Reigning Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany and the top two event riders in the world, Tom McEwen (Great Britain) and Tim Price (New Zealand), are heading to this year’s Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L, held April 24-27 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, according to the entry list posted today.
The first five-star of 2025 has 42 entries from eight countries (New Zealand, United States, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Germany and Ireland).
Jung is looking for a record-breaking fifth Kentucky win aboard his 2022 winner and Olympic partner fischerChipmunk FRH. The last time the pair came to the States, they finished on a record low score of 20.1. The only other rider who has won Kentucky four times is Great Britain’s Oliver Townend, who was victorious last year with Cooley Rosalent. He will not be defending that title as he and the mare will be contesting the Mars Badminton CCI5*-L (England) this year instead.
Nine horses on the Kentucky entry list are also cross-entered at Badminton, which takes place May 7-11. McEwen has two mounts entered at both events. He’s come to Kentucky twice with JL Dublin, the horse he rode to team gold at the Paris Olympics, and “Dubs” has been second both times, while Brookfield Quality has never come to the U.S.
World No. 7 Harry Meade has five horses entered at Badminton, and three of those (Grafennacht, Superstition and Et Hop Du Matz) are cross-entered at Kentucky. He’s only allowed to ride two at Badminton, unless all other entries are accepted off the waitlist, at which point he’ll be permitted a third. All three of his Kentucky horses have been to the U.S. before, but only Superstition has been to Kentucky, where he finished fifth in 2021.
Price has three horses on the Badminton entry list; however, he’s submitted a double entry, which means he has two spots at Badminton and will decide later which two he will compete. One of those horses, his 2024 Paris Olympics mount Falco, is cross-entered for Kentucky. He also has Happy Boy and Jarillo entered in Kentucky.
U.S. rider Jennie Brannigan also has FE Lifestyle entered in both Kentucky and Badminton, and she’s currently planning to do dressage at Kentucky with “Foxy” before deciding which five-star cross-country to contest. She’s also bringing Twilightslastgleam to Kentucky once again.
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Belgian rider Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who won Luhmühlen CCI5*-L (Germany) last year with her homebred Hooney D’Arville, is also entered at both Kentucky and Badminton.
The sole Irish entry is Joseph Murphy and Calmaro, who came to Kentucky in 2022 when they finished ninth. They also are on the Badminton entry list.
Boyd Martin will once again be the busiest U.S. rider with three horses entered in the Kentucky five-star. His Paris Olympics mount Fedarman B has done three five-stars in Europe, never finishing lower than eighth, but this will be “Bruno’s” first U.S. run at the level. He’s also bringing Commando 3, with whom he’ll be looking for a first five-star completion after a fall at the Mars Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill last fall, and Luke 140, who was fourth at Luhmühlen in 2023 but, like Bruno, has not done a five-star in the U.S.
Caroline Pamukcu will have two rides: HSH Double Sixteen and She’s The One, both of whom are new to the level.
Last year’s USEF national champion Lauren Nicholson brings a five-star first-timer this year with I’ll Have Another, and 2024 reserve national champion Buck Davidson returns with his Thoroughbred Sorocaima.
Notably absent from this year’s field are Phillip Dutton, Will Coleman and Will Faudree. Dutton (Denim, Possante) and Coleman (Chin Tonic, Off The Record, Very Dignified) will make an appearance in the accompanying Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S.
There will be seven riders making their five-star debut: Lucienne Bellissimo (Dyri), Brooke Burchianti (Cooley Space Grey), Mary Bess Davis (Imperio Magic), Shannon Lilley (Eindhoven Garette), Cassie Sanger (Redfield Fyre), Arden Wildasin (Sunday Times) and Julie Wolfert (SSH Playboy).
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New Zealand will have a big contingent in Kentucky. In addition to Price, his teammates from Paris, wife Jonelle Price (Hiarado) and Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park), will also be coming over from England. The final Kiwi is Monica Spencer, who relocated to the U.S. last year. She’ll be riding her Thoroughbred Artist.
Two more Germans are joining Jung this year. Calvin Böckmann made his five-star debut at Kentucky last year with The Phantom Of The Opera before being named the traveling reserve for Paris, and he’s looking to improve his performance from last year. Libussa Lübbeke did her first five-star at Luhmühlen last year, and she’ll bringing her young rider horse Caramia 34.
There are just two Canadian riders entered. Jessica Phoenix is bringing the colorful Fluorescent Adolescent, who did dressage at Maryland last year, but withdrew before cross-country. Lindsay Traisnel is looking for her first five-star completion with Bacyrouge. The pair had a strong dressage test at Maryland but ultimately retired on cross-country.
Both of the Australian entries, Bec Braitling (Caravaggio II) and Ema Klugman (Bronte Beach), are based in the U.S., and their horses ran their first five-stars at Kentucky in 2024.
