Main

Unlock the power of data-driven equestrian insights! Subscribe to EquiRatings' newsletter for the latest news in Eventing and Show Jumping, delivered straight to your inbox. Get exclusive access to expert analysis, performance metrics, and captivating stories that keep you ahead of the curve.

newsletter

Stay Ahead with EquiRatings Insights

The Inside Kentucky Preview Show is out now. Listen to the full episode <a href="https://eventingpodcast.libsyn.com/inside-kentucky-2025-the-preview-show">here</a>, or keep reading for our full recap packed with fast facts, sharp stats, and everything you need to know heading into Defender Kentucky 2025.
<h2 class="" data-start="608" data-end="636">The Reign of Michael Jung (read our full blog on Michi&nbsp;<a href="https://news.equiratings.com/stories/jung-returns-to-kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>)</h2>
Let&rsquo;s be clear: Michael Jung doesn&rsquo;t just win at Kentucky. He dominates. With five Kentucky titles to his name and 12 five-star wins overall, Jung has set the standard for modern eventing. This weekend, he returns to the Horse Park aboard fischerChipmunk FRH, a horse who&mdash;while not without quirks&mdash;has already proven capable of producing five-star brilliance.
fischerChipmunk FRH may not be flawless, but when he's on form, there's no one more formidable. He hasn&rsquo;t run since winning in Paris last summer, but Jung has always played the long game&mdash;and Kentucky is where he shines. The question isn&rsquo;t whether he can win. The question is: can anyone stop him?
<blockquote>
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not flawless as a horse... but every part of me goes, &lsquo;No, I think he wins.&rsquo;&rdquo; &ndash; Sam Watson
</blockquote>
<h2 class="" data-start="1387" data-end="1433">The Contenders: Who Can Challenge Chipmunk?</h2>
<h3 class="" data-start="1435" data-end="1472">Tim Price &ndash; The Multi-Weapon Kiwi</h3>
Tim Price is bringing not one, but three top contenders: Falco, Happy Boy, and Jarillo. Falco, the individual bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships, leads the charge. He&rsquo;s been consistent, experienced, and deadly accurate in show jumping. The concern? Speed over a demanding 11+ minute cross-country track. If the rain comes&mdash;and it's forecast to&mdash;he could lose ground.
Happy Boy, the Blenheim winner, is Tim&rsquo;s dark horse. He&rsquo;s newer to five-star level but full of potential. Could this be the start of a dominant new era for Price?
<h3 class="" data-start="2030" data-end="2067">Tom McEwen &ndash; Steely and Strategic</h3>
World number one Tom McEwen has opted to bring Brookfield Quality to Kentucky, leaving JL Dublin for Badminton. That decision alone shows the faith he has in this horse. Brookfield Quality was third at Pau and has the scope to challenge, even if the Prediction Centre isn&rsquo;t fully sold on his five-star form just yet. With only two five-star completions&mdash;one retirement and one podium&mdash;he&rsquo;s still building that top-level track record. But don&rsquo;t count him out&mdash;McEwen&rsquo;s consistency is unmatched.
<h3 class="" data-start="2418" data-end="2453">Boyd Martin &ndash; The American Hope (listen to our full Inside Kentucky episode with Boyd <a href="https://eventingpodcast.libsyn.com/inside-kentucky-boyd-martin-on-bringing-his-best-to-the-bluegrass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>)</h3>
Boyd Martin arrives with a three-strong string, but the one most likely to deliver is Fedarman B. This horse has placed in the top 10 at all of his five-star starts, and Boyd&rsquo;s made no secret about the intense fitness regime he&rsquo;s undertaken to improve his stamina. With show jumping prowess and proven pace, Fedarman B is the best shot for a U.S. podium.
<blockquote data-start="2815" data-end="2940">
&ldquo;If any horse can finish on their dressage score in the Horse Park this weekend, it&rsquo;s this one.&rdquo; &ndash; Sam Watson on Fedarman B
</blockquote>
His backup, Commando 3, has raw talent and big potential, while Luke 140 adds veteran reliability.
<h3 class="" data-start="3046" data-end="3065">Others to Watch</h3>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-start="3069" data-end="3203">Clark Johnstone &amp; Menlo Park &ndash; Exceptionally consistent and now stepping back up to five-star after strong four-star performances.</li>
<li data-start="3206" data-end="3335">Calvin B&ouml;ckmann &amp; Phantom of the Opera &ndash; The German phenom returns to Kentucky older and wiser after a buzzy debut last year.</li>
<li data-start="3338" data-end="3458">Harry Meade &amp; Grafennacht / Et Hop du Matz&nbsp;&ndash; Two exciting mounts for a rider who knows how to peak under pressure.</li>
<li data-start="3461" data-end="3610">Caroline Pamukcu &amp; HSH Double Sixteen &ndash; Fast, smart, and gritty. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if this Thoroughbred climbs the leaderboard on cross-country.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="" data-start="3612" data-end="3633">The Weather Factor</h2>
Rain is expected on Friday&mdash;and that could change everything. With 14mm+ in the forecast, the going could shift from ideal to testing. Slippery turns, deeper footing, and higher fatigue levels all increase the chances for mistakes. On a course like Kentucky&rsquo;s, designed to reward brave riding, a few extra slips could turn the leaderboard upside down.
<h2 class="" data-start="3987" data-end="4026">Dressage: More Influential Than Ever</h2>
Unlike other five-stars like Burghley or Badminton, where cross-country often swings the outcome, dressage is king at Kentucky. fischerChipmunk FRH has scored sub-20 here before. If he lays down another blistering test, it&rsquo;s up to the field to play catch-up over two days of serious pressure.
<h2 class="" data-start="4315" data-end="4345">Sam &amp; Nicole&rsquo;s Podium Picks</h2>
Here&rsquo;s where the predictions land.
Sam Watson&rsquo;s Podium:
<ol>
<li data-start="4411" data-end="4449">Michael Jung &amp; fischerChipmunk FRH</li>
<li data-start="4453" data-end="4488">Tom McEwen &amp; Brookfield Quality</li>
<li data-start="4492" data-end="4561">Boyd Martin &amp; Fedarman B Dark Horse: James Alliston &amp; Karma</li>
</ol>
Nicole Brown&rsquo;s Podium:
<ol>
<li data-start="4593" data-end="4683">Michael Jung &amp; fischerChipmunk FRH (with a bold prediction: a sub-20 finishing score!)</li>
<li data-start="4687" data-end="4712">Tim Price &amp; Happy Boy</li>
<li data-start="4716" data-end="4785">Boyd Martin &amp; Commando 3 Dark Horse: James Alliston &amp; Karma</li>
</ol>
<h2 class="" data-start="4787" data-end="4808">The Bigger Picture</h2>
This isn&rsquo;t just about Kentucky. With the 2026 World Championships and LA 2028 on the horizon, the depth of talent here hints at what&rsquo;s coming. For some, this is a proving ground. For others, it's a shot at cementing their place in history.
Whether fischerChipmunk FRH makes it win number six, or a new name rises to the occasion, one thing is certain: This weekend is what five-star eventing is all about&mdash;brilliance, unpredictability, and moments that define careers.
<h2 class="" data-start="142" data-end="180">Bonus Round: The Four-Star Showdown</h2>
While the five-star takes centre stage, the Cosequin&reg; Lexington CCI4-S* is quietly shaping up to be one of the most intriguing classes of the weekend. With Olympic horses, rising talent, and plenty of eyes from selectors, this division is absolutely worth your attention.
Leading the charge is Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake, fresh off an Olympic campaign and already a proven performer at Kentucky, where they finished fifth last year. Will Coleman and Off the Record bring a wealth of experience and success at this venue, and they&rsquo;ll be aiming to add another big result to their record.
Other key combinations to watch:
<ul>
<li data-start="822" data-end="910">Alyssa Phillips and Oskar &ndash; consistent, competitive, and coming in with solid form</li>
<li data-start="913" data-end="993">Tamie Smith and Kynan &ndash; a promising pair with plenty of potential to climb</li>
<li data-start="996" data-end="1090">Phillip Dutton &ndash; lining up with both Possante and Deniro Z, and always a serious contender</li>
</ul>
The time on cross-country is expected to play a big role again this year. Only five horses made it last year, and with some rain in the forecast, it could be even more influential. Expect it to be tight, tactical, and a great preview of future five-star talent.
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36272815/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/b3985a/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3 class="" data-start="150" data-end="200">📣&nbsp;Stay in the Loop on All Things Eventing</h3>
Get the latest predictions, key stats, and storylines delivered where you want them.
👉&nbsp;Follow us on Instagram:&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratingseventing" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="318" data-end="387">@equiratings_eventing</a>
👉&nbsp;Follow the Eventing Podcast : <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eventingpodcast">@eventingpodcast</a>
👉&nbsp;Follow the Kentucky Three Day Event : <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kentuckythreedayevent">@kentuckythreedayevent</a>
📲 Join our WhatsApp Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGnPJYFHWq9b1iSB647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real-time insights, straight from the team</a>&nbsp;to your phone &mdash; no noise, just eventing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

eventing equiratings Kentucky 2025 eventing podcast

Inside Kentucky 2025: The Preview Show

&nbsp;
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/35888470/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/010101/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The entries are in &mdash; and the five-star field is packed. Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH lead the headlines as the reigning Olympic champs return to Kentucky. But not everyone on the pod was fully won over. While his record is nearly untouchable, fischerChipmunk still seems to lack that emotional fan bond some past greats inspired &mdash; a sentiment echoed by several contributors. Still, respect for his quality is unanimous. He set the record winning score at CCI5* level here and a win would make it 5 for Michael at the venue.&nbsp;
Enter JL Dublin and Tom McEwen, the Gemma Redrup pick for redemption. Twice second at Kentucky, Dublin looks ready to finally claim his five-star crown. Strong in all three phases and heartbreakingly close last year, the team agreed: if anyone is poised to dethrone Chipmunk, it&rsquo;s Tom and Dublin. But don&rsquo;t sleep on Commando 3. Boyd Martin&rsquo;s rising star could give the U.S. a fairytale win if he delivers across the board.
Falco and Tim Price, as consistent as ever, are back. Harry Meade brings a string that could thrive if conditions turn tough. And U.S. talent is on the rise: Annie Bishop pointed out a wave of first-time five-star riders entering the spotlight, a huge sign of depth and future promise for American eventing.
And if the five-star wasn't enough, the four-star short is a headline-maker in its own right. Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake top the Prediction Center and could be building toward something even bigger: Aachen 2026. Watch for Hallie Coon and Cute Girl and a quietly strong group of up-and-comers ready to make noise.
Call to Action: This is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Kentuckys in recent memory &mdash; with Olympic champions, fan favorites, and future stars all in the mix. Want to see the full list of contenders? <a href="https://www.kentuckythreedayevent.com/eleven-olympians-from-six-nations-highlight-impressive-list-of-entries-for-2025-defender-kentucky-three-day-event-presented-by-mars-equestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out the official entry list on the Kentucky website</a> and <a href="https://pod.fo/e/2bf324">listen to the full Inside Kentucky podcast episode here</a>. The countdown is officially on. 
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/35888470/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/010101/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Defender Kentucky

Inside Kentucky 2025: The Preview Show

Defender Kentucky Entries Release Show

Stay Ahead with EquiRatings Insights