by Courtney Young and Shannon Crocker

The Sunday jogs did not disappoint with personal style, clever touches, and the incredible morning light setting off the horses and their riders.  First, a shout out to the ground judges who set the bar high with their own looks.

From left to right: Red pants are a risk but this judge pulls together rugged preppy as only a JCrew stylist could.  The suit and hat on the second judge are tasteful and classic England which always works. Finally, the green overcoat with the natty tie play off the baseball cap for a happy meeting of England and America. But our favorite riders lived up to the standard with some outfits of their own.

Hawley Bennett-Awad:

This was one of our favorites for today’s jogs.  She cleverly highlights her Canadian heritage with the stunning red coat set off by her white pants.  Her sleek, blonde ponytail adds the finishing touch to this winning look.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Captain Geoff Curren:

Yes we profiled him on Wednesday and he’s in the same uniform.  But he still looks good and now we want to draw your eye to the attention to detail in his uniform with the leather strap going across his chest. Would that slow us down getting him out of that uniform?

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Ian Roberts:

You can’t see it in the picture but we were skeptical of the jeans for a formal occasion like the jogs at Rolex.  But given the dark rinse and the stylish country gentleman look he gets two thumbs up.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Becky Holder:

This picture doesn’t do the outfit justice, but the feminine ruffles on the belted jacket tie this outfit together for a sophisticated silhouette next to her gorgeous grey.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Will Faudree:

Will steps right out of the pages of GQ in his dapper trench with an upturned collar.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Jonathan Paget:

Normally a black suit on a colorful spring day could be gloomy.  But he includes spring pastels with his shirt and tie and the suit perfectly compliments his gorgeous dark bay. Definitely headed to a wedding not a funeral with this one.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Allison Springer:

Yeah baby.  Allison pulls off Charlie’s Angels better than anyone.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Holly Hudspeth:

Holly cuts a gorgeous figure in this tailored, tan suit. She simultaneously looks great while complimenting her attractive horse.

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

Buck Davidson:

We know this is hotly contested but we stand behind Buck and his Sunday style.  The suit and tie alone might not have been noteworthy but the addition of the Davidson colors of red and yellow in his socks was a fashion risk we want to reward.  His slightly shorter pant legs (which showcases those socks) is a fashion trend you may have seen recently in Vogue or Nylon. Something for  The Sartorialist, perhaps?

photo by Josh Walker at the USEA

We hope you’ve enjoyed the Sunday jogs fashion picks.  Now on to showjumping!

We followed Ann Jone’s Woodburn (ridden by Phillip Dutton) behind-the-scenes in his Wednesday jog preparation. Today we get to follow his step-by-step cooling out in the Rolex 3-Day Event vet box.  If you’ve ever wondered how to cool a horse off after a four-star course, or if you want tips on cooling your own horse out efficiently, you’ll want to check out this step-by-step guide with both videos and photos.  I hope you both enjoy it and find it useful!

Step 1:

Vets and grooms meet each horse as soon as they cross the finish line. In vet check #1 their temperature is taken and the grooms get to work immediately with buckets of ice water.  As a team they sponge the cold water on the horse and immediately scrape it off. This draws the most heat from the horse as quickly as possible to bring down his temperature.  That’s Phillip’s top groom, Emma Ford, at Woodburn’s head.  This is what it looked like in real time. Note Dr. Kevin Keane, Phillip’s vet, looking on in the  blue jacket.

I mentioned in an earlier post that troughs of ice water lined the vet box fence.  Here a groom makes her own ice water with which to cool Woodburn.

Step 2:

Studs come out.  Grooms unscrew the cleat-like studs from the horse’s shoes.  The studs help the horses with traction on the cross-country course, but leaving them in too long could create strain on their legs. Phillip’s groom, Kelly, uses a wrench to unscrew them.  Check out how quick she is about it.

Steps 3 and 4:

Ice bath, walk.  Ice bath, walk.  Grooms sponge the water on and immediately scrape it off which means cold water constantly pours over and off these upper-level event horses to bring their body temperature down. We can see this up close in this video as well as get a sense of the hustle and bustle in the vet box.

Step 5:

Vet check #2.  A Rolex vet checks Woodburns vital signs (temp, pulse, and heart rate) to track his progress then talks it over with Phillip Dutton’s vet, Dr. Kevin Keane. If you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall around Rolex vets this is your chance.

Step 6:

More cold baths and walking followed by the Rolex vets checking Woodburn’s temperature again. Everyone is efficient and prompt.  Woodburn is allowed to leave the vet box after this vet check meaning they have deemed him safely cooled out after his cross-country run. If you’re not into educational videos about how to check a horse’s temperature I’d, um, skip this one.

The True Prospect Farm team and the Rolex vets have the whole process down to a science.  I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Woodburn a bit more as you’ve watched him on his Rolex journey so far.  Watch and cheer him on as he complete his journey in tomorrow’s show jumping!

The rains and winds held off for all the riders on the Rolex 2010 cross-country course today keeping the footing clean and the skies clear.  It turns out we needed sunglasses rather than Dubarrys after all!  Without the rain fans could relax in the sunshine and I could take lots more pictures including these moments from the vet box today.

Below Karen O’Connor‘s Mandiba gets a cool shower after his clean cross country picking up only 4.8 time faults putting them in a solid sixth place.

Water troughs lined the vet box paddock filled with ice water in order to bring their temperatures down as quickly and safely as possible.  The process is monitored by on-site veterinarians until they deem the horse able to return to the stables.

Boyd Martin‘s team of grooms cools Remington XXV after his clean cross-country run with only 5.8 time faults putting them in 15th place heading into tomorrow’s show jumping.

One of Phillip Dutton‘s grooms leads Ann Jone’s Woodburn into the vet box after his clean cross-country round that put he and his top rider in an exciting fourth place heading into showjumping.

This friend watched as every horse and rider came through the finish flags.  Now worries, he says, everything is under control.

Team Laine Ashker helped her cool Anthony Patch in the vet box after a dynamite run on today’s cross-country course.  Laine had a fall last year at Rolex so coming home clean and safe made more than once person tear up with happiness for her.  No doubt including her own mother, friends, and family who greeted her at the finish line with a group hug and tears.  Congrats to Laine for her grit, determination, and bravery. And a cross-country ride that left her in a solid 18th place.

This sweet little one found an ideal spot in the shade to watch the vet box bustle.

Last Monarch’s entourage, the “Stew Crew”, and a team of vets meet him after the clean round that his pilot, Holly Hudspeth, handled nicely despite being held on course for an issue in front of her.  Despite this extra challenge to their run they came in with no jump penalties and only 11.6 time penalties putting them in 21st and within arm’s reach of tomorrow’s awards. Note to all our readers, these are the shirts that grooms Ashley and Kaylie told us about when they posed in their matching hats and polos.  Team spirit never looked so stylish.

Buck Davidson in the legendary red and yellow comes home clean and safe to a mother’s hug, adding only 10.8 time penalties to his and Ty’s dressage score putting them in 22nd. Keep an eye on these two tomorrow.  Buck is always cool under pressure.

Buck Davidson’s expert groom, Mackenzie Booth, leads Titanium into the vet box after his cross-country round with a congratulatory pat.  Good boy Ty.

A smiling Mackenzie walks Ty to cool out in the Rolex vet box. Of course she’s smiling, Titanium was dynamite on cross-country.

Holly Hudspeth and Last Monarch supporters look on at the Rolex vet box in their “Stew Crew” tees.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these Rolex 2010 vet box moments.  More to come!

Cross Country ends at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event as William Fox-Pitt maintains the lead on Cool Mounting. Lucinda Green joins us to review the rides of the day and look forward to stadium on Sunday. Listen in….

Eventing Radio Show Episode 76 – Rolex 2010 Cross Country Day Review:

• Picture: William Fox-Pitt aboard Cool Mountain put in a clear and fast cross-country round today to defend their position as overnight leaders. Fox-Pitt does not have a rail in hand as he heads into tomorrow’s show jumping phase with a 42.8. Kim Severson and Tipperary Liadhnan who are sitting on a 44.8 moved up from fourth to second place with a double clear round. Becky Holder and Courageous Comet round out the top three with a 45.2. Photo by Josh Walker from useventing.com.
• Co-Host: Lucinda Green
• See all of our coverage. See the entry list here.
• Follow the Chronicle of the Horse coverage here.

Please support our sponsors, we could not provide this extensive Rolex coverage without them:

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Listen Now, Download or Subscribe:

Will Faudree described getting Pawlow ready for Rolex in such a way that he feels like King Kong and on top of the world.  Phillip Dutton’s groom, Emma Ford, talks about how Woodburn is coming out of his stall like a lion.  Why?  How?  Dr. Kevin Keane discusses why these riders create such bravery and confidence in their horses, and how.

We have been so lucky to sit down with one of the top vets in the 3-Day Eventing world.  Thank you to Dr. Keane for taking the time to talk with us about event horse care here at Rolex 2010.  Good luck to all the riders and horse today for a safe and successful journey on cross-country!

We’re back with Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin’s vet, Dr. Kevin Keane, DVM, with how to address some specific concerns that could come up during today’s Rolex cross-country day as well as the use of antibiotics at an FEI competition.

Thanks to Dr. Kevin Keane for sharing with all of us his knowledge and experience.  It’s an incredible insight and we are lucky to have had the chance to sit down with him.  Stay tuned for how (and why) to cultivate confidence in your horse for the big cross-country day.

Three Days Three Ways is all about pulling back the curtain so you can see everything that happens in the 3-Day eventing world.  It’s not only dazzling riders on dazzling horses.  There’s always a team of people devoted to the well-being and care of that horse and rider combination.  We’re talking with one of those critical team members, Dr. Kevin Keane, a veterinarian who works with the likes of 3-Day Event riders Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin.  Here we have an intro to him and his practice as well as what he, and other vets, will be attending to after cross-country.

Dr. Keane discusses handling an abscess scare three days before Rolex and caring for the horses after cross-country.

There’s more to come from our expert vet, Dr. Kevin Keane during cross-country day.  Look out for choosing and implementing a recovery plan post cross-country. Happy cross-country day at Rolex 2010!

Day 2 of Dressage at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event as William Fox-Pitt takes the lead on Cool Mounting. Listen in as we speak to the leaders after Dressage and we look forward to Cross Country on Saturday….

Eventing Radio Show Episode 75 – Rolex 2010 Dressage Day 2, William Fox-Pitt Leads:

• Picture: With four leaders after four sessions of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt took the lead aboard Cool Mounting, scoring a 42.8. Allison Springer, aboard Arthur, remains tied with Karen O’Connor and Mandiba with a score of 43.7, while Kim Severson and Tipperary Liadhnan marched into fourth place with a score of 44.8. Photo by Josh Walker from useventing.com.
• See all of our coverage. See the entry list here.
• Follow the Chronicle of the Horse coverage here.

Please support our sponsors, we could not provide this extensive Rolex coverage without them:

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Listen Now, Download or Subscribe:

Above: Jose Ortelli jr at Rolex 2009. Photo by Sarah K. Andrew

Jose Ortelli hails from Argentina but we’re lucky to have him training here in the US.  We snapped some pictures of him at The Fork but, thankfully, we caught him for a few moments here at Rolex for a conversation about following in his father’s (talented) footsteps, his partnership with his horse JOS Aladar, what to expect from the cross-country course tomorrow, the effects of wet footing, and what makes him love eventing.  Oh, and did I mention the killer accent?

Pop Quiz: In front of what 3-Day Eventing icon is Jose standing?

Thanks to Jose for taking the time to talk with all of us at Three Days Three Ways.  He was so kind; it was a pleasure to meet him. I hope you enjoyed meeting him too! Want to cheer him on for cross-country tomorrow?  He rides at 10:30am. Go Jose!

(above:  Shirly with a very sweet Champ)

The rain came down and the boots came out on this second day of Rolex. And the name of the game was Dubarry.  Thousands of eventing fans hiked across the Kentucky Horse Park, meandered through the trade fair, and took in world-class dressage warm and snug in their Dubarrys.  But Dubarrys weren’t the only game in town.  Oh no.  Three Day Eventing fans have personal style and spirit, and their boots show it!

This trio was happy to pause and pose for Three Days Three Ways.  Don’t the little, pink cowboy boots get you?  She was cute as a button.

You can tell how much fun this group was having by the look on their faces. They were happy, dry, and stylish!

What an unusual color!  They caught my eye from yards away. She said it took her forever to decide which pair to buy in the trade fair.  I say good choice.

Lace-up!  Fun.

I like how each of these boots expresses the individual style of the girl who’s wearing them.

They were so excited about being in Three Days Three Ways I coudn’t help but snap a quick picture of the whole group.  From left to right it’s Dani, Sandi, and Nicolette. Go girls!

I caught these on the Practical Horseman course walk with Jimmy Wofford.  The wearers are attentive and their boots are stylin’. I love the umbrella in the boot. Handy.

A double classic: Wellies and German Shepherd puppy.

The skies were grey but these boots kept everything bright and cheery!

Thanks to all the eventing fans who shared their boots and a moment for Three Days Three Ways!  That was fun.  See you tomorrow for cross-country day!