Michael Jung will return to Kentucky in 2025, ten years after his first win there in 2015. Michael last won here in 2022 with his Paris 2024 gold medal winner fischerChipmunk FRH, who he will ride once again at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian
Six of the world’s top 12 eventing riders, including World Number One Tom McEwen (GBR) and World Number Two Tim Price (NZL), head an impressive list of entries for the event that will feature 11 Olympians and athletes from seven countries when it returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 24-27.
Tom, a two-time British Olympic team gold medallist, has his sights set on the top of the Kentucky podium after finishing second in both 2023 and 2024 with his talented mount, JL Dublin. “Dubs” will be making his return for the third consecutive year alongside McEwen’s other entry, Brookfield Quality; both horses are also on the entry list for Badminton Horse Trials so it remains to see who he will bring.
Harry Meade’s mind boggling multi-entry bid for both Badminton and Kentucky also offers plenty of potential with five horses entered for Badminton and three of those – Superstition, Grafennacht and Et Hop Du Matz – also entered for Kentucky while US-based Lucienne Bellissimo riding Dyri is the other British entry, having her first 5* start.
Tim Price also returns to Kentucky looking for that elusive win and is joined by his wife Jonelle, who has also been on the Kentucky podium in the past. Tim will ride Jarillo while Jonelle is listed with Hiarado and they are joined by fellow New Zealander Clarke Johnstone riding Menlo Park. US-based Bec Braitling riding Caravaggio II and Ema Klugman riding Bronte Beach are the two Australian entries.
Germany and Belgium each have one entry in Lara De Liedekerke-Meier (BEL) and her Luhmuhlen 5* winning homebred mare Hooney d’Arville and Calvin Böckmann riding The Phantom of the Opera but the majority of entries are from the home side.
Boyd Martin will be busy in the 5* with three horses listed in Luke 140, Commando 3 and Ferdarman B, 2024 Paris Olympian Caroline Pamukcu has two in She’s The One and HSH Double Sixteen and 2016 Olympian Lauren Nicholson will be riding I’ll Have Another
