Land Rovers may be mostly used to ferry around wealthy house wives, but the brand has a long history with farmers and equestrians. In a nod to the company’s past, as well as focusing on the current wealth of its usual buyers, Land Rover is a title sponsor for the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event kn Lexington.
The company is brining the new Range Rover Discovery Sport to the party and will allow attendees the chance to drive the all-new SUV, and Land Rover will be awarding one competitor with a free 24-month lease of the new Disco Sport for achieving a near perfect time in the cross country course with no jumping penalties. It may seem like an odd event for Land Rover to cater to, but I can promise that the high-end equestrian market is a potential booming area of growth for the British auto maker.
If you are interested in Rolex, or Land Rover’s involvement, you can read the full press release below.
PRESS RELEASE
- Best Ride of the Day awards all-new Land Rover Discovery Sport to top U.S. cross country rider
- New addition of miniature off-road Young Driver Adventure Course for kids
(LEXINGTON, KY) – April 14, 2015 – Land Rover North America today announced they are returning as presenting sponsor of the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and continuing their longstanding support of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and equestrian sports. The event will run April 23-26th, 2015 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
Throughout the weekend, guests will be amongst the first to have the opportunity to drive the all-new 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport in addition to other Land Rover models on a specially designed off-road demonstration course with a trained driving instructor as co-pilot. A unique and exciting addition to this year’s event is the Young Driver’s Adventure Course, giving children ages 4-8 an off-road adventure of their own. They will climb behind the wheel of an electric mini Land Rover and drive through a course made up of natural obstacles and gentle terrain.
In addition, Land Rover will renew the “Land Rover Best Ride of the Day” program, now in its third year, which honors the top U.S. rider who comes closest to the optimum time on the cross country course with no jumping penalties. The winner will be awarded a 24-month lease of an all-new 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport.
As the first member of the Land Rover Discovery Family, the 2015 Discovery Sport is a versatile premium compact SUV with a dynamic design and a compact footprint providing seven-passenger seating in an available “5+2” configuration. The 2015 Discovery Sport will deliver performance, safety and efficiency thanks to a body shell of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum, a 240hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover will offer tailgating on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park for attendees to view the equestrian competition up close and personal. Land Rover will host its fourth annual “Land Rover Tailgate Challenge” on Saturday, April 25th, and will award an extensive prize package to the most creative, best-decorated and best-catered Land Rover tailgate party.
“This is Land Rover North America’s sixth year supporting this event and continues our long established relationship with the equestrian community,” said Kim McCullough, Vice President of Marketing, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC. “Land Rover activities such as the off-road course and tailgate challenge enhance the overall experience for guests. This year we are adding a new driving course designed for children that will feature smaller scale Land Rover vehicles.
The 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover is America’s only Four Star Three-Day Event, “Rolex Kentucky” is one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions, and features the world’s best horses and riders. The prize money has been increased to $300,000, an increase of $50,000 over last year, with $100,000 going to the winner! The event is also an official selection trial for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), which will help determine which US event riders will be chosen to compete at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, next July.
“Land Rover has been a wonderful partner of our event over the last five years and they have become an integral part of what we do,” said Lee Carter, Executive Director of Equestrian Events, Inc., producer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. “They work with us closely to enhance our event and help maintain its position as one of the world’s premier equestrian events and we thank them for their continued support.”
