If you’ve never been to Lexington or Kentucky, you’ll want to know a little before you arrive for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Both are rich in history and steep in tradition, especially when it comes to horses, training, breeding, racing and showing. About Lexington-
Lexington, Ky., is the center of the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. The area is known for its beauty, fertile soil, excellent pastureland and horse farms.
Lexington was founded in 1775, 17 years before Kentucky became a state. It derived its name from Lexington, Massachusetts, site of an early battle in the American Revolution.
By 1820, it was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle, Lexington gained the nickname ―Athens of the West.
Today, Lexington has a population of more than 260,000 residents with an estimated total metropolitan area population of more than 450,000.
The city is within a day‘s drive of 70 percent of the population of the United States, strategically located at the intersection of two interstate highways (I-64 and I-75). Lexington also is easily accessible by air via Lexington Blue Grass Airport.
In higher education, the Lexington region is home to several outstanding institutions of higher learning, including:
-The University of Kentucky a major research university with more than 40,000 students, staff and faculty – and home of University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball, who have claimed the most wins of any team in college basketball.
-Transylvania University at its founding in 1780 the 16th college in the U.S., and today considered one of the country‘s leading liberal arts colleges.
In the area surrounding Lexington, several other four-year colleges and universities can be found, including:
-Berea College –Berea, KY
-Centre College –Danville, KY
-Eastern Kentucky University –Richmond, KY
-Georgetown College –Georgetown, KY
-Midway College –Midway, KY
In the corporate community, Lexington serves as headquarters for Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LEX), Tempur Pedic, Inc. (NYSE: TPX) and the Valvoline division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH).
For more information on visiting Lexington,
About Kentucky-
Kentucky was originally part of Virginia, one of the 13 colonies that rebelled during the American Revolution.
The Alleghany and Appalachian Mountains served as a barrier to settlers until some pioneers, including Daniel Boone, brought people into the territory through the Cumberland Gap. Statehood was granted in 1792 making it the 15th state in the United States.
Today, Kentucky is home to more than 4 million residents.
Visiting the state is made easy with numerous interstate highways crossing the landscape and three airports—the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (airport code CVG), the Louisville International Airport (SDF), and the Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX).
Widely known for its agricultural economy, Kentucky today is equally well known for its automotive production facilities, which include the world‘s only Corvette plant as well as assembly lines for Ford and Toyota.
In addition, several Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in the state:
-Ashland, Inc. (NYSE: ASH)
-Brown-Forman (NYSE: BFB or BFA)
-General Cable (NYSE: BGC)
-Humana (NYSE: HUM)
-Kindred Health Care (NYSE: KND)
-Lexmark International (NYSE: LXK)
-Omnicare (NYSE: OCR)
-Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM)
Notable Kentucky Natives:
16th President Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky and revered statesman Henry Clay built his famed residence, Ashland, in Lexington Kentucky.
Hollywood stars Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Ashley Judd were born in the state.
ABC‘s Good Morning American and Primetime anchor Diane Sawyer is a native of Glasgow, Ky. and began her journalism career as a reporter in Louisville.
Country music Hall of Fame inductees Loretta Lynn and Bill Monroe hail from tiny Butcher Holler in the east and Rosine in the west.
Colonel Harland Sanders, famous for his chicken, and noted food critic and gourmet Duncan Hines both called Kentucky home.
However, the state is best known for its horses and horse culture.
Millions visit Kentucky every year for world-famous equine events including the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the sophisticated horse racing style at Keeneland in April and October, Keeneland‘s world-famous thoroughbred sales, and the myriad of other sales, shows and events that make Kentucky the ―Horse Capital of the World.
Lexington, Ky., is the center of the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. The area is known for its beauty, fertile soil, excellent pastureland and horse farms.
Lexington was founded in 1775, 17 years before Kentucky became a state. It derived its name from Lexington, Massachusetts, site of an early battle in the American Revolution.
By 1820, it was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle, Lexington gained the nickname ―Athens of the West.
Today, Lexington has a population of more than 260,000 residents with an estimated total metropolitan area population of more than 450,000.
The city is within a day‘s drive of 70 percent of the population of the United States, strategically located at the intersection of two interstate highways (I-64 and I-75). Lexington also is easily accessible by air via Lexington Blue Grass Airport.
In higher education, the Lexington region is home to several outstanding institutions of higher learning, including:
-The University of Kentucky a major research university with more than 40,000 students, staff and faculty – and home of University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball, who have claimed the most wins of any team in college basketball.
-Transylvania University at its founding in 1780 the 16th college in the U.S., and today considered one of the country‘s leading liberal arts colleges.
In the area surrounding Lexington, several other four-year colleges and universities can be found, including:
-Berea College –Berea, KY
-Centre College –Danville, KY
-Eastern Kentucky University –Richmond, KY
-Georgetown College –Georgetown, KY
-Midway College –Midway, KY
In the corporate community, Lexington serves as headquarters for Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LEX), Tempur Pedic, Inc. (NYSE: TPX) and the Valvoline division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH).
For more information on visiting Lexington,
About Kentucky-
Kentucky was originally part of Virginia, one of the 13 colonies that rebelled during the American Revolution.
The Alleghany and Appalachian Mountains served as a barrier to settlers until some pioneers, including Daniel Boone, brought people into the territory through the Cumberland Gap. Statehood was granted in 1792 making it the 15th state in the United States.
Today, Kentucky is home to more than 4 million residents.
Visiting the state is made easy with numerous interstate highways crossing the landscape and three airports—the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (airport code CVG), the Louisville International Airport (SDF), and the Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX).
Widely known for its agricultural economy, Kentucky today is equally well known for its automotive production facilities, which include the world‘s only Corvette plant as well as assembly lines for Ford and Toyota.
In addition, several Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in the state:
-Ashland, Inc. (NYSE: ASH)
-Brown-Forman (NYSE: BFB or BFA)
-General Cable (NYSE: BGC)
-Humana (NYSE: HUM)
-Kindred Health Care (NYSE: KND)
-Lexmark International (NYSE: LXK)
-Omnicare (NYSE: OCR)
-Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM)
Notable Kentucky Natives:
16th President Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky and revered statesman Henry Clay built his famed residence, Ashland, in Lexington Kentucky.
Hollywood stars Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Ashley Judd were born in the state.
ABC‘s Good Morning American and Primetime anchor Diane Sawyer is a native of Glasgow, Ky. and began her journalism career as a reporter in Louisville.
Country music Hall of Fame inductees Loretta Lynn and Bill Monroe hail from tiny Butcher Holler in the east and Rosine in the west.
Colonel Harland Sanders, famous for his chicken, and noted food critic and gourmet Duncan Hines both called Kentucky home.
However, the state is best known for its horses and horse culture.
Millions visit Kentucky every year for world-famous equine events including the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the sophisticated horse racing style at Keeneland in April and October, Keeneland‘s world-famous thoroughbred sales, and the myriad of other sales, shows and events that make Kentucky the ―Horse Capital of the World.