09.22.09

Oliver Townend Wins Second Leg of Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

Posted in Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials, CCI****, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event, Three-Day Eventing at 9:15 pm by Thomas

Will Seek To Become Second Rider Ever to Complete Slam at 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event  

Lexington, KY-September 22, 2009-Oliver Townend of Great Britain is poised to achieve what only one other event rider in the world has ever done, claim the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. 

In September of 2003, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain became the first rider in history to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing when she rode Primmore’s Pride to victory at the Burghley Horse Trials in England following back-to-back wins in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in April aboard Primmore’s Prideand the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in May aboard Supreme Rock.  Funnell completed her sweep of the three CCI**** events at Burghley to win $250,000, the purse at that time, and a Pink Gold 18-carat Datejust Rolex watch.  The payoff was the largest in Eventing history.
 
Townend, 26, claimed a victory in May in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials aboard Flint Curtis and in September won another leg of the Rolex Grand Slam when he and Carousel Quest bested a field of 49 to win the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.  Carousel Quest placed eighth at Rolex Kentucky last spring.  It was the first four star outing for Ollie and Carousel Quest as a pair and served as another indication of how Rolex Kentuckyand its courses designed by Mike Etherington-Smith continue to build champions. 
 
“We all took note when this young combination of Oliver Townend and Carousel Quest performed so well at Rolex Kentucky last spring,” said Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Director, Jane Atkinson.  “Mike Etherington-Smith has a unique ability to bring out the talent in young horses and help them develop, and we can’t wait to welcome back Ollie and Carousel Quest next spring as the new Burghley Champions!”
 
Townend’s success comes as no surprise.  His father rode at Burghley and his mother showed sidesaddle at County level so it was not unexpected that success came early for him in the form of a place on the Pony Eventing Team and countless show jumping victories.  Now, with two major four star wins, he is poised to take his place in Eventing history.
 
Will he be able to join Pippa Funnell as the only riders to sweep the Rolex Grand Slam? We will find out at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event next April 22-25!
Further information on the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is available at the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org.

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

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