VideoWhile it was Diabolo’s first attempt at the CCI5*-L level at the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented MARS Equestrian, he did not disappoint rider Will Coleman (USA). The pair has been successful at Kentucky in the past—winning the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S in 2024—but Coleman noted that the next level is a big step up.
“The first time you do a five-star at a place like this with this kind of atmosphere, you are never totally sure how your horse is going to cope,” Coleman said.
The 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding was a bit excited in the warm-up, but he got to work in the electric environment in the Rolex stadium for the dressage phase. Coleman was pleased with the performance, which impressed the judges as well to earn a score of 27.3 and him and Diabolo in the lead after day one.
“He went in there and really stayed with me and did his job the best he could,” Coleman said. “There are little things I would like to clean up, but I can’t be anything but proud of him. I just really, really adore this horse.”
Their partnership has developed over the years since Diabolo came to the U.S. from Australia in 2022. Coleman said the flashy gelding likes to learn and aims to please, but it can be too the point that he gets anxious. They have worked on building the horse’s confidence.
“With any horse and building up trust and communication, it takes time,” Coleman said. “Now you are seeing it come to fruition a little bit, but the weekend’s still not done and we have got to see how the rest of the weekend goes, but I’m happy with today and I’m happy with this horse, that’s all I can ask for.”
Phillip Dutton and Possante Are a Close Second
Just eight-tenths of a point behind the leaders are Phillip Dutton (USA) and Possante. The 13-year-old KWPN gelding tends to be horse shy, so Dutton tries to warm up off on his own to keep his mount calm.
“They all have their quirks, especially at this level, so you’ve got to try to work around those to get the best out of them,” Dutton said.
Their quiet warm-up seemed to pay off aside from a minor blip in an otherwise lovely test to score 28.1 for second place.
“I was very pleased,” Dutton said of his test. “He spooked in the corner, so it wasn’t the best way to start off, but from then on, it was very good. Dressage comes reasonably easy to this horse, so it’s more just a case of keeping him calm and neat and riding well then it usually goes well.”
Kentucky was the first time for combinations to ride the new 2026 FEI Eventing CCI5* Dressage Test A, and riders gave the test a positive review following their turn in the dressage arena. Dutton shared that the test offered some challenges but was fair for the level.
“Doing the shoulder-in on the quarter line is a little bit more of a test. You don’t have the [rail] to hold you there,” Dutton said. “The half-pass right across the arena takes a little bit more education for your horse as well. The walk is right in the middle of it all, which with a lot of horses it’s a bit hard to do when they’re walking like that. And then the change, the first two changes are out of the counter-canter. I think it does test the education and your training of the horse.”
Tim Price and Global Quest Slot Into Third
Tim Price (NZL) was pleased with the test that he and the mighty Global Quest produced on Thursday afternoon. Price explained that dressage doesn’t come easily to the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, but together they earned a score of 29.8.
“He’s not God’s gift to dressage,” Price joked. “He is a big horse, and he finds it all quite difficult. But I think the recipe was quite good this time. He was relaxed and giving as much of himself as he could, which was quite fun.”
Price took over the ride from the late Georgie Campbell, who tragically passed away in a riding accident in 2024. “I ride him in her honor,” Price said.
After talking with the horse’s owners, Diana and Lance Morrish, they decided to bring Global Quest to Kentucky for the second five-star event of the horse’s career. Price said the event is a good steppingstone for other five-stars, such as Badminton and Burghley, and he finds the time horses spend in quarantine as the travel to the U.S. to be somewhat beneficial.
“I think the time away from their riders in quarantine freshens their bodies up, especially a horse like him because physically he has to work really hard,” Price said. “For him to have a physical break has been good.”
Price explained that horses typically leave the United Kingson on the Wednesday a week before the event and arrive at the venue on Saturday. Sunday and Monday are light days of work for the horses before they get back to regular work on the Tuesday and Wednesday of the event.
Thoughts on Cross Country
Coleman hasn’t ridden at CCI5*-L level at Kentucky in a few years, and he pointed out that the time has gotten harder to reach on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course.
“He doesn’t give you a lot of time or places to make up any time, and the questions that he has put out are pretty technical. I think he gives you a nice beginning but that coffin comes up a little quick around that turn and then it feels like you have big scopey questions followed by very nimble rideability questions. It’s really a test of your training, a test of your horse and your partnership. That’s what it’s supposed to be. I’m happy with the course; we’ll see how we do.”
Dutton thought the course has a pleasant start before getting challenging in the middle and beyond.
“It will be hard to get the time,” Dutton said. “There are a lot of jumps that are clustered together there in parts, and [the horses] need to be pretty fit. It’s a five star.”
Price had a brief look around the course before his first of two rides this weekend and said it appears to be the usual Kentucky cross-country course.
“It just looks typically beautiful, and the corners look quite big at the top,” Price said.
For More
For the full results, click here.
To visit the event website, click here.
To check out more of our coverage from the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, click here.
Thanks to Dechra for our coverage of the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. It includes lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.