Tamie Smith Takes CCI4*-S Lead at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™

April 23, 2022

Tamra Smith (USA) and Envogue at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ held in Lexington, KY.


Tamie Smith and Colleen Loach Break Thursday’s Three-Way Tie

Lexington, Kentucky – April 23, 2021


At the conclusion of Friday’s dressage, Tamie Smith (USA) and EnVogue hold the top position in the Lexington CCI4*-S at The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE) at the Kentucky Horse Park.


Smith and Ruth Bley’s EnVogue scored a 25.4 to break Thursday’s three-way tie and take over the lead. They produced an accurate, flowing test despite a challenging warm-up, where the mare was spooking at a video camera.


“I thought I had no chance,” Smith said. “But she went in and was super. She was really rideable and expressive. She really showed off. I was proud of her.”


Smith originally entered the 16-year-old Hanoverian mare in the CCI5*-L but reconsidered in the lead-up to Kentucky.


“This spring she came out and she just wasn’t her attacking self out on cross-country,” Smith said. “I really want to set [the horses] up for success and there wasn’t a lot of success. I had to stop and reflect and think ‘is this the right thing for her?’ I think she needs to do another Four-Star long before maybe doing Maryland’s CCI5*-L.”


Colleen Loach (CAN) and Vermont scored a 27.0 to sit in second place after dressage. Loach has been partnered with Vermont, also known as “Monty,” since the gelding was five years old. Loach originally recommended the now 9-year-old Hanoverian to owner Peter Barry before accepting the ride herself and producing him up the levels.


“Monty is a giant. He’s 18.2 hands but he’s scared of everything and very emotional,” Loach said with a smile. “We’re starting to develop a really strong partnership. He’s a lovely, talented horse, and I’m really looking forward to the future with him.”


Looking to tomorrow’s cross-country course, Smith and Loach agree on the difficulty of the course but are nevertheless looking forward to the challenge.


“Monty is green to the level but he’s been very dependable so far,” Loach said. “He’s really rideable and has a great big galloping stride. He’s not strong so there’s not a lot of setting up that has to be done. He’s really a joy to ride. He looks for the flags. As long as he comes out like normal I’m hoping for a great ride.”


Smith added, “Kentucky really invites them to open up and gallop, and Derek [di Grazia] is such a genius course designer. I’m looking forward to getting out there.”


Thursday’s leaders are now in a three-way tie for third place: Smith and Danito, Doug Payne and Starr Witness, and Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine sit on equal 28.1.


The CCI4*-S was originally scheduled to run cross-country on Saturday morning, but the timetable has been reversed due to the expected weather conditions. The CCI5*-L will go cross-country first and the CCI4*-S will start in the afternoon.


Visit the LRK3DE Virtual Experience Webpage, brought to you by SmartPak, to find all the information you need for the 2021 LRK3DE.


Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE) hosts one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world and is serving as a U.S. selection trial for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games. As the United States’ premier three-day event, LRK3DE serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI-5*-L Eventing National Championship Presented by MARS Equestrian™ for U.S. athletes.


A new partnership between EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian (USEF), longstanding sponsors Land Rover, MARS Equestrian™ and Rolex and many other valued event sponsors, plus the collective efforts of the many individuals who donated, ensured that the nation’s premier equestrian event will be held with its traditional CCI5*-L in the afternoons and a new CCI4*-S in the mornings. Although the event is being held without spectators, it can be seen live online on the USEF Network, free of charge with a USEF Fan Membership, which is available at no cost using the code LRK3DE21.


The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ is indebted to all of its sponsors for their support, without which the event could not be possible.


About Equestrian Events, Inc.

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable Kentucky corporation that was established initially to produce the World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in 1978. 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. EEI also produces other events and supports several local and equine charities. EEI has d­onated more than $725,000 to various charities since 2011. Further information about EEI and the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event is available at www.kentuckythreedayevent.com.


About the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation

Since its inception in 1985, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation has provided over $25 million worth of improvements, helping make the Kentucky Horse Park the leading equestrian facility of its kind in the world. The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to enhancing, expanding, and improving the Kentucky Horse Park. Further information is available at www.khpfoundation.org.

The Hands that Build the Sport: Unsung Eventing Heroes, ft. Karen Yates

By Jennifer Sedlatschek • July 31, 2025
Karen Yates has never been one to follow the beaten path. A lifelong horsewoman and passionate amateur eventer, her story is one of grit, generosity, and an unwavering love for the sport. Though her introduction to eventing may not have been conventional, her contributions to the community have become nothing short of transformational. Raised on Air Force bases without the benefit of structured training, Yates’s entry into the world of eventing was entirely self-taught. “I didn’t have an instructor until I was 32,” she says—by which point she had already spent five years actively competing. Without jumping lessons or formal coaching, she would simply show up at events and learn by doing. Her survival in those early days came down to two things: the boldness she carried into the saddle and the athleticism of the horses she rode. She trained every one of them herself, driven more by determination than direction. Yates’s breakthrough came in 1993 when she competed in her first advanced-level event at the (then) Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. “I never schooled any cross-country at all,” she remembers. “My horses saw the course for the first time when I got there.” The experience was a defining moment. Though daunting, it was emblematic of her entire riding career—rooted in experience, experimentation, and an indomitable spirit. But as her ambitions grew, so did her awareness of the risks involved. She recalls the 1996 Olympic cycle, during which she competed with 45 pounds of lead on her horse—weight that ultimately contributed to a suspensory injury. That setback shifted her perspective. She began stepping back from the upper levels, prioritizing the safety and longevity of both her horses and herself. Even as she turned away from elite competition, her love for the sport never wavered. Instead, it found a new outlet. In 2017, Yates launched a unique initiative at Copper Top Farm: the “horse party.” Aimed at introducing newcomers to eventing, the horse party was her answer to what she saw as a troubling trend. “I was running into young people who had never ridden out of a ring,” she explains. “I thought, this is not a good way for this sport to grow.” Her horse parties were designed to be approachable and fun, offering small jumps and cross-country schooling in a low-pressure environment. It wasn’t just about teaching riders to jump—it was about giving them a taste of what makes eventing so thrilling. The concept took off. Riders of all ages and backgrounds began flocking to Copper Top Farm, not just to ride, but to become part of a welcoming, horse-loving community. 

Vanessa Coleman Named Chief Competition and Operating Officer of Equestrian Events, Inc.

June 19, 2025
The Board of Directors of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), a non-profit, charitable organization that supports the development of equestrian sports by staging sporting events at the highest level, is thrilled to announce the naming of Vanessa Coleman to the position of Chief Competition and Operating Officer.
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