To the relief of riders, owners, veterinarians, and spectators at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bayer, last week’s series of deluges did not prove dangerous for horses on cross country on Saturday, April 24. Many well-conditioned horses and riders slogged through the mud to meet–if not beat–their optimum course times with few injuries or mishaps. Sunday’s stadium jumping was wetter, but still safe.

This year was the first running of the modified four-star event, in which rider/horse pairs already qualified for the Olympic Games in Athens performed Phases A and D of the cross country test–phase D was over a shorter distance than that in the regular four-star, but with only one less jumping effort, which is a notable adjustment for horses used to galloping longer distances between jumps. This format is patterned after what riders will experience in Athens.

Because of the muddy, wet conditions, it was decided to run the Rolex horses first on the cross country course, with competitors in the modified section (already Olympic qualified) going in the afternoon.

John Williams, of Middleburg, Va., who rode Carrick (a 12-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred cross gelding) to third place in the modified division, said on Saturday, “Rain is part of the game–this is an outdoor sport, and we’re used to it