Eventers Tim Price and Monica Spencer will contest the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, while Uma O’Neill lines up in the CSI5* showjumping.
Tim did his first Kentucky CCI5*-L in 2015 and has twice placed second and once third. The world no.4 is excited to be taking both Vitali and Global Quest this year.
“I feel these two horses are fit and ready to go,” he said. “It is interesting to have Vitali somewhere other than Badminton and Burghley, which he has been doing for these last few years.”
Sixteen-year-old Vitali has a 100% record for finishing in the top 10 across his eight CCI5*-L starts, with his best effort being second at Burghley in 2024. He was Tim’s horse at the Tokyo Olympic Games and is ranked among the world’s top 10 eventing horses.
“I always love Kentucky,” he says. “It is a great event, and I am hoping to go and have a good show.”
Global Quest was produced by the late Georgie Campbell and been with Tim since 2024, doing their first CCI5*-L at Pau last year.
Monica and Artist have place seventh (2024) and eighth (2025) at Kentucky, and Monica is hopeful it will be “third time’s a charm” for the US-based combo.
“We are excited to be heading back to Kentucky, especially to gallop across that blue grass,” she said. “Max is feeling better than ever. I’d love to reach for the podium this year.”
Australian Sophia Hill is also competing with her Thoroughbred in the CCI5*-L. The experienced Humble Glory has been based with Monica Spencer in recent months, as Sophia has split her time between competing in the US and Australia.
There are 30 on the star-stacked CCI5*-L start list, including world no.1 Harry Meade of Great Britain and no. 2 Boyd Martin of the USA – both of whom have claimed top three previously.
Also in the mix are fellow British riders Tom Jackson and Tom McEwen, and Americans Caroline Pamukcu and Will Coleman.
Kentucky is one of just six CCI5*-L events on the global calendar and the longest running premier event in the United States. The Eventing National Championships for US athletes runs alongside it.
CSI5* show jumping
In the show jumping arena, Uma O’Neill will compete aboard Luigi D’Eclipse, her 15-year-old bay stallion in the CSI5*. The combo paired up with Mark and Daniel Bluman to win the 5* Major League Showjumping team last year at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal.
There are 96 combinations on the CSI5* start card at Kentucky, including world no. 2 Kent Farrington of the USA, British rider Ben Maher, and Germans Richard Vogel and Christian Kukuk.
This year the top-flight class is leg eight of the Major League Show Jumping season five schedule. Uma is once again on the Maccabi United team, who currently lead the league.
The jumping starts on Thursday (US time) with the $62,500 1.55m qualifier, followed by the $200,000 1.5m MLSJ team competition on Friday, the $32,000 1.45m power and speed on Saturday and finally, the 1.6m Grand Prix.
There is also the CCI4*S. Organisers proudly call it ‘the best weekend all year’, with the event attracting more than 90,000 spectators.
The horse details:
Artist (Guillotine x Maxamore x Volksraad) – owned by Spencer Eventing
Global Quest (Metropole x Big Sink mare) – owned by Diana and Lance Morrish
Vitali (Contender x Noble Lady I x Heraldic) – owned by Joseph and Alexander Giannamore and Tim Price
Luigi D’Eclipse (Catoki x Eluna D’Eclipse x Calato) – owned by Tal Milstein Stables and Uma O’Neill
Source: ESNZ press release by Diana Dobson/The Black Balloon, edited by Equestrian Life
