04.28.10

The Rolex provides a good test for the Event Management prior to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Posted in 2010 Games, Equestrian Events Inc, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event, Test Event, World Equestrian Games at 8:52 pm by Thomas

The 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is in the books and by all appearances provided a final successful test for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  The weather provided the unknown factor for the test, with the possibility of severe weather Saturday afternoon the Event Management Team from Equestrian Events, did a great job by deciding to eliminate the lunch break and keeping the riders coming out of the start on a tight interval.  The weather did hold the attendance down on Saturday with the total attendance for the event coming in at 61,828 but the Stadium was packed on Sunday for the Stadium Jumping.

09.08.09

BADMINTON & KENTUCKY AGREE DATES

Posted in Badminton Horse Trials, CCI****, Equestrian Events Inc, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event, Three-Day Eventing at 7:27 pm by Thomas

The Organisers of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event have been able to avoid a clash of dates in the future.
 
Badminton announced earlier this year that it would be running over the weekend of the May Day bank holiday from 2010, with cross country day on the Sunday and show jumping on the holiday Monday. Unfortunately, this very occasionally clashes with the traditional Kentucky date, the cross country for which has been the last Saturday in April since 1987.
 
It has now been agreed that in 2011 Badminton will run one week earlier, i.e. 22-25 April, which, being the Easter weekend, will still enable the event to climax on a bank holiday Monday. In 2016, Kentucky in turn has agreed to run a week earlier than it otherwise would so that Badminton can maintain their holiday Monday schedule.
 
Both Event Directors, Hugh Thomas and Janie Atkinson, salute the agreement as demonstrating the good relationship between the leading international events and being in the best interests of the sport of eventing, which would not have been well served by a clash of two of the three Rolex Grand Slam events or indeed two of the HSBC FEI Classic Four Star Events.
 
Event Dates until 2016 are now as follows:
 
           Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials          Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event
2010    30 April – 3 May                                                   22 – 25 April
2011    22 – 25 April                                                      28 April – 1 May
2012    4 – 7 May                                                            26 – 29 April
2013    3 – 6 May                                                            25 – 28 April
2014    2 – 5 May                                                            24 – 27 April
2015    1 – 4 May                                                            23 – 26 April
2016    29 April – 2 May                                                  21 – 24 April
 
Further Information Badminton:
Julian Seaman, Badminton Press Officer, 41 Gastein Road, London, W6 8LT
T: + 44 (0) 207 385 0591; F: + 44 (0) 207 386 9820; E: j.seaman2@sky.com
Also:
Mitsubishi Motors Press Office
T: + 44 (0) 1285 647200; E: pressoffice@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk
 
Further Information Kentucky:
Marty Bauman, Rolex Kentucky Press Officer, Classic Communications, 38 Mechanic Street, Suite 101, Foxboro, MA 02035
T: 001 508-698-6810; F: 508-698-6811 E: marty@classic-communications.com 
Also:
Jane Atkinson, Event Director, Equestrian Events, Inc., P.O. Box 12110, Lexington, KY 40580-2110
T: 001 859-233-2362; F: 859-254-5116; E: eeiusa@windstream.net

02.16.09

2009 Rolex 3-Day Event Changes

Posted in Announcement, Equestrian Events Inc, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 11:02 pm by Thomas

     Lexington, KY-February 16, 2009 – As a result of construction projects at the Kentucky Horse Park, Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is announcing some major changes for the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the only annual Four Star Three-Day Event in the Americas.  Scheduled for April 23-26, the event draws over 100,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts, including a one-hour special on NBC in the United States.
     Honored with the 2008 Best of Lexington Award in the Special Events category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA), Equestrian Events continues to move forward and adapt to the changes at the Horse Park that will be fully completed by the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Even before it is the Test Event in 2010 for the Eventing World Championships, Rolex Kentucky 2009 will be the first time some of the Park changes come into play. Some of the changes in 2009:
The Stadium
     The arena where the Dressage and Jumping Tests for Rolex Kentucky were previously held is being totally rebuilt to create a new Stadium. This new facility, in the same location as the previous arena, will be a whole new experience for spectators, as well as horses and riders, and is leading to some sweeping changes for 2009 and beyond.
     Prior to the start of construction, the Lake Grandstand-constructed from funds donated by Equestrian Events, Inc., the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and legions of supporters of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event-was carefully and painstakingly dismantled. Located on the south side of the arena with the Park’s picturesque lake behind it, each piece of the Lake Grandstand was numbered and coded and is being stored for re-assembly at a later date at one of the Park’s other outdoor arenas. The Lake Grandstand has 2,325 bench seats, 1,883 of them covered and 24 spaces for disabled seating.
New Permanent Grandstand
     A new permanent grandstand structure, with 7,289 chair seats, 4,630 of which will be covered, plus 102 spaces for disabled seating, is being constructed on the north side of the stadium where the Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents and their temporary grandstand seating were located. The Park Grandstand also houses restrooms and concession areas underneath the second tier of seating. There will be three entrances to the grandstand. The entry level goes directly to the uppermost row of the first tier of seating and disabled seating is on that level. Stairs at the entry level go up to the first row of the second tier of seating.
Temporary Uncovered Grandstand Seating
     Rolex Kentucky organizer Equestrian Events, Inc. is renting uncovered grandstands to provide a total of 15,000 seats in the new Stadium. These stands will be located on the south side of the arena by the Park’s lake and on the west side of the arena.
New Arena Surface
     A new arena surface will greet horses and riders at Rolex Kentucky 2009, but the surface isn’t new to the Horse Park or to the horses and riders that competed in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. The German company OTTO Sport-und Reitplatz GMBH is installing its state-of-the-art riding surface on the Stadium arena and the attached warm-up area and will have its inaugural use at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. However, the same surface was installed in 2008 in the Park’s Walnut Ring and used extensively last year, to wide acclaim, for Jumper classes at various A and AA-rated hunter/jumper shows at the Park.
Patron Club and Equestrian Club Tents Moved
     Due to its size, the Park Grandstand utilizes all the ground from the edge of the original arena back to Nina Bonnie Boulevard, ground where the Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents and uncovered grandstand seating were previously located. The Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents are being relocated across Nina Bonnie Boulevard to the fence line surrounding the High Hope Steeplechase Course. The tents will overlook the infield of the course, where several major obstacles on the Rolex Kentucky Cross-Country course are located. Grandstand seating for Patron Club and Equestrian Club subscribers will be an additional charge, allowing these Event attendees to choose which grandstand seating they prefer and to sit with friends who are not subscribers to these two ticket options. Video screens will be located in each tent to provide almost larger-than-life viewing of each day’s competition.
East Side of Stadium
     The East side of the Stadium, where temporary grandstands have previously been located, will now be used for the Patron Plus tent, a private hospitality tent, along with the grandstand for Riders, Owners, Grooms and Competitor Guests.
South Side of Stadium
     The configuration of the lake side of the arena is changed, and two grandstands with increased seating will be located here along with the Doggery, the grandstand targeted especially for dogs and their human companions.
West Side of Stadium
     The permanent Sponsor Hospitality Pavilion, previously located on the north side of the arena, has made way for the new Park Grandstand, requiring the creation of a new Sponsor Pavilion on the west side of the arena.  The West Grandstand that was located near the lake remains in the same relative position, but increased in height by one row (36 rows) and in width by 6′.
     Most visitors to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Website have already been introduced to the newest ticket purchasing option from Equestrian Events, Inc., online ticket sales. While the Ticket Order Form may still be downloaded and mailed or faxed to the EEI Office, and orders may still be placed via telephone, those who like the ease and speed of placing orders online now have that option.
     “We are proud of our longstanding commitment to providing outstanding entertainment as well as world-class equestrian competition,” said Event Director, Jane Atkinson.  “The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event has always been produced by Equestrian Events, Inc. with a strong commitment to giving spectators an exciting and comfortable experience and we believe that these changes will go a long way in accomplishing that goal.
     The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event features this country’s best horses and riders and international stars vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money and a chance at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.  The winning owner is awarded $65,000 and the winning rider receives a Rolex timepiece. The classic Kentucky Julep Cup is presented by Equestrian Events, Inc. to the winning owner and winning rider as a reminder of their accomplishment.
     For more information on the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org.  To receive the ticket brochure for the 2009 Event, send your name and address to Equestrian Events, Inc., P.O. Box 12110, Lexington, KY 40580-2110, (859) 254-8123 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm, M-F), (859) 254-5116 (fax), or rktickets@alltel.net.