United States Eventing Association

This year’s only four-star first timer Sara Gumbiner comes on the show this week to share her experience at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. She and Polaris, her own and Vanessa Crumpley’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, finished the weekend in 27th place on a score of 76.6. Gumbiner talks about the atmosphere of the event, how she managed her nerves, the story of how she and “Larry” came to be partnered together, and what they learned together over the course of the weekend.

Oliver Townend also comes on the show this week fresh off his victory in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event with Angela Hislop’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Master Class. The pair finished on their dressage score of 28.7. Townend also finished 7th on Tom Joules’ 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, MHS Tom Joules, on a score of 35.3. Townend discusses his journey with Cooley Master Class, whom he’s had the ride on since the horse was 4 years old, what goes into traveling across the pond to compete, and how things went at the competition with both his horses. This weekend, Townend is competing at the Badminton Horse Trials as he attempts to secure the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing!