The draw for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, set for April 23-26 in the United States, has been confirmed. American rider Boyd Martin secured number one with Miks Master C, while British riders including world number one Harry Meade feature prominently. A notable withdrawal came from Ireland's Austin O’Connor.
Boyd Martin, a four-time Olympian, will wear number one in the CCI5* class aboard OHP Hammertime Partners’ Miks Master C, though the 14-year-old gelding is also entered at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials and cannot compete at both. Martin drew 16th with Liz’s Nutcrackers Cooley Nutcracker and 33rd with Yankee Creek Ranch’s Commando 3. Final order may shift based on withdrawals as riders confirm entries for Kentucky and Badminton, according to Horse & Hound. Harry Meade, the world number one, starts second with Et Hop Du Matz, owned by Harry and Mandy Gray, followed by 17th on Superstition and second-last on Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht. He is expected to ride only two horses at the event despite entries for all three. Other British riders include David Doel eighth on Galileo Nieuwmoed, Tom Jackson 14th with Plot Twist B, and Tom McEwen 29th aboard Brookfield Quality. New Zealand’s Tim Price opens fifth with Global Quest and rides 32nd on Vitali. Ireland's Austin O’Connor withdrew Colorado Blue, the 2023 Maryland 5 Star winners, from both Kentucky and Badminton. In the Cosequin CCI4*-S class, three young British riders supported by the Rising Lions initiative enter: Finn Healy at 121 with Greannanstown Monbeg Joe, Isabelle Cook at 130 on Cymoon F Z, and Elizabeth Barratt at 136 aboard Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau.
