Nigel Casserley has been the voice of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event since its inception 30 years ago. A native of Devon, England, the self-taught announcer began calling the Rolex-predecessor horse trials in 1977, then announced at the 1978 World Championships, and he’s not missed a year since.

After growing up riding and competing, Casserley moved to the United States in 1968 to work at the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute (Va.). He gradually began to dabble in horse show announcing and public address systems, and he founded his own company, National Equestrian Communications, in 1976.

His résumé also includes the 1993 World Pairs Driving Championships at Gladstone, N.J., the 1995 Dressage World Cup Final (Calif.) and the dressage and eventing competitions at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In addition to working with countless horse trials and three-day events, he also provides public address systems and commentary for many Grade 1 steeplechase races, including the Carolina Cup (S.C.).

Drawing on more than three decades of insight, Casserley shared his fondest memories, his most embarrassing moments and his thoughts on multiple egos within the horse world.

Name: Nigel Casserley                               
Home Base: Shepherdstown, W.Va.                       
Age: 62

What part of Rolex Kentucky do you look forward to most each year?
When it’s all back in the trailer, and we’re driving out of the yard! No, I suppose knowing on Saturday morning that all our hard work of putting the public address system in is going to help 30,000 people enjoy cross-country.

What’s the most difficult part of your job?
It’s being nice. One is always on parade, and if things are going wrong, you’ve still got to be nice. And if you really look in the dictionary, the meaning of the word nice is “subtle.”

What’s been your most embarrassing slip of the tongue?
Rolex, 1984. On cross-country day there was an accident and we had a hold on the course, so I was looking for filler. So I was sort of explaining the basics of eventing and the three phases, and then I said, “If you turn to page such-and-such in your program, you’ll find a lovely story written by Erma Bombeck, the syndicated communist.”

Then the next day, the Japanese Ambassador was on hand to present the award for the leading lady rider, and his name was something quite complicated, so I had it all written out in my notes so that I wouldn’t be tongue-tied. But when it was time for the award, I kept saying “the leading lady lider,” and I couldn’t pronounce his name, and I couldn’t even get out the words “His Excellency.” In the end I think I just called him “Mr. Ambassador from Japan.”

In your decades of announcing at top international competitions, what moments stick most vividly in your mind?
One of the greatest moments was one of the years it was pouring with rain at Rolex, just bucketing down, and Bruce Davidson was on his second or third horse. Watching him in the pouring rain riding a flawless round was just something I’ll never forget.

Watching Phillip Dutton ride is one of my greatest pleasures. He has the most beautiful hands in the world. Everybody should look at that man’s hands when he’s riding. He’s extraordinary.

What word or phrase do you overuse?
Probably none that you can print. But the art of announcing is to give as much information in the fewest number of words possible. Speaking professionally, one tries not to [overuse words], so if anyone has noticed one, let me know.

What is your most marked characteristic?
Either my patience when I’m working, or my lack of ego.

What is your biggest self-indulgence?
If I couldn’t have a glass of wine with dinner, I’d be really disappointed.

What is the best feeling in the world?
Getting up in the morning and saying thank you that one got up and it’s a beautiful day, no matter if it’s pouring with rain or whatever. Most people don’t do that, and if everybody would, it would make their lives so much better.

What is your drink of choice?
A glass of wine. Concha y Toro [a Chilean winery] makes a lovely house wine–the Frontera label. You can fool a lot of people with their Chardonnay and Cabernet. And they’d better pay me for that plug.

What sound is music to your ears?
Probably the cry of hounds hunting.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?
My wife, Allie. Without her I could not survive.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the world today?
Well, it’s twofold. It’s people not being able to get along with everybody, and not looking after the planet. Because we’re going to run out of water before we know it.

What was the last book you read?
A Time magazine global warming book.

Jack Russells: yes or no?
Parson Jack Russell went to my school and what he bred is nothing like what one sees today. Jack Russells in their present form: no. In their old form, which is now called something totally different–the Parson Russell or something ridiculous–they are fine dogs. But sight hounds are my dog of choice.

What do you find to be the most ridiculous part of the horse world?
People’s egos. They have multiple egos.

What tools of the trade can you not live without?
I’m only as good as the information that’s given to me.

What is your favorite competition venue?
Richland Park out in Michigan. Bob and Kay Willmarth have done an incredible job in the few years they’ve run it, and the volunteers are just extraordinary people.

If you could change one thing about the sport of eventing, what would it be?
Bad horsemanship. I have to say, the more I watch these days, the standard has gone up enormously, but there’s an awful lot of bad riding.

What sort of perks does 30 years of service earn you?
Riding a bucking pony in the celebrity challenge.

Where will you be in 10 years?
Hopefully kicking. As for Rolex, maybe, maybe not. Hopefully living where we are now and enjoying the countryside.