William Fox-Pitt, of Great Britain, and Parklane Hawk were in the battle to win all the way through the three phases of the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, emerging victorious after the stadium jumping phase.
Fox-Pitt, 43, was in second place at the end of the dressage phase of the competition with a score of 41.3, behind Allison Springer. Boyd Martin was in third place with a score of 51.0.
In the cross country phase Fox-Pitt took off with the lead guiding Parklane Hawk to a flawless round with a score of 41.3 with Allison Springer dropping to second place after finishing with 3.2 time faults.
In the final show jumping phase Fox-Pitt had one fence down but still managed to hold on to first place with a final score of 45.3 penalties. Fox-Pitt took home $80,000 in prize money and the coveted signature Rolex watch.
Allison Springer, of the United States, held on to second place with a score of 47.0 and earned $37,000. As the top placed U.S. rider she also won a special prize - an 18 month lease of a 2012 Range Rover HSE courtesy of Land Rover North America.
Boyd Martin, of the United States, on Otis Barbotiere, came in third place with a score of 51.0 earning $30,000. Martin also finished in eigth place on Remington XXV with a score of 56.9.
Karen O’Connor on Mr. Medicott came in fourth after jumping a faultless round in the stadium jumping, and William Coleman also jumped a faultless round in the stadium jumping and came in fifth on Mr. Twizzle.
Fox-Pitt has now won two consecutive legs of the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam. He won the Land Rover Burghley Three-Day Event in England last September. If he wins the Badminton Three-Day Event in England next he will become only the second rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam behind Pippa Funnell, who won it in 2003.
This year seemed exceptionally heavy with cross country falls, one of which can be seen in the photo by Ryan Armbrust.
The Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event and the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup, which is held in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Event at the Kentucky Horse Park, together drew 46,808 paying attendees to the two events for the weekend.
For more information on the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event you can go to their website here. To find out more about the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup you can go to their website here.
Take a look back on the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event by viewing our slide show below of 2012 Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event memories.
Rolex Kentucky Dressage Photos: Courtesy of Carly Dolan
Rolex Kentucky Cross Country Photos: Courtesy of Anna Blanton
*Rolex Kentucky Cross Country Photos: Courtesy of SniperPhotography.com
