Thanks to Chris Kirby, not only do we have a statistical overview of each of the six FEI CCI4* events, but also a breakdown of the Track to the Top Ten for each.
Having taken a look at the 2017 Australian International 3 Day Event, let's now focus on the first event of each calendar year, the Kentucky Three-Day Event
The Kentucky Three3 Day Event is the first cab off the rank each calendar year and is the third leg of the FEI Classics™, the eventing series that links the world’s six major CCI4* events.
In 2017 the home crowd were delighted when American rider Clark Montgomery on Loughan Glen headed the 59 starters at the USA’s premier event on the excellent score of 33.6, but the defending champion Michael Jung from Germany was only 3.5 penalties behind on FischerRocana FST. Another US rider Kim Severson was in third place on her rising star Cooley Cross Border.
The leader board changed dramatically after the cross country however. Michael Jung was yet again in pole position, despite finishing four seconds (1.6 time penalties) over the optimum time of 11 minutes 17 seconds and surviving a precarious moment when the brave little mare made an enormous leap into the lake. Frenchman Maxime Livio finished exactly on the optimum time on Qalao Des Mers to rise from eighth place after dressage to second and a brilliant ride by the sole British representative, Zara Tindall on High Kingdom, propelled her from 16th to third place
The dressage leaders Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen dramatically lost any chance of retaining their position with a disappointing refusal and Kim Severson retired on course leaving Matthew Brown on Super Socks BCF as the highest placed American rider leaping into fourth place from 19th after dressage
Michael Jung did have one rail down in the show jumping but maintained his lead while both Maxime Livio and Zara Tindall finished on their dressage scores for second and third places. Matthew Brown slipped from fourth to sixth after hitting the very first rail with BCF Super Socks, so it was the super-consistent Phillip Dutton (USA), completing Kentucky an amazing 40th time, who captured yet another national title as highest placed USA rider, as he moved up to fourth with a clear round on the 18-year-old Mr Medicott. Hannah Sue Burnett took fifth place on Under Suspection while Phillip also finished in eighth place on Fernhill Fugitive and 10th place on I’m Sew Ready
Two Martins finished in the Top 10 with Boyd Martin on Crackerjack in seventh place and Kurt Martin riding Deluxe Z in ninth,both making big jumps up the leader board over the three phases of competition
No wonder he's happy! Three in the Top 10 for Phillip Dutton
