Darren Chiacchia Takes Over the Lead on Day Two of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

April 28, 2025

Call it a day! The dressage phase of the 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Farnam ended with a second day of unprecedented beautiful weather and sun-kissed crowds who were witness to two days of the expert dressage tests. And with American riders siting in seven of the top 10 placings, it was a particular triumph for the U.S. eventing world.

2004 Modified CCI**** Rolex Kentucky Champion Darren Chiacchia and his black Trakehner stallion Windfall II (owned by Timothy Holekamp) posted a score of 33.0 to take over the lead. The native New Yorker was a perfect picture of grace and poise during his dressage test under the most ideal conditions at the international event. The smile that beamed from his face after his salute to the judges told the story.

“I was debating whether I should go into the ring today and go for it, or pick a happy medium,” said Chiacchia. He continued, smiling broadly, “But my competitive side took over…so I went for it!”

He was pleased of his ride aboard Windfall II, noting no regrets with his efforts. “As a package, the test felt great,” he commented.

Commenting on the U.S. eventers’ training that has been going on in Florida, Chiacchia said, “We go to Wellington to get help from Robert [Dover] and Laura [Kraut] for training,” he said. “That’s been a great addition to the American program. He was speaking of the combined assistance of dressage legend Robert Dover and show jumping Olympian Laura Kraut who have been assisting U.S. Chef d’Equipe Captain Mark Phillips in his efforts to ready the teams for the battles to be fought at the FEI World Equestrian Games later this year.

Looking to the challenge of cross-country, Chiacchia was confident, but realistic. “There is a lot to do out there…it is a four-star,” he said. “It’s beautifully built and presented, but there is a lot to do.”

More than six points behind the new leader is three-time Rolex champion, Kim Severson and Royal Venture. The pairing from Virginia landed a score of 39.5 and sit at second on the leaderboard going into the second phase of the overall test – cross-country.

Many were surprised to find out that Severson, who has three Rolex titles – and three lovely Rolex watches – to her name chose not to compete her superstar mount Winsome Adante (affectionately known as Dan). Instead, he was left at home this year. Severson alluded that the decision was made to allow her Olympic bay gelding to take a break from Rolex competition in consideration of a medal bid at the FEI World Equestrian Games that take place later this summer in Aachen, Germany.

According to Severson, it was time to bring Royal Venture out of Dan’s shadow, and allow the horse to prove himself at the Rolex. And thus far, he’d done just that.

There were two withdrawals from competition during the dressage phase – Lexington’s own Cathy Weischhoff pulled her bay Thoroughbred Ocotillo before entering the dressage test due to soreness issues. Bruce Davidson, Sr. withdrew his chestnut Thoroughbred Little Tricky after posting a 74.1 score during Friday’s dressage round.

The three top riders after Day One of dressage have been repositioned at third through fifth place – Americans Mara Dean and Nicki Henley at 43.2; Becky Holder and Courageous Comet at 43.7; and Stephen Bradley and From at 43.9.

Among the other American riders heading toward Saturday’s cross-country are 2004 Athens Olympic Team medalist Amy Tryon in 13th place aboard Woodstock on 51.1, and at 14th place aboard her Athens Olympic partner Poggio II at 51.3; 2004 Athens Olympic Team medalist John Williams and Sloopy in 24th place at 57.4; 2000 Sydney Olympic Team medalist Karen O’Connor and Upstage in 26th place aboard Upstage at 58.0, and a host of other top riders, all vying for their time to shine.

Rounding out the top five were sixth placed New Zealander Donna Smith and Call Me Clifton at 45.6. Two British riders are tied for seventh – Polly Stockton and Tom Quigley and Leslie Law and Shear L’Eau at 48.2. Last year, Law took home the third placed prize about Coup de Coeur. In eighth position sits Canadian Kelli Temple and Paris at 48.7. Ninth and tenth places are two Americans – South Carolina’s Heide White aboard her 13-year-old bay Thoroughbred gelding Northern Spy at 49.4 and Jessica Heidemann and her 15-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred-Belgian Warmblood gelding French Twist at 50.6.

Saturday’s challenging and big cross-country course, designed by Britain’s Mike Etherington-Smith awaits a roster of the world’s best event riders. Two days of brilliant, dry weather is good news for those horses that travel best under the surest of footing. Record crowds are expected according to the Media Office and the title of 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event champion is far from decided.

Don’t forget. Tomorrow’s live web cast from the Rolex Three Day Event. Viewers will be treated to experiencing gates 20 and 21 of the Cross Country Course courtesy of NBC which is filing the Event for a Sunday May 7th special.

The following is a preview of what you will see:

Head of the Lake consists of three fences. Fence 20a is a 3’6″ high rail with a 6’4″ drop into water. Gates 20 bc are two offset 3’10″ ducks.

The quick route is virtually a maximum drop (#20a) followed by four strides to the Two Offset Ducks (#20bc) on one stride and then on to a big brush corner (#21) after the water. Boldness, good riding, confidence of horse and rider are essential.

The long route is not as difficult the drop in to the water (#20a) is still quite big but the ducks (#20bc) on this route which uses up a lot of time are more straightforward and the last element (#21) is not as difficult as the corner.

Gate 21 is a 4’4”- 4’7” brush corner

Results of Dressage Competition

66 WINDFALL II Darren Chiacchia USA 80.00 76.30 77.78 33.0 1
45 ROYAL VENTURE Kim Severson USA 72.22 73.70 75.19 39.5 2
28 NICKI HENLEY Mara Dean USA 71.11 70.37 72.22 43.2 3
37 COURAGEOUS COMET Becky Holder USA 71.11 70.37 71.11 43.7 4
4 FRÖM Stephen Bradley USA 71.85 70.37 70.00 43.9 5
29 CALL ME CLIFTON Donna Smith NZL 71.48 68.52 68.89 45.6 6
52 SHEAR L’EAU Leslie Law GBR 68.89 68.15 66.67 48.2 =7
61 TOM QUIGLEY Polly Stockton GBR 69.63 67.41 66.67 48.2 =7
64 PARIS Kelli Temple CAN 68.89 67.04 66.67 48.7 9
22 NORTHERN SPY Heidi J. White USA 70.00 65.19 65.93 49.4 10
51 FRENCH TWIST Jessica Heidemann USA 67.41 67.41 64.07 50.6 11
2 COUP DE COEUR William Fox-Pitt GBR 66.30 65.19 67.04 50.7 12
48 McKINLAIGH Gina Miles USA 66.67 67.04 64.44 50.9 13
12 WOODSTOCK Amy Tryon USA 66.30 66.20 65.19 51.1 14
78 POGGIO II Amy Tryon USA 65.56 65.93 65.93 51.3 15
70 MR. DUMBLEDORE William Fox-Pitt GBR 49.63 48.15 46.67 52.0 16
75 MASTER MONARCH Andrew Hoy AUS 64.81 63.33 65.56 53.1 17
14 WINDSWEPT Penny Rowland CAN 66.67 63.70 62.96 53.3 18
9 YEOMAN’S POINT Andrew Hoy AUS 61.48 64.07 65.19 54.6 19
58 WEST FARTHING Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard USA 66.67 62.96 60.37 55.0 20
1 HYPERLITE Bruce (Buck) Davidson, Jr. USA 60.70 64.07 62.59 56.3 21
72 BRANDENBURG’S JOSHUA Stephen Bradley USA 61.48 62.59 62.22 56.9 22
57 BALMORAL CAVALIER Emily Anker AUS 60.74 61.48 63.70 57.0 =23
62 ANTIGUA Will Faudree USA 61.48 62.22 62.22 57.0 =23
69 IDALGO Bruce (Buck) Davidson, Jr. USA 61.85 61.11 62.59 57.2 25
17 SLOOPY John Williams USA 63.33 61.85 60.00 57.4 26
6 CONNAUGHT Phillip Dutton AUS 61.11 62.59 60.74 57.8 =27
49 EDWARD 16 Kai Rüder GER 62.59 60.74 61.11 57.8 =27
60 UPSTAGE Karen O’Connor USA 64.44 58.89 60.74 58.0 29
20 DUNRATHS ALTO Lauren O’Brien USA 60.00 58.89 61.48 59.8 =30
63 MAHOGANY CHIEF Emma Winter GBR 61.85 57.41 61.11 59.8 =30
42 YING YANG YO Boyd Martin AUS 60.74 60.74 58.15 60.2 32
7 LION KING II Jonathan Holling USA 60.74 58.15 60.00 60.6 33
16 ALL’S FAIR Ashley MacVaugh USA 60.37 58.89 58.52 2 61.1 34
54 BAD BOY BILLY Ralph L. Hill USA 61.85 55.93 59.63 61.3 =35
73 AMAZING ODYSSEY Phillip Dutton AUS 60.74 59.26 57.41 61.3 =35
30 GRYFFINDOR Kristin Bachman USA 60.00 57.04 59.63 61.7 37
38 KINGPIN Mike Winter CAN 57.78 57.41 60.37 62.2 38
65 ESKER RIADA Werner Geven NED 58.52 57.41 56.67 63.7 39
18 WAIKURA Garry Roque CAN 57.41 58.89 55.56 64.1 40
59 EL PRIMERO Sara Mittleider USA 55.56 56.67 57.04 65.4 41
40 TIMBER SPIRIT Lesley Grant CAN 55.19 54.07 56.30 2 67.2 42
55 JENGA Bonnie Mosser USA 56.30 51.85 55.93 68.0 43
41 PRIVATE TREATY Bruce (Buck) Davidson, Jr. USA 55.56 55.56 50.74 69.1 44
53 IDES OF MARCH Mary Grantham USA 54.44 52.96 51.48 70.6 45
31 EIGHT SAINT JAMES PLACE Laine Ashker USA 52.96 51.85 53.70 70.7 46
23 TROY Sarah Cousins USA 52.22 52.96 52.22 71.3 47
67 NAPALM Ian Roberts CAN 52.96 44.89 52.59 6 72.8 48
39 TUMBLE DRY Jenna Schildmier USA 51.85 53.33 48.89 73.0 49
50 KILTARTAN Molly Hooper Bull USA 53.70 48.52 51.11 73.3 50
3 LITTLE TRICKY Bruce O. Davidson, Sr. USA 50.74 51.11 50.00 74.1 51 W
26 MAGICAL Peter Green USA 51.85 48.52 47.41 76.1 52
71 JAM Bruce O. Davidson, Sr. USA 49.63 48.15 46.67 77.8 53
34 3 MAGIC BEANS Nina Fout USA 46.30 48.15 43.70 80.9 54
24 BRU MAGUIRE Ursula Brush USA 41.85 44.07 43.33 85.4 55
27 BLACKOUT Kristen Bond USA 42.22 42.22 42.22 86.7 56
43 OCOTILLO Cathy Wieschhoff USA W W W