Olympic Medal Winners Graduates of Rolex Kentucky
Dec 11th, 04
The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal winners in Eventing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens are all "graduates" of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Indivdiual Gold Medal Winners Leslie Law of Great Britain and the gray Shear L'Eau contested their first CCI**** at Rolex Kentucky in 2002, finishing in 7th place. They went on to place 5th in the Burghley Masterfoods CCI**** in England in September 2002. The pair returned to Kentucky in 2003, advancing to a 5th place finish, and the rest is history.
For U.S. rider Kim Severson and Winsome Adante, Individual Silver Medallists in Athens, Rolex Kentucky 2002 was their first Four Star Three-Day Event also. Severson and "Dan" won Rolex Kentucky 2002. Following a frightening 2003 when Kim broke her leg and Dan survived colic surgery while in England, the two returned to Kentucky to capture the Rolex Trophy for the second time.
Pippa Funnell of Great Britain, an experienced rider at the Four Star level, brought the young Primmore's Pride, her eventual Olympic Individual Bronze Medal Winner, to Rolex Kentucky in 2003. "Kiri" had placed 6th in his first Four Star at Burghley in 2002, but came of age at Rolex Kentucky 2003, capturing the title of Rolex Champion. The pair then went on to win at Burghley in the September. Pippa's win on Supreme Rock at Badminton (they also were Badminton winners in 2002) the weekend following Kentucky, and her two wins on Primmore's Pride enabled her to become the first winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which awards $250,000 to the rider who wins, consecutively, Rolex Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley.
Several other rider/horse combinations in the Eventing discipline at the 2004 Olympic Games had their starts at the Four Star level at Rolex Kentucky.
For the United States, Team Members Julie Richards and Jacob Two Two placed 5th in the CCI**** in 2004; Darren Chiacchia and Windfall 2 won the Bayer Modified Four Start Three-Day Event, a special division patterned after the format to be used at the Olympic Games; John Williams and Carrick placed 3rd in the Modified division; and Amy Tryon on Poggio II placed 11th in the Modified Four Star.
For Australia, Phillip Dutton and Nova Top were 2nd in the 2004 Bayer Modified Four Star and Olivia Bunn and Top of the Line competed in their first Four Star at Kentucky in 2002, placing 9th. Heelan Tompkins of New Zealand and Glengarrick gained their first Four Star experience at Rolex Kentucky in 2001, placing 8th.
Three of the five members of the Canadian Team competed at Rolex Kentucky 2004 in the Modified Four Star: Hawley Bennett and Livingstone; Mike Winter and Balista; and Garry Roque and Waikura. The other two Canadian Team Members were Ian Roberts and Mata Riki, whose first Four Star was at Rolex Kentucky in 2003; and veterans Bruce Mandeville and Larissa, whose first Four Star was at Kentucky in 2001.