world title by riding his young, courageous American Thoroughbred, Might Tango. The popular team of riders and horses from Canada won the Team Gold Medal.
Over the years, spectators from all over the world visited the Kentucky Horse Park to witness these amazing horse and rider pairs. In 2023 over the four days 89,000 people were in attendance from 15 countries, all 50 US states and over 2,000 cities worldwide.
1976
- First Horse Trials
1978
- Organized the World Championship of Eventing
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
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 4* Title Sponsor
- For the first time, the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*, the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4* and the CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix events all run concurrently
