#rk3de14 Rolex Kentucky 2014 Posts A Record Breaking Attendance

It's great to be back on the air after my vacation, but I have to be honest, I didn't miss work while attending the Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event in Lexington this past week. It was my first visit to Kentucky Horse Park and it was INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it's like mecca for horse lovers! I got to see and do a ton of stuff and watch my friend Julie Norman and her horse Consensus (aka Thomas) compete in her first ever Rolex.

To put it in perspective, the Olympics are a three star event... Rolex is a four star event and the only one of it's kind in the Western hemisphere. Yes, you read that correctly, Rolex is even more daunting than the Olympics and draws the top riders from around the world. To qualify is an honor and to actually make it through all three phases is a huge accomplishment! My friend Julie not only completed all three phases (dressage, cross country and show jumping) she placed 29th in a field full of talented and experienced competitors her first time out!

It's great to see how much eventing as a sport has grown. According to the officials at Kentucky Horse Park, the event drew 35K+ in attendance. Amazing!!! And speaking of amazing, the shopping is incredible! I finally bit the bullet and bought my very own pair of Dubarry boots, made fashionable by Kate Middleton. I hope my husband doesn't look at the credit card bill!

Either way, if you're a horse person and you're thinking of a vacation, you have to do Rolex at least once! From listening to commentary by Sally O'Connor during to dressage, to tailgating during cross country, to the excitement in the stadium for show jumping, Rolex is a true EVENT! It's a great trip to take with the girls and you never know, I might even invite my husband next year. After all, there IS a bar:)