WORLD number one ranked event rider, Oliver Townend has done it again! The British rider has won the CCI5*-L at the world-famous Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in the USA for the fourth time, this time riding the Irish Sport Horse, Cooley Rosalent, a 10-year-old mare bred in Co Armagh by Woods Rosbotham. Remarkably, this was Townend’s 100th CCI5*-L competition!

Their dressage score of 31.4 had them in joint eighth position after the first phase, but jumping clear across the country, with just 0.4 time penalties moved them up to third. A foot-perfect show jumping round within the time allowed was enough for them to take the much-coveted top spot on the Kentucky podium! Cooley Rosalent is by Valent (KWPN) out of Bellaney Jewel (TB) by Roselier (TB).

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of this horse,” Townend said afterwards, of the 10-year-old grey Irish Sport Horse mare, owned by Paul and Diana Ridgeon. “Paul’s been a huge supporter to myself and Andrew Nicholson. He’s owned event horses for about 45 years and he just celebrated his 92nd birthday, and this is his first win at the level, so thank you to Paul.

“I’m still able to cry at my age, and we’re just so proud of the team at home,” he continued. “I’m still in shock. This is just the most special event in the world and a special day in all of our lives.”

British team-mate Tom McEwen had taken the lead with his impressive dressage score of 24.6 on board JL Dublin, but four time penalties on the cross-country and a fence down and time penalties in show jumping relegated them to second place at the finish with a score of 33.8.

The third place on the podium was filled by another British rider, Yasmin Ingham riding Banzai Du Loir, who also had a great dressage score of 26. This pair incurred some cross-country time penalties, as well as a fence down show jumping to finish on 35.6.

Two more Irish-bred horses featured in the five-star class, with Cooley Nutcracker (ISH) (by Tolan R (KWPN) out of Ballyshan Cleopatra (AES) by Cobra (HOLST)), bred by Gary Doherty, finishing eighth with Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (USA) in the saddle, and Azure (ISH) (by Omar (BWP) out of Cavalier Roselier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST)), bred by Elizabeth Power, finishing 15th under Phillip Dutton (USA).

Clear rounds were few and far between over the show jumping course, built by Steve Stephens; the only double clears went to Townend and Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp on Carlitos Quidditch K, who finished fourth. Four combinations kept all the jumps standing, but incurred a few time penalties and they included Ireland’s Susie Berry and the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Clever Trick, who gave a good account of themselves, placing 22nd in the CCI5*-L. The pair were 17th after dressage, but a few jumping and time penalties on the cross-country saw them drop to 24th, before a clear show jumping round with just 0.4 time penalties moved them up to 22nd (82.0).

Pedigree

Townend has had Cooley Rosalent since she was four years old, initially buying her himself, something he doesn’t normally do, before he sold her to Paul Ridgeon.

The mare’s dam, Bellaney Jewel, is a thoroughbred and won the Scottish Grand National, while her sire, Valent, is a top-level show jumper – giving their offspring a near-perfect pedigree for the sport. Cooley Rosalent is a full-sister to Jewelent, who was ridden by Philip Dutton (USA) in the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S.

“She’s tough, and she definitely knows her job,” Townend said of his mount. “She’s not merry, but she knows what she wants. She’s a very different personality to [my other horse] Ballaghmor Class. She’s pretty feisty and needs managing that way, but it feels like she loves her job in all three phases, and that there are no chinks in the armour and no weaknesses. Any mistakes are greenness or lack of experience. She’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden.

“The colour is lucky as well,” he joked. “I like grey horses.”

This win gives Townend the second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which awards a $350,000 cash prize to the rider who can win Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky in succession, but not necessarily in that order. Townend won Burghley in 2023, so this win at Kentucky makes his ride at Badminton next week - where he’s entered with Ballaghmor Class - all the more important. He has won two of the legs twice before without yet winning the third...

“Hoping for third time lucky,” Townend laughed. “It’s a huge privilege to be in this position for a third time. The first time, I nearly killed myself trying to win. The second time, I came second at Badminton. So, fingers crossed.”

Four-star

The event also featured the Cosequin® Lexington four-star (CCI4*-S), in which there were four Irish-bred horses in the top 10 at the finish. Best of these was Off The Record (ISH), a 15-year-old gelding bred in Co Cavan by Peter Brady, who finished third, ridden by America’s William Coleman on a final score of 30.9. They were just one penalty off the winner, Diabolo, Coleman’s other mount. Irish-bred HHS Blake (ISH) finished fifth under Caroline Pamukcu (USA); with Cooley Quicksilver (ISH) sixth and Shanroe Cooley (ISH) ninth, both ridden by Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (USA).

Conor Swail and Casturano won the $225,000 Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix at Kentucky \ Callie Clement Photo

Grand Prix

It wasn’t just eventers who were in action at Kentucky, show jumpers also made an appearance to add to the excitement on Friday and Saturday.

The highlight of the show jumping was undoubtedly the $225,000 Kentucky Invitational Grand Prix, which saw a start list of 38 taking on Guilherme Jorge’s testing track. Only six of those jumped clear in the first round, while just three of them managed to keep all the poles intact second time out.

Co Down’s Conor Swail was the fastest of the double clears with Casturano, stopping the jump-off clock in 40.96 seconds when second last to go, just over half a second ahead of Egypt’s Nayel Massar on Igor Van De Wittemoere (41.48). Charlotte Jacobs (USA) and Rincoola Milsean (ISH), bred by the late Harold McGahern from Co Longford, placed third in a time of 42.39 seconds. Irish Horse Board Director General Alison Corbally made a special presentation to Jacobs as Rincoola Milsean was the highest-placed Irish-bred finisher in the Grand Prix.

Shane Sweetnam on RR Combella and Jordan Coyle on For Gold finished just outside the top 10, after each of them had a pole down in round one.

“I’ve had him for around a year,” Swail said of 11-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding Casturano, owned by Mannon Farm. “The horse jumps clear after clear after clear, and the confidence you get from jumping a horse with so much ability and how much he’s grown over the last year, I’m very excited about him.

“If he keeps doing what he’s doing, I think he’ll end up one of the best horses in the world,” he continued. “I’m so lucky to have him, and I’m looking forward to what’s coming next with him.”

There were two other show jumping classes run alongside the three-day event at Kentucky, the first of which was the $35,000 1.45m Welcome Speed Cup, which saw 66 combinations go to post. Best of the Irish here was Coyle on board Jorisca, who placed fifth after jumping clear in a time of 58.95 seconds. The class was won by Jacobs on the 11-year-old gelding Rincoola Milsean (ISH), by Aldatus Z (OLD) out of Rincoola Abu (ISH)[TIH] by Cruising (ISH)[TIH], whose clear round in 56.24 seconds was unbeatable. Swail and Casturano were eighth in the class in 60.39 seconds.

The $35,000 Special Two-Phase saw another fifth-place finish for Coyle and Jorisca (34.99), who were among nine double clears from the 29 starters in the class. Swail placed 10th riding Gamble, when he had an unfortunate fence down in the second phase, in a very fast time of 31.95 seconds.

Organisers are planning some changes to the Kentucky Invitational for next year, as the competition hopes to become a CSI5* - some adjustments to the format are needed, as a five-star requires a minimum of four classes. This year saw three classes to accommodate the Invitational’s new four-star level.

“We’ve proven that this is the winning formula for this event,” said Derek Braun, who helped found the competition and also organises the Split Rock Jumping Tour. “Putting a Grand Prix on cross-country day was always the idea from the beginning - to align with the biggest three-day event in North America and hopefully create the biggest show jumping event as well.

“Everybody at EEI and this team’s goal is to make the best Grand Prix in America,” he added. “Bringing it to the five-star level, it will naturally become that without a doubt. There is nowhere else for a crowd and atmosphere like this; it gives me chills when you hear the crowd stomping and cheering.”