Director's Message

 A Year To Celebrate At The Kentucky Horse Park!

2013 promises to be a very special year in the life of the park. Not only does 2013 mark the 35th anniversary of the park’s opening, but it also marks the 35th anniversary of the first ever Three Day Event Championship held here and the 20th anniversary of Southern Lights!

Happy Birthday to the Kentucky Horse Park! Over the past 35 years, we have seen the park evolve from a hands-on working horse farm experience to a multi-faceted park recognized as the world’s leading equestrian destination for tourists and equine sports enthusiasts alike.
During that same time period, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event has evolved to become one of Kentucky’s most beloved spring time traditions. Tens of thousands of people travel to the park each year to witness this thrilling competition. And for members who have joined the KHP Foundation’s Man o’ War Society at the Cigar
level or higher, the event includes cocktails, gourmet lunches, and VIP access to the competition venues in the Foundation’s hospitality tents. We hope you will choose to join us by making a gift of $1,500 or more to the Man o’ War Society this year!

Southern Lights have been burning bright for 20 years! What better way to end this banner year than by celebrating twenty years of sparkling lights, holiday crafts, visits to Santa Claus and fabulous entertainment at Southern Lights. And we have all kinds of new and special surprises in store for this year’s big anniversary. Stay tuned for more details!
Anniversaries like these would not have been possible without generous gifts from friends like you: friends who made capital contributions to build barns and improve competition footing; donors who supported internationally acclaimed exhibitions in the International Museum of the Horse; and fun-loving individuals who danced at our galas, jumped the cross country course at our schooling days, and drove through miles of holiday lights – all in the name of supporting the Kentucky Horse Park.
We are celebrating 2013 by offering more ways for you to have fun with us at the park, including the debut of two new fundraising events:

1) Ride the Park on the Road to the Horse – a two day trail ride
throughout the park which will be held on March 13 and 14, 2013.

2) KHPF Battle in the Saddle Celebrity Team Penning - a
raucously fun event on Saturday, July 13, in which teams of riders will
compete to see who can pen a group of cattle in the quickest time.
We invite you to join in the 2013 celebration, and we thank you for
your role in making the Kentucky Horse Park the special place it is
today. Join us for Rolex, but don’t stop there! Mark your calendars
for fun events all year long. With your continued support, we will be
celebrating anniversary years together for decades to come! ◆