Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event -- Day 3!

Today we woke up at 7:00, got ready, enjoyed breakfast (such a good variety of yogurt, eggs, sausage, fruit, breads, and juice), and headed for the Kentucky Horse Park for the cross-country phase.  Everyone else was excited about watching it, too, as evidenced by the fact that our exit for the Park was backed up quite a bit.  We had to get off on the shoulder to wait.  Once we finally got through the gates, we headed for the start box and finish line (they're right next to each other).  We got to see several horses start and finish before we headed for other jumps.  We didn't get to see every jump, but we saw most of them and we definitely saw the most exciting ones!  We loved the incredible photo opportunities despite the constant drizzle.  It never poured, but it maintained enough to saturate everyone and everything.  We both worked hard to keep our cameras in plastic bags, safely protected from any droplets of water, but we did pull them out anytime a horse was coming over a jump we stationed ourselves at.  My poor camera's battery obviously got a tiny bit of water in it around noon, so we headed into the bathroom to use the air dryer and get it clean and dry.  After that, it worked perfectly.  Whew!  We had lunch in the Rolex Stadium (tuna wraps, trail mix, fruit, and water), which was nice because the big screen was showing the live stream of cross-country, so we could keep watching the riders, even while we ate.  Cross-country wrapped up over an hour early, so we walked around the trade fair a bit, then headed to our car to drive around the area and admire the beautiful, expansive horse farms.  After a quick stop at our hotel to change out of wet clothing, we had supper at Ramsey's.  The food was very delicious (I had lemon-yogurt chicken, yellow squash with onions, sauteed spinach, apple fritters, cornbread, and water), but we did have to wait over 45 minutes.  I think it was worth it, though, especially considering we walked about 11 miles today!  We ended the day with frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf...pineapple topped with strawberries, chocolate topped with hot fudge and cookie dough, and red velvet topped with white chocolate chips was my choice.

We really enjoyed watching each competitor fly around the course today.  The extreme athleticism of the horses and riders is astounding, really making you appreciate the work that is put into this event.  After the last team went through the finish, we were allowed to walk around on the cross-country course, and I must say that no photograph is able to accurately depict the massive size of each jump.  Even the "simplest" ones are huge -- in terms of width and height!  I am amazed, in awe, and humbled at the talent that I saw today -- just three or four feet from my face, the best eventers in the world were galloping by.  Yet another reason why, despite rain and foul weather conditions, it's the "best weekend all year!"

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive (USA) start the cross-country course

Tim Price and Bango (New Zealand) have a mishap on the next-to-last jump.  He ended up falling off and is finished for the weekend.

Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless (USA)

Post-cross-country cool down -- Phillip Dutton and his team with Mighty Nice

Val and me at the final Rolex jump, fashionably decked out in our rain gear

~Anna

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event -- Days 1 & 2!

I cannot believe it, but 2016 is my senior year of high school!  For my "Senior Class Trip", my godmother, Val, and I headed to Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.  Just click on that link if you're not aware of this amazing four-star event (the only of its kind in North America).  As their motto says, "Best Weekend All Year", and we would definitely agree with that after just one amazing day at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

Thursday, April 28, 2016 -- We decided to head out around 4:00 p.m. this afternoon, arriving in Evansville, Indiana, to spend the night at a Comfort Inn.  It was a good idea to break up the drive and enjoy a relaxing evening.  We had supper at Stoll's Country Inn Amish Buffet, which offered a huge variety of food for a very reasonable price.  We went to bed at 10:45, excited for the next day!

Friday, April 29, 2016 -- After getting ready and having a quick breakfast (banana, biscuit, chocolate-chip muffin, orange juice), we headed for the Park, arriving around 11:00 a.m.  We parked (best parking job all day, according to the attendant), entered, and headed straight for the Walnut Ring to watch a demonstration.  Elisa Wallace and her Mustangs, Fledge and Rune, were showing off their incredible skills and bond.  She is the one who inspired me to adopt a Mustang way back in November 2014, and I admire her devotion to her horses, incredible training talent, and the fact that she is competing at Rolex this weekend with Simply Priceless, an Australian Thoroughbred.  They also competed here last year and did very well.  I even got her autograph at the end of the demo!

Of course, there's also plenty of opportunities to browse the booths housing horse industry mainstays, pick up the good freebies, and find a good bargain (hot pink English saddle pad for $15, anyone?), so we did that next.  We enjoyed lunch (tuna wraps, apple, tapioca pudding, water) as the Pony Club showed off their skills, browsed the booths a bit more, watched some dressage competition and warm-up, watched some competitors in the Retired Racehorse Thoroughbred Makeover, and experienced the Land Rover Test Drive.  When else do you get to drive a minimum-$85,000 Range Rover Sport, get it muddy and dirty, and not have to pay for anything?!  Land Rover is a huge sponsor of Rolex, and this was so much fun.  We went up, down, and across hills; through two feet of water; and over a bridge.  I highly recommend it. :)

Finally, to end the evening we ran in the Rolex Kentucky Twilight 5K Run.  I set a new personal best (by minutes) of 21:28 minutes.  Wow!  That was a super fun run on a beautiful course in perfect weather conditions.  I cannot believe I actually ran that fast.  I was third in my age group (female), and I actually beat all but one of the males in my age group.  They provided grilled cheese sandwiches, bananas, granola bars, spicy pepper snack sticks, and water for a nice dinner, then we walked around Rolex Stadium (where they will be holding the show-jumping on Sunday), and finally we headed back to the car and our hotel about 20 minutes south of the Park.  All of the incredible events that happened today definitely proved to us that we are at the "Best Weekend All Year!"

Elisa Wallace with her Mustangs, Rune and Fledge

Getting Elisa Wallace's autograph and meeting Fledge

Dressage warm-up

I drove this Range Rover!

Thoroughbred Makeover demonstration

Val and me after the 5K

~Anna