Kentucky Calls for Kiwis

Monica Spencer & Artist. Kentucky CCI5*, 2025. Photo Credit Shannon Brinkman

Top Kiwi equestrians are heading to Kentucky this week to compete in 5* eventing and showjumping. 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 5* 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 5* starts, with his best effort 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 5* at Pau last year.

Monica and Artist have place seventh (2024) and eighth (2025) at Kentucky, and she’s 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.”

There are 30 on the star-stacked 5* start list, including world no.1 Harry Meade (GBR) and no. 2 Boyd Martin (USA) – both of whom have claimed top three previously.
Also in the mix are Tom Jackson (GBR), Caroline Pamukcu (USA), Will Coleman (USA) and Tom McEwen (GBR).

Kentucky is one of just six 5*s on the global calendar and the longest running premier event in the United States. The Eventing National Championships for US athletes runs alongside it.

Uma O’Neill rides Luigi d’Eclipse, Wiesbaden, Schlosspark, Biebrich. 20. May 2024
© www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de/Stefan Lafrentz

In the showjumping arena, Uma 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 5* start card at Kentucky, including world no. 2 Kent Farrington (USA), Ben Maher (GBR), Richard Vogel (GER) and Christian Kukuk (GER). This year the top-flight class is leg eight of the Major League Show Jumping season 5 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*. Organisers proudly call it ‘the best weekend all year’, with the event attracting more than 90,000 spectators.

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By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
22nd April 2026