Top international eventing riders Tim Price from New Zealand, Hawley Bennett-Awad from Canada and Hannah Sue Burnett of the United States made a special visit to the Kemtucky Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, April 23, to spend time with kids undergoing treatment there. The riders are in town to compete at the 2019 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN taking place April 25–28.

The riders, representatives of the Eventing Riders Association (ERA), brought the children official souvenirs from the event, hung out to play with them and offered them tickets donated by Equestrian Events, Inc. to come and watch the competition this weekend and smiles and laughter abounded.

Price will be competing Xavier Faer this weekend, in his quest for the Rolex Grand Slam, after his victory at the Burghley Horse Trials in England last August granted him the first of three legs. If he wins here, he must then win at Badminton Horse Trials in England to take home the Grand Slam. As a father, the visit with kids was especially heart warming to him.

“It’s such a great thing to do, it’s the second time I’ve had the honor of coming here,” said Price. “I’ve got a little boy and you see these young people in here for their own challenges and to be able to bring a little something into their day is really very nice.”

“The kids are super sweet and very tough,” said Burnett who will be aboard Harbour Pilot this weekend. “They are just excellent little triers pushing through hard times and it really makes you think about your own life and not to take it for granted.”

Bennett-Awad, who will be riding Jollybo, was also on her second visit to the UK Children’s Hospital and enjoyed her visit immensely. “You meet some very smart, funny kids,” she said. “It really puts things into perspective. We’re here riding horses this weekend. I think we have some new fans though, who are going to come watch us this weekend.”

About the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN
Now in its 41st year, the 2019 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN (LRK3DE) is a thrilling competition featuring Olympic-level riders and horses from across the nation and around the world in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Riders vie for their share of $400,000 in prize money, as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which is awarded to any rider who wins the LRK3DE, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton, and Land Rover Burghley Five Star Events in succession. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event also serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI-5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN.

Also featured as a part of the competition is the Dubarry of Ireland Nations Cup Team Challenge, with each team vying for $20,000 in prize money. Four teams will line up for their share of the winnings.

LRK3DE also hosts the second annual $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute on Saturday afternoon, April 27, after the cross-country portion of the LRK3DE. Stadium seating tickets for the Grand Prix are only $5 each – with $1 going to Land Rover Kentucky’s 2019 Official Charity, Bluegrass Land Conservancy. As part of the competition there is also a $36,000 Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Friday in the Rolex Stadium, after the day’s LRK3DE dressage competition. No stadium seat ticket is required for Friday’s Ranking Class.

All grounds admission tickets to the LRK3DE include general parking and admission to the Kentucky Horse Park and International Trade Fair, but do not include seats for the competition in Rolex Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Reserved stadium seating is sold separately from grounds admission.

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, May 5, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT. It will also be broadcast on NBC Sports Network on June 23, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT. USEFNetwork.com will livestream the competition in its entirety – including the two CSI jumping classes – in the U.S. and abroad. Competition will also be archived and available on demand.

Further information on the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN is available at www.KentuckyThreeDayEvent.com.

About Equestrian Events, Inc.
EEI is a non-profit charitable Kentucky corporation that was established initially to produce the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the success of those championships, EEI established an annual event that evolved into the world-renowned Kentucky Three-Day Event, which draws more than 80,000 spectators to the Kentucky Horse Park each year. In 2018, EEI organized and produced the new Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix and will be managing the 2019 and 2020 USEA American Eventing Championships. All three competitions are held at the Kentucky Horse Park. For more information, please visit www.eq-events.com.

About Land Rover
Founded in 1948, Land Rover designs, engineers, and manufactures its vehicles in the United Kingdom. For almost 70 years the brand has built a reputation for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world; whether driving through the heart of the city or traversing the countryside on- and off-road. Today’s Land Rover lineup includes the Discovery and Discovery Sport; Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information, visit the official Land Rover website at www.landroverusa.com.

About Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands: Land Rover, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all-wheel-drive vehicles; and Jaguar, one of the world’s premier luxury sports sedan and sports car brands.

At Jaguar Land Rover, we are driven by a desire to deliver class-leading vehicles, which will provide experiences our customers will love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe. In 2017/18 Jaguar Land Rover sold 614,309 vehicles in 129 countries, with more than 80 percent of our vehicles being sold abroad.

We support around 260,000 people through our retailer network, suppliers and local businesses. Manufacturing is centered in the UK, with additional plants in China, Brazil, Austria and Slovakia.

Our innovation is continuous: we will spend in the region of £4 billion this year on new product creation and capital expenditure.

From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will be electrified, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles as well as continuing to offer the latest diesel and gasoline engines.



About MARS EQUESTRIAN
MARS EQUESTRIAN, a brand and sponsorship division within MARS INCORPORATED, is the link between our iconic brands and the equestrian community. For generations, MARS has celebrated a rich equestrian heritage, and through purposeful partnerships, MARS EQUESTRIAN is committed to the sport and building an enduring legacy. From world-class competitions across all equestrian disciplines, to stewarding the power of horses on society and sustainability, MARS EQUESTRIAN is dedicated to our purpose to improve the lives of horses, pets, and the people who love them.

For more information about MARS EQUESTRIAN, please visit www.marsequestrian.com.