Lexington, KY – January 19, 2010- The excitement of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 220in The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, part of the HSBC FEI Classics^TM Series, attracts many of the world’s best horses and riders as they vie for their share of $250,000 in prize money. 

Enhancing this year’s schedule will be the official Kentucky Cup Dressage and Jumping Test Events for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG).  The Games will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 25-October 10, marking the first time that equestrian sport’s biggest event is being held outside Europe. 

In addition to the excitement surrounding this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and WEG events, will be the attempt by Oliver Townend of Great Britain to become only the second rider in history to win the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, awarded to any rider who wins theRolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession. Townend has won the first two legs and at Rolex Kentucky next April, he will seek to join Pippa Funnell of Great Britain, who did it in 2003, as the only riders to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. 

“Equestrian enthusiasts everywhere are going to want to have a front-row seat to this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event,” said Jane Atkinson, Event Director and Executive Vice President of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the event. “The level of excitement at EEI is almost tangible, as we know this is going to be a year for the record books and one not to be missed by any equestrian sports fan!”

The only Four Star Event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the premier competition for the top horses and riders in the Olympic discipline of Eventing.  Past winners include United States Olympic Medalists David and Karen O’Connor, Kim Severson and Phillip Dutton, New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Nick Larkin, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain and Andrew Hoy and Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks of Australia.   

For more information, or to purchase tickets to the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org.  You may order your tickets online, or complete the ticket order form and return via mail or fax (859-254-5116) to Equestrian Events, Inc. Phone orders: (859) 254-8123. To receive a printed ticket brochure, send name and mailing address to EEI at P.O. Box 12110, Lexington, KY 40580-2110.