2003 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

Will Faudree Scores in His First Four-Star at Rolex

By Amber Heintzberger

Texan Will Faudree riding Antigua was one of the top Americans at the Rolex Kentucky three-day event, placing 12th overall with 68.4 penalties. Faudree trains in West Grove, Pennsylvania with Australian Phillip Dutton, who placed 9th at Rolex place on I’m So Brite.

Of his first four-star competition Faudree said, “It’s amazing to ride here. The amount of people on cross-country, the size of the jumps – everything about the event is big.”

Faudree purchased Antigua, his first Advanced horse, in Australia in 2001 and the pair have been making a point of steadily establishing themselves as contenders amongst the best in the world.

Spectator Molly Hill said that she heard Faudree referred to as the “Justin Timeberlake of the eventing world” after teenage girls lined up in the trade fair for his autograph.

Faudree said that to stay focused on the competition, “I just think of what I’m here to do and don’t let the other stuff distract me.”

Last year Faudree placed fourth overall and was the top placing young rider at the Fair Hill CCI*** (MD) and was one of the 18 riders and 29 horses invited onto the 2003 Winter Eventing Training List by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) for 2003. The riders on the 2003 Winter Training List were invited to participate in 2003 Winter Training List Training Sessions with Capt. Mark Phillips, Sandy Phillips and George Morris, three of the sport’s most successful trainers.

The training sessions are designed to give riders and horses the opportunity to work with these top trainers early in the year prior to the spring eventing season. Faudree said that the Phillips both train similarly to Dutton, and helped to prepare him for his first four-star.

Already in 2003 the USET named Faudree as the 2003 recipient of the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy, awarded to a Young Rider (age 16 - 21) who exemplifies the USET's ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship.

Last year he also won the Markham Trophy, awarded to the highest-placed Young Rider at the USET Spring and Autumn Three-Star Championships, for the first time at the MBNA Foxhall Cup CCI*** in Georgia where he placed 13th overall on Antigua.

“It would be awesome to make the Pan-Am team this year, with Burghley as a back-up option,” he said, adding that he feels confident that he could handle his first International competition. “My horse is phenomenal, he jumped around here like it was Novice. He made it easy for me; I’m so lucky to have him.”

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