World number two Tim Price heads a group of four New Zealand riders and their horses to compete at the Kentucky three day equestrian event starting on Friday.
With the 2020 edition cancelled due to COVID-19, organisers originally decided to cancel this year's event too but they change their mind with a $US550,000 donation enabled them to run the event without spectators.
Tim Price will ride 15-year-olds Bango and Xavier Faer.
British-bred Xavier Faer was third at Kentucky in 2019 and also placed third at Badminton in 2017.
Tim Price riding Bango at the Kentucky on 2016. Photo: Photosport
Jonelle Price will ride three horses - 10-year-old Grappa Nera, 13-year-old Grovine de Reve and 18-year-old Classic Moet, who won Badminton in 2018, was third at Burghley in 2016 and fourth at the World Equestrian Games in 2018.
Jesse Campbell will compete on board 11 year old aboard Diachello while US-based Joe Meyer has his 13-year-old grey New Zealand-bred thoroughbred Johnny Royale which he competed at Kentucky on in 2019.
The New Zealand riders will face stiff competition opposition in the 66-strong field which includes back-to-back winner, and world no.1, Oliver Townsend of Britain along with fellow Briton and previous winner William Fox-Pitt.
New Zealanders have done very well at Kentucky in the past, with Tim Price and Wesko second in 2015, Andrew Nicholson aboard Quimbo winning it in 2013, Blyth Tait and Welton Envy heading the field home in 2000, and Nick Larking with Red winning in 1998.
The event gets underway with the first horse inspection on Thursday followed by two days of dressage, the cross country on Sunday and the showjumping on Monday.
-RNZ
