2005 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

The Competition Ahead

Among the elite equestrians challenging for the 2005 title are medalists from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Great Britain’s Individual Gold medal winner Leslie Law will be campaigning Coup de Coeur. Americans Kim Severson (2004 Olympic Individual Silver medalist) will be riding two mounts – Maguire and her Athens partner Winsome Adante. Darren Chiacchia (riding his Athens mount Windfall 2) and Amy Tryon (aboard her Athens partner Poggio II) will also be on hand to attempt to add more honors to follow their Olympic Team Bronze medals earned in Athens.

Many have their eyes on Australia’s Andrew Hoy who might be on his way to repeating Pippa Funnell’s 2003 sweep of the world’s three four-star events that comprise the famed Grand Slam of Eventing. At the end of the first day of dressage, Hoy and his Yoeman’s Point stood at a tie for fifth place (with American Kim Severson and Maguire – one of her two Rolex mounts this year). Hoy took the top honors at this past September’s Burghley CCI****. The Grand Slam award is a $250,000 purse going to any rider who can win Burghley, Rolex Kentucky and Badminton in succession.

Farnam and a New Alliance

Another annual event is the Exhibitor Party hosted by EQUESTRIAN magazine (along with The Horse and The Blood-Horse magazines). And this year’s party played host to an exciting announcement for the Federation, and a new sponsor for its Horse of the Year program – Farnam Industries and its own new feed program called Farnam®/Platform™.

In making the announcement, USEF President and the 2000 Sydney Olympics Gold-medalist David O’Connor said, “We already have the makings of a phenomenal program—the incredible demand has simply outgrown the initial 60-year structure. Now it’s time to build on the strength of that base and mold the Horse of the Year awards into a program that fits the 21st century. I can’t think of a more dedicated partner to help make this happen than Farnam®/Platform™.”

O’Connor brought along his now-retired mount Custom Made to assist in the announcement. Custom Made sported a cooler emblazoned with the new Farnam logo promoting their much-anticipated new line of feeding products named Platform™.

Chris Jacobi, President of Farnam Horse Products, was on hand and said, “We are equally excited to have forged this relationship with USEF. This couldn’t have come together in a better scenario providing this international stage for us to launch our new Platform™ feed and supplement program. It’s just awesome.”

An industry leader, Farnam revealed the product line during a Phoenix, AZ, press conference in March. Through an alliance with Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC, Farnam’s Platform line includes both feed and supplements that uphold both companies’ high standards of excellence in quality and innovation, offering up a complete and balanced equine nutrition program.

For daily updates on the action at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, visit www.usef.org.