Inside Kentucky 2026: The Review Show

April 27, 2026

Inside Kentucky 2026: The Review Show

There is nothing quite like the Monday morning after a five-star, and this one had plenty to talk about.


Nicole Brown is joined by Diarmuid Byrne and Annie Bishop, fresh from Kentucky, to bring the raw reaction to a weekend that felt special from start to finish. From a dressage leaderboard packed tighter than usual, to a cross-country day that looked one way early and then quickly showed its teeth, this was a five-star that kept unfolding.


At the centre of it all, Will Coleman and Diabolo. A first five-star win, delivered across all three phases, and a performance that answered the biggest question mark coming into the week. Around them, the story kept shifting, big names in the mix, time penalties creeping in, and opportunities taken and missed.


They break down how it played out, the moments that mattered, and why this Kentucky felt like more than just another result.


Highlights

  • Will Coleman and Diabolo deliver a first five-star win
  • A dressage phase that kept the field tightly packed
  • Cross-country day, how it unfolded and where it changed
  • Harry Meade and the reminder of how tough five-star time really is
  • Standout performances from Galileo Nieuwmoed, HSH Blake, and more
  • The atmosphere, emotion, and energy across the week


Guests

  • Diarmuid Byrne — EquiRatings Founder and Executive Director
  • Annie Bishop — US eventing analyst and regular contributor


EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
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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.
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