Horse Illustrated Magazine

Sixty-two horses were presented on this picturesque spring day at the first horse inspection for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event, which all competitors must pass before the start of dressage.

Five horses were sent to the hold box after their first jog in front of the ground jury: Madison Park, Parker, Houdini, Anthony Patch and Sir Oberon. The first three were accepted upon re-inspection. Laine Ashker opted to withdraw Anthony Patch rather than attempting another jog.

Unfortunately Rolex first-timers Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon were not accepted upon their second jog. While this is surely an unexpected end to their first trip to Rolex, Doughty’s trip will not be in vain—she and her fiancé are planning to get married on the cross-country course this Friday.

Sixty horses are now set to proceed to dressage on Thursday and Friday; ride times can be found at www.rk3de.org.

As usual, the riders jogged their horses in their finest outfits, both for the pageantry of America’s only four-star event (the highest level in the sport), and a chance at winning a pair of Dubarry boots for the man and woman voted “best dressed” at the jog.

Who do you think dressed the best? Tell us your favorite in the comments.

Follow along with all of our 2014 Rolex and Kentucky Reining coverage at HorseChannel.com/Rolex2014.

Update 4/24/12 12:30 p.m.: An earlier version of this story misidentified Meghan O’Donoghue and Pirate. It has been corrected below.