Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against. PC: Leslie Threlkeld
You guys. I love our little hunter-jumper island in the digital sea known as Jumper Nation. It has the best citizens, the best stories, and a pretty good chunk of the prize money.
But our little island wouldn’t be here without our sister site, Eventing Nation. Our fearless leader and founder, John Thier, first established Eventing Nation back in 2008 and built a digital eventing sports bar where eventers could all raise a glass to each other, their events and their accomplishments. It was a place you could go for news, commiserating, or just to soak up the beauty of feeling like you weren’t the only person in the world who worshiped Phillip Dutton.
It was under that same intention that we’ve built JN, and we’re so incredibly grateful for all of you and the community we’re building together. We’re a little more than a year into this thing, and we’re pleased as punch by the growth and potential of this new endeavor.
But since it’s Rolex Kentucky 3-Day-Event Week, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge some of the awesomeness flowing out of our home-base universe where people run their horses at solid objects in an open field for fun. (“Red on Right, White on Left, Insanity in the Middle” is no joke, y’all.)
Must-Know Details:
EN is rolling out a new app for iPhone and Android this week! Sleek, convenient, and the best way to stay caught up on Rolex
How to watch Rolex Online and beyond
Preview of the Cross Country Course Here. (51 pictures of things you absolutely wouldn’t jump.)
Like this, for example. PC: Jenni Autry
See our team’s predictions for the weekend here!
Riders, Stories, and Tidbits from this Year’s Group of Riders:
Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. PC: Leslie Threlkeld
See them all dressed up for yesterday’s first vet inspection
Rolex Rookie Madeline Backus literally held bake sales to pay her entry fees.
If you click on one EN link today, it should be this one. Madeline’s story is such a Hollywood Movie in the making: the farrier bred her Rolex horse (P.S. Arianna), her mother started her, and Madeline and the mare have been together since Madeline was TEN YEARS OLD. They’ve literally grown up together, and are making their Rolex debut this weekend. At 21, she is also the youngest rider in this year’s pack! How do you not root for this gal? Also, her equitation over this terrifying brush triangle business in the middle of a water combination is LIT.
Madeline Backus and P.S. Ariana. PC: Jenni Autry
Arthur Will Dance One Last Time in Rolex Stadium
How to Stalk Last Year’s Winner Michael Jung on Instagram
Rolex 2017 at a Glance: Meet the Horses
Important Links for the Rolex Weekend:
#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rolex, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram, Live Scores
If watching equestrians defy death and do a little dressage beforehand is your scene, we’re glad we could facilitate this highlight of our sister site. And if it’s not your scene, don’t worry. Safe, colorful poles and hunter planks will abound all week right here at JN.
Go Eventing, and Go Jumping!
All of the featured photos in this roundup are riders proudly sponsored by Draper Therapies, who provide world class equine, canine, and human therapeutic products. Madeline Backus and Bunnie Sexton represent the youngest and oldest competitors at Rolex, respectively, and Selena O’Hanlon was this year’s EN team pick for top Canadian rider at Rolex.
Each combination has an inspirational story to tell, and would be the first to say they owe some of their success to Draper. This small business has thoughtfully developed technology that improves comfort and performance for all the members of your barn family, and we can’t say enough good things about them. Check out their products below.