It was a hat trick for Europe on the first day of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event where the winning rider receives a Rolex Datejust. The Netherlands’ Tim Lips and his 1996 Dutch gelding Concrex Oncarlos came away with the top score of 42.0 penalty points. Currently following Lips are Great Britain’s Oliver Townend and Carousel Quest with 45.2 penalty points and Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Navigator with 46.7 penalty points. “I knew that if Oncarlos was relaxed he could do a really good job,� said leader Tim Lips. “It’s great to be on the top rather than in the end. I’m really happy to be in the lead at the moment.� Competitors at this year’s event noticed many of the improvements to the Kentucky Horse Park, including a new stadium that officially opened yesterday. “I just think that the whole place is spectacular,� said Oliver Townend. “Next year it’s going to be absolutely phenomenal to be here. That stadium is a massive atmosphere. It’s going to be seriously daunting for horses and riders.� Both the Rolex riders and fans were blessed with a beautiful Kentucky day to kick off the 2009 event. The weather conditions clearly contributed to the excellent opening scores. Still, Oliver Townend smiled when he commented, “It’s a great start, but I think we all prefer to do the press conference on Sunday night.� Naturally, a great finish always tops a great start.

As the only four-star event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the premier competition for the top horses and riders in eventing. Past winners include U.S. Olympic Medalists David and Karen O’Connor, and the highest placed American after the first day is Jolie Sexson in fourth place on her Killian O’Connor. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event has been named one of the Top 10 Festivals and Events for Spring 2009 by the Kentucky Tourism Council. While attracting crowds in excess of 100,000, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event also features an International Sponsor Village and Trade Fair with more than 150 booths and various exciting demonstrations. “We are proud to continue our commitment to providing outstanding entertainment as well as world-class equestrian competition,” said Event Director Jane Atkinson. “”This year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event promises to be the biggest and most exciting ever,” said Jane Atkinson, Executive Vice President of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the event. “With a brand new stadium and other improvements to the Kentucky Horse Park, spectators can expect an unprecedented experience.”

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event features the world’s best horses and riders vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money and a chance at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The winning owner is awarded $80,000 and the winning rider receives a classic Rolex timepiece. Although the identity of the Rolex timepiece is kept under wraps, this year on the Rolex website the company has linked their Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event page to the Rolex Datejust. Introduced in 1945, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust was the first wristwatch to feature a date display, clearly visible with a special magnifying Cyclops lens. The height of precision, the self-winding Oyster movement in the Rolex Datejust is entirely engineered and manufactured by Rolex. Like the prize horses in the Rolex Kentucky Three-day Event, the Rolex Datejust is robust and reliable, and the Oyster movement guarantees long-term high performance and quality. Reflecting upon the demands for precision and performance placed on the participants of the Kentucky Three-Day Event, it makes perfect sense that the winning rider would receive a Rolex Datejust luxury timepiece.

Tags: Killian O’Connor, olex Kentucky Three-Day Event, rolex event, Rolex Kentucky

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