Top Show Jumping Athletes Set to Compete in Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

April 16, 2024

Nine Olympians Highlight Show Jumping Entries at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™


Lexington, Kentucky – April 16, 2024 – This year’s $225,000 Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, hosted at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™, promises to be the best yet with its new 4* designation, expanded competition schedule and impressive list of entries that includes nine Olympians and top international athletes from 11 countries.


Organized by Equestrian Events, Inc., the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE) returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 25-28, featuring one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event annually attracts nearly 90,000 spectators who also enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hospitality experiences and a wide array of demonstrations. In addition to the traditional CCI5*-L, the event also features the Cosequin ® Lexington 4* and Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.


Introduced at the 2018 K3DE, the Kentucky CSI4* Invitational has annually taken place to the cheers of a packed stadium of fans. In addition to the Invitational Grand Prix, which features some 40 international riders on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. after the event’s cross-country phase, there will be a $35,000 purse for the 1.45m Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Friday at 7:00 p.m. after the completion of the dressage competition.

In addition, there will be a new $35,000 1.45m Two-Phase competition during the lunch hour on Saturday, April 27.

A group of people standing on top of a podium.

Some of the sport’s biggest stars will challenge the technical tracks designed by 2016 Rio Olympic Games course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) including 2021 U.S. Olympic eventing rider Doug Payne, who also has two horses entered in this year’s CCI5* event.


Joining Payne in the star-studded U.S. contingent are three Olympic show jumping veterans: Kent Farrington, 2016 Team Silver medalist and current World #6 on the FEI Rider Rankings; Margie Goldstein-Engle, who finished 10th individually in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games; and five-time Olympic veteran McLain Ward, winner of two Gold and two Silver medals and current World #10 on the FEI Rankings. Farrington and Ward are both short-listed for the 2024 Paris Olympic team, along with fellow Kentucky Invitational contender Aaron Vale.


Representing Ireland in the lineup are World #11 Shane Sweetnam, who finished third in last year’s Kentucky Invitational Grand Prix, and World #21 ranked rider Conor Swail, who took top honors in the 2022 Kentucky Invitational and finished fourth in 2023. 


Other world-class entries include Olympians Tiffany Foster (CAN), the current World #17; Scott Keach (AUS); Samuel Parot (CHI); and Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), one of the most decorated riders in show jumping history with accolades including individual Gold medals in the 2004 Olympic Games and 1998 World Championships as well as winning the FEI World Cup Finals three consecutive years. They will be looking to dethrone defending champion Daniel Bluman (ISR), a two-time Olympic veteran and the World’s #24 ranked rider.

A person is riding a horse over a hurdle in front of a crowd.

More information on the Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute can be found here. 


Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™


The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) is a thrilling multi-day competition featuring Olympic-level riders and horses in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Horse and rider pairs compete in three phases of the competition – Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping – for $400,000 in prize money to those competing at the CCI5*-L level. K3DE is the largest and longest-running Five Star event in the Americas and as the United States’ premier event, it also serves as the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian for the U.S. athletes. Rolex is the Official Timepiece and Event Partner.


Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S


Introduced in 2021, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S runs concurrently with the CCI5*-L competition, featuring the three phases of eventing – dressage, cross country and show jumping. The Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S offers $50,000 prize money. Tickets for viewing the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S are included when purchasing the K3DE tickets.


Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute


The $225,000 Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will take place on Saturday afternoon, April 27, after the cross-country portion of the K3DE. As part of the competition, there will also be a $35,000 Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Friday in the Rolex Stadium, after the day’s K3DE dressage competition. In addition to the new 4* level for the 2024 Grand Prix, there will be a new $35,000 1.45m Two-Phase during the lunch hour on Saturday, April 27. No stadium seat ticket is required for Friday’s Ranking Class. For more Grand Prix information, please visit: https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/grand-prix/.


Further information about the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™, the Cosequin® Lexington 4*-S, and the Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is available at https://www.kentuckythreedayevent.com/.


About Equestrian Events, Inc.


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 nearly 90,000 spectators to the Kentucky Horse Park each year. EEI added the Kentucky CSI Invitational Grand Prix in 2018, the Lexington CCI4*-S in 2021, and also produces other events. EEI supports several local and equine charities and over the last 20 years has donated more than $1.1 million to various charities. For more information, please visit www.eq-events.com.

Coleman brings the win back to the USA at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian

April 28, 2026
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.

Farrington flies to victory in the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Eques

April 28, 2026
Lexington, Ky., April 25, 2026  Fresh off his win in the show jumping World Cup Final, world #2 Kent Farrington continued his winning ways by streaking home fastest in the jump-off with Descartes SR at the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute part of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), the penultimate stop on the Major League Show Jumping tour. Mclain Ward and High Star Hero put in a strong performance to stop the clock in 40.42 but couldn’t quite catch Farrington’s time of 39.92. Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and James Kann Cruz chased them both, but his time of 40.71 was only good enough for third. “I’m really excited about this horse,” Farrington said. “He’s just 9 and this is his first five-star, and we started it the right way. He has an incredible stride like a racehorse and I know he can eat up the ground.”
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