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British stars, a few bucks and sunshine: update from the Kentucky five-star first trot-up

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • Twenty-nine horses were presented at and passed the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up for the five-star competition this afternoon (22 April).

    As usual at this event, the horses who have flown in from Europe came forward first, so they are kept separate from the horses based in North America, for biosecurity reasons.

    The eight “foreign” horses this year include four for Britain (David Doel’s ride Galileo Nieuwmoed, Tom Jackson’s Plot Twist B, Tom McEwen’s Brookfield Quality and Harry Meade’s Superstition and Grafennacht).

    Tom McEwen presents Brookfield Quality at the Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up 2026.

    Tom McEwen presents Brookfield Quality at the Kentucky first trot-up 2026. Credit: Pippa Roome

    In addition, there is one starter for Ireland (Padraig McCarthy’s Pomp N Circumstance) and two for British-based New Zealander Tim Price, Global Quest and Vitali.

    The experienced Vitali becomes quite wound up at horse inspections and Tim tried to approach at a trot, but the horse jibbed and pulled back as he reached the corner to turn onto the strip. Tim coaxed him through it and commentator Steven Wilde asked the crowd to hold their applause to avoid making the horse more tense.

    A few bucks at the Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up

    Later on at the Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up, home side first-timer Alexander Conrad’s ride Malibu Preacher let fly a series of bucks as he returned down the runway, causing the ground jury to step back to avoid his hooves.

    No horses were sent to the holding box or even asked to trot again, so aside from these moments the trot-up was uneventful, with the crowd enjoying the warm sunshine and temperatures around 24°C.

    The five-star ground jury this year consists of New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie (president), Finland’s Seppo Laine and the USA’s Valerie Pride. They were joined at the trot-up by veterinary delegate Debbie Williamson of the USA.

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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