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‘Proud to have my name on the trophy’: one rider and two ‘exceptional’ mares lead World Cup Final from start to finish

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:59:17 +0000

Having led the 46th running of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final from start to finish, no rider was more deserving of victory than US’s Kent Farrington.

Producing five masterful performances with two horses across three days at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, the world number two triumphed with just four penalties, three points clear of Daniel Deusser for Germany, with another American rider, Katie Dinan, completing the podium in third.

Kent has won countless top-level grands prix and a colourful assortment of medals at Olympics, World Championships and Pan American Games, but this was his first individual title.

“The World Cup Final is special to me, because it’s what I grew up watching,” said the 45-year-old. “I didn’t have access to high level shows, but we had video tapes of the World Cup Final and I would get that every single year. I would watch it so much that I would burn through the tape on cassette, so I’m proud to have my name on the trophy.”

A powerhouse duo of mares at the World Cup Final

Kent was one of only two riders to contest the World Cup Final on more than one horse. He executed a superb plan by taking the lead in Thursday’s opening speed leg with 12-year-old mare Toulayna, who also jumped the 2024 World Cup Finals in Riyadh, then switching to the record-breaking, multi-winner Greya. Even this electric grey’s cruising speed is several notches faster than the majority of her rivals and they coasted through to Sunday’s final in top spot having won Friday’s jump-off class.

“Greya is an incredible horse, but it would be difficult [for her] to go in on the first day in a small ring, after I’ve been jumping all winter in large outdoor areas, and be able to go fast enough to be in contention,” explained Kent. “I would have had to go in with a less aggressive plan [if I rode her on Thursday] and in order to have a chance in this final, you have to be somewhere near the front at the beginning.”

A rare four faults at the flimsiest plank in Sunday’s opening round offered Kent less of a cushion coming into the final decider and nobody puts more pressure on himself than Kent. But with trademark focus he held it together, delivering the winning clear round to the absolute delight of a rapturous home crowd.

“I have two exceptional mares and they put me in the position to win this title,” he said. “Daniel Deusser was making me sweat, though! I would have preferred to come into the final round with a rail in hand, but that didn’t happen, so we had all the pressure. At a certain point, there’s no more pressure to put on.

“But I was just focused on trying to execute my plan, on being in the present and being one with my horse.”

Paying tribute to the “phenomenal” Greya (Colestus x Contender), who is looked after by groom Denise Moriarty, he said: “She showed all week what an incredible horse she is.

“The World Cup Final is always special, but to have it here in the USA and to bring it home is very special.”

Like father, like son

The 2014 World Cup victor Daniel Deusser brought a son of his great partner Tobago Z to Fort Worth, the 12-year-old Otello De Guldenboom. The pair finished on Kent’s heels on day one, dropping down the leaderboard with four faults on Friday but clawing back up to the runner-up spot with one of only three double clears on Sunday.

“When you come out having jumped two clear rounds with only one rider left to go, you dream a bit about winning, but I’m very happy with my second place,” Daniel said.

Nine US riders contested these finals and none was more impressive than 32-year-old Katie Dinan, competing at her seventh final. A closing double clear with her wonderful US-bred mare Out Of The Blue SCF propelled them to the podium, where Katie found herself standing next to two of her idols.

“I have to pinch myself! I’m just happy to be in the game and I owe everything to my horse,” she said of the daughter of Verdi TN, who was bred by Spy Coast Farms in Kentucky. “She was simply spectacular. If I made a mistake she covered it for me.”

Katie credited the “amazing team around me” including 2007 World Cup champion Beat Mändli, who has been her coach for the past decade.

“I just try not to let them down during my two minutes in the arena,” she said. “This is a dream come true.”

Two unusual falls add to the drama

Germany’s Rene Dittmer and Cody 139 finished equal with Katie on nine penalties but in a marginally slower time for fourth ahead of Kevin Staut (Visconti Du Telman) and three-time World Cup winner Steve Guerdat (Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte), both of whom dropped off the podium spots they held coming into Sunday’s final.

Bizarrely, both seventh-placed USA rider, Aaron Vale (Carissimo 25) and ninth-placed Richard Vogel (Gangster Montdesir) suffered falls after the finish line during the World Cup Finals, the latter admitting: “I’ve ridden Gangster terribly this week”.

“Gangster is inexperienced but we came here with high expectations, so our sport is humbling. He deserves to rank higher overall,” he said.

“He tries to give 100% every time he goes in the ring and I’m proud of how he performed at his first championship. He has outstanding quality, but I need to give him the right support to give him the confidence he needs. I’m thrilled with him; there’s nothing he can’t jump.”

Abdel Said of Belgium slotted between them in eighth riding Quaker Brimbelles Z. Lillie Keenan rounded out the top 10 with the Brendon Stud-bred Kick On.

There were no British riders in action this year but both of Ireland’s representatives, Daniel Coyle (Incredible) and first-timer Jessica Burke (Good Star Du Bary) made it to Sunday’s final. Daniel was placed 16th and Jessica 24th.

Course-designer Anderson Lima drew praise from riders with his colourful, technical 1.60m tracks offering a positive cumulative experience for the vast majority of horses.

“Everyone’s jaws have dropped at what a brilliant job the course-designer has done,” said 18th-placed Laura Kraut. “The Split Rock team has run an incredible event.”

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New world number one crowned as leading rider knocked off top spot after 33 months

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 06 May 2025 18:31:32 +0000

US showjumper Kent Farrington has taken the lead in the Longines world rankings, overtaking long-time world number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden.

Marking the end of an incredible era in the sport, Kent climbed above the Swedish multi-medallist in the latest standings issued by the FEI on 6 May.

Henrik had climbed to the top spot way back in August 2022. He reigned for the longest consecutive period and held the largest advantage over his rivals (593 points over France’s Julien Epaillard) in the past 14 years.

Kent Farrington has been in flying form this year, most recently landing the Kentucky International CSI5* grand prix on home soil with Greya.

“I’m a big believer in investing in yourself. No one wants it more than me,” Kent told H&H in a recent interview. “It says a lot when I’m going to put everything I have into my own career. I take a lot of risk.”

Ben Maher moves up to number two in the world rankings

Olympic silver medallist Kent Farrington now holds the world number one spot with 3,269 points and Great Britain’s triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher has moved up to second position with 3,064 points, while Henrik von Eckermann drops to third.

The reigning Olympic champion Christian Kukuk drops one place to fourth position with 2,928 points with Steve Guerdat of Switzerland holding firm in fifth position.

The next highest placed British showjumper in the Longines world rankings is Scott Brash, a recent grand prix victor in Shanghai, who has climbed back into the top 30 at 27th. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor is another notable mover, joining the world’s elite by slotting into the top 10.

This is the second time that Kent has topped the world rankings – he reached the world number one spot in May 2017, taking over from his team-mate McLain Ward and he held that position for a year before Dutch showjumper Harrie Smolders propelled above him in 2018.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Olympic gold medallist makes winning return and a stallion with the ‘biggest heart’: ‘You feel you can do anything on him’

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:42:43 +0000

What a week for British riders! In this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we’ve watched grands prix being won by our country’s heroes, seen some superb performances from the next generation of young showjumpers and credit goes to one of the super grooms who make it all possible.

Read on for this week’s round-up of international showjumping news and results

Showjumping news: Olympic gold medallist makes exciting triumphant return

After an unforgettable summer in which Harry Charles won Olympic gold in Paris quickly followed by a glittering grand prix victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour of London, the 25-year-old took some well-deserved time out to recharge his batteries. This week he made a triumphant return to the sport, winning the CSI2* grand prix of Peelbergen in the Netherlands on nine-year-old Bandit after a seven-way jump-off.

This success also marked a return to the ring for the Stall Zet and Peter Charles-owned Bandit, who was last seen unseating Harry in Aachen in July and, although the stallion was unhurt in his stumble, the accident resulted in a broken arm for Harry.

“There was actually a similar oxer-oxer triple combination to the one in Aachen but that was more of a freak fall, so it wasn’t on my mind at all and Bandit really wasn’t bothered – he’s Irish and pretty hardy!” said Harry of the Obos Quality x Cruisings Micky Finn stallion, who was bred in Ireland by Ted McKenna.

“I had four horses in Peelbergen, none of them knocked a pole down all week and Bandit won the grand prix so it was a great way to come back,” Harry added to H&H. “The last few days, I’ve felt really excited and ready to start riding again, which I think means my break did me good and I’ve taken enough time to reflect. The showjumping calendar doesn’t really allow you to take a break so if you want one you have to make that decision for yourself and not many riders seem to do it. But for me it’s worked.”

There were further celebrations for the Charles family on Sunday (15 September) when Harry’s sister Sienna won the medium tour final on Valkiry De Zance.

Peelbergen results

A stallion with “the biggest heart”, says Joe Whitaker, as cousins triumph

Showjumper Donald Whitaker says in his forthcoming interview in Horse & Hound magazine this week (19 September), “What makes us such a successful family is that all over the world, there will be a good result coming in from somebody; there’s motivation everywhere” and to prove it, two members of the Whitaker family enjoyed a grand prix win apiece this weekend.

In Ascona, Switzerland, Robert Whitaker and Vermento landed the CSI4* grand prix with the faster of only two double clears, while in the CSI3* grand prix at Sentower Park, Joe Whitaker and the brilliant Hulahupe JR stormed to glory by nearly 3sec.

“He’s an amazing horse; I’m so close to him now as I’ve had him for such a long time. I started him as a six-year-old, and we’ve had a lot of fun together,” Joe told H&H of Jessica Crane’s 12-year-old. “He’s in flying form.”

Joe missed the first half of the year with a broken hand followed by a hip injury and only returned to the international circuit in June. He and Hulahupe won the CSI2* grand prix of Lier in July, finishing third at the venue the following week, then made a winning return from a couple of weeks off at Sentower on Sunday (15 September).

“He’s come back really strong and won again there, so he’s in great shape, I’m really happy with him,” said Joe. “The grand prix was tough; 60 qualified and there were only nine clears, which speaks for itself about the height and the technicality. When Hulahupe is jumping well like that, you can feel as if you can do anything on him and he won it through the three turns in the jump-off. There was a turn back to the double, then two turns back to the oxers and I jumped them on a very tight angle and I reckon he saved a second on each turn.

“In a grand prix like that I try to stick to my own plan; I’ve made some mistakes in the past trying to chase people when actually I’m quite naturally fast as a rider anyway, so what I’ve learned with a bit of experience is just to try to do the best round I can personally and if it works that’s great. When the horses are jumping that well it gives you the freedom to go a bit faster! It’s a fantastic feeling.”

Joe also won a young horse class at the show with Stephanie Holker’s talented seven-year-old stallion Maserati WS, and Steph won a 1.25m herself riding Guido.

“I’m delighted for Steph because she’s been working so hard with her horses,” said Joe, who also credited groom Lucy Smith for his string’s fantastic wellbeing.

“Without her we wouldn’t be there because I fly home to the family every Sunday and go back a couple of days later and she’s doing a great job of keeping the horses fit and getting them ready, which gives me the freedom to do that,” Joe said. “You need somebody very trustworthy and good with the horses to be able to do that, so when the horses are all in such great form, it’s all credit to her.”

Showjumping news: an invincible pony Nations Cup squad

Next in this week’s international showjumping news round-up we look to the British heroes of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Final at Azelhof Horse Events in Lier, Belgium, who were once again the gold medal-winning pony squad. The team of Hollie Gerken (Galaxy V), Sophia Rogers on Neil 55, Lucy Capper with Oscar Van De Beekerhiede, Maisie Alsopp on Vaughann De Vuzit and Cate Kerr on 17-year-old Cindy won with a team tally of just one penalty picked up in the first of three rounds of jumping, finishing ahead of second-placed Ireland with Belgium in third.

“We knew we’d won before Cate went in, but she wanted to jump, jumped clear and we finished on a total of one fault!” said chef d’equipe Clare Whitaker. “They all rode really well, it was a great result!”

In the children’s Nations Cup the Dutch took the title ahead of Great Britain, with Ireland in third.

Kent Farrington and Greya win the World Cup qualifier in Traverse City. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“I thought it would be fast – I didn’t think it would be wild”

And finally in this week’s showjumping news round-up, the 2024/25 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League kicked off with victory for Kent Farrington on 10-year-old mare Greya ahead of runner-up Sam Hutton of Great Britain on Melusina BVL Z in Traverse City.

The US rider was first to jump double clear in the seven-way jump-off and couldn’t be beaten with a winning time of 37.19sec over Alan Wade’s track. The British challenger came within 0.2sec but had to settle for second.

“Going first, I thought the jump-off would be fast, but I didn’t think it would be wild,” said Kent, who withdrew Greya from the Olympics when she developed a “bad cough” that required a course of antibiotics. “The first part of my round was secure, and then at that point going to the last jump, I thought I played it a bit safe. I thought I had done a pretty aggressive round that someone would have to try hard to catch. It got a little closer thank I would have liked, but we had luck on our side today.

“She’s a sensational horse,” Kent added. “She was always extremely, extremely careful. She had a bit of a wild personality, but she’s always been an exceptional athlete and a special horse. I’m very proud of what she’s developed into. We’re still at the very start of her career. I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout Blenheim, HOYS, London International and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Top team make substitution to their Olympic showjumping squad hours before action starts

Pippa Roome — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:56:49 +0000

The USA have had to make a late change to their Paris Olympics showjumping team, just hours before the action starts today, with Karl Cook and Caracole De La Roque now joining the team. Kent Farrington and Greya have been withdrawn due to an “allergy related” question mark over the mare’s health.

Karl will be making his Olympic showjumping debut on Eric Navet and Signe Ostby’s 12-year-old mare. The pair were on the US team that secured qualification for Paris when they won a team gold at the Pan Am Games last year.

“There is a small question mark with Greya, which is allergy related, and erring on the side of extreme caution and with the no drop score in the format, we have made the decision to bring in Karl Cook and Caracole De La Roque,” said chef d’equipe Robert Ridland.

This alteration will come as a big blow to the US, who were the team silver medallists at the last Olympics in Tokyo and start among the leading countries this time. Equine data analytics experts EquiRatings gave the nation a 10% chance of team gold – fourth favourites – and a 31% chance of a podium finish before this team change. Kent and Greya were fourth at the World Cup Final in April and won the five-star La Baule grand prix last month.

Karl Cook will ride in the Paris Olympics initial qualifier as the second member of the US team, with Laura Kraut (Baloutinue) acting as their pathfinder and McLain Ward (Ilex) as the anchor rider. The class starts at 11am local time (10am British time).

The US have not had much luck at this Games so far. They had to make two changes to their eventing team before the competition started and then finished seventh in that sport, with their best-placed individual Boyd Martin (Fedarman B) in 10th.

Then on the first day of the dressage, Marcus Orlob and Jane were eliminated under the blood rule as the mare suffered a small nick to the skin on her right hind fetlock. Neither of the other dressage team riders – Adrienne Lyle (Helix) and Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper) – have qualified for the individual final, the freestyle.

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An extraordinary grey, a ‘tiny’ horse with no-nail shoes and a win ‘you can only dream of’

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 06 May 2024 13:31:25 +0000

What a week of showjumping news! We were treated to a feast of international showjumping on our doorstep at one of our favourite events, Royal Windsor Horse Show this weekend. Some of the leading riders in the world going into battle made for exceptional sport and you can’t help but fall in love with the gallant grey Rolex grand prix winner Leone Jei – he and Martin Fuchs are simply in a different league.

British showjumper Jodie Hall McAteer may have been competing on the other side of the world, but she made international showjumping news headlines with a five-star win in Shanghai, while we also investigated a “tiny” horse, who “thinks he’s 17.2hh” wearing an unusual set of no-nail shoes.

Read on for this week’s round-up of international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: “We had to risk it all”

Swiss sensation Martin Fuchs has built an incredible partnership with the gallant grey Leone Jei, but he took a chance taking just the one horse for the CSI5* classes at this year’s Royal Windsor Horse Show. His faith in the 12-year-old’s exceptional talent was rewarded when he took home the Rolex grand prix – the second consecutive year that the Swiss rider has secured the €125,000 (£106,990) first prize here.

“I knew after I walked the course that the jump-off would suit us very well and if I do a good job, then normally he’s going to jump two clear rounds,” said Martin, who piloted one of his other phenomenal horses, Connor Jei, to win in 2023.

“I knew that I had to risk everything, having some of the fastest riders in the world coming after me. If I do the same amount of strides as the others I can be a bit slower but his energy and ability enables me to leave out strides where other horses aren’t able to.”

Both Gregory Wathelet (Bond Jamesbond De Hay) and Steve Guerdat, with his recent Fontainebleau winner Dynamix de Belheme came close, lodging 41.75sec and 41.86 sec respectively for second and third place, with Robert Whitaker best of the Brits on his King George winner Vermento in fourth.

Royal Windsor Horse Show Rolex grand prix results

Gilles Thomas of Belgium celebrates winning the LGCT of Shanghai grand prix riding Luna Van Het Dennehof. H&H recommends always wearing a hat. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

LGCT of Shanghai: “You can only dream of this!”

In China, the Longines Global Champions Tour of Shanghai went to Belgium rider Gilles Thomas with Luna Van Het Dennehof, with the pair celebrating in epic style (pictured, above). From first draw in a seven-way jump-off, the speedy pair proved unassailable, finishing well clear of the only other double clear from Edwina Tops-Alexander with Fellow Castlefield. Miami winner Michael Duffy of Ireland set the fastest time with the 10-year-old Cantano 32 but the last fence agonisingly hit the floor for third.

“I only have dreamed of this moment and now twice on the podium – one second and now my first LGCT Grand Prix win, twice on Luna – she is just such a fantastic mare,” said Gilles.

Edwina also heaped praise on the 25-year-old winner, “I think the world of Gilles, he is the best young rider and up and coming rider in the world today,” she said.

“He has so much talent, he is super cool in the head, he is such a team player and I think he has a massive future and this has just boosted it even more.”

Jodie Hall McAteer finished win four faults in round one on Hardessa in the grand prix, but had earlier sealed victory in the two-phase with 14-year-old mare Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof.

LGCT of Shanghai results

Laura Kraut (USA) and Calgary Tame win the CSI5* Manama Rose Show Stakes at RWHS. The “tiny” gelding “who thinks he’s 17.2hh” wears glue-on aluminium front shoes. (Image credit: Peter Nixon / RWHS)

“The horse didn’t love the nails”

In Sunday’s 1.50m Manama Rose Show Stakes at Royal Windsor, Laura Kraut took a well-earned victory with Calgary Tame, who was previously competed barefoot, but now sports ultra lightweight glue-on rubber-coated aluminium front shoes.

“He is so cool, he thinks he’s 17.2hh, but he’s tiny,” said Laura, who took over the ride on the 161cm (15.3hh) Selle Français, who is co-owned by his breeder Eugenie Angot and the Stars and Stripes syndicate, from flying Frenchman Julien Epaillard in 2021.

“When Julien had him before me, he had no shoes, because that’s what Julien does – but I just didn’t like the feeling of it. I always got the impression that the horse didn’t love the nails, so these shoes are rubber coated and they glue on.

“With these shoes he feels great, he’s been really happy with them. I also have Confu in them, as well as a couple of my other horses, and they seem to really like it.

“Knock on wood, they seem to stay on much better than shoes with nails and I have never had one come off! They are also much lighter. We have got to do something [when classes are so close] and every little bit helps!”

The same type of shoes were used by racehorse trainer Charlie Appleby on his Qipco Guineas Festival runner Castle Way at Newmarket on Friday.

Royal Windsor Horse Show results

Kent Farrington and Landon scorch to victory at Royal Windsor. (Image credit: Peter Nixon / RWHS)

Showjumping news: a remarkable hat-trick for one of the fastest riders in the world

Finally in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we return to Royal Windsor Horse Show, where speedy US rider Kent Farrington claimed the King’s Cup for a third time when he headed the Saturday’s Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes.

“I always loved coming to this show, it’s a great crowd, great atmosphere, top course designers, top competition and Rolex grand prix money!” he said.“It was a fast class as it always is here. It was great fun. As first to go I just stuck with my plan for my horse and it worked out in my favour that some other fast rounds had a rail down.”

It was Brit Joe Stockdale who had almost denied Kent a hat-trick when he jumped an inspiring round 2.66sec up on the clock with Barbara Hester and Laura Stockdale’s talented 10-year-old stallion Ebanking – only to lower the final fence with the lightest of touches.

Rider claims remarkable hat-trick of wins in Royal Windsor’s King’s Cup

Sarah Radford — Sat, 04 May 2024 16:55:54 +0000

US rider Kent Farrington is a long-term supporter of Royal Windsor — which he describes as “one of my favourite shows” — and he marked this trip by lifting the King’s Cup for the CSI5* Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes for an impressive third time.

“I’ve always loved coming to this show, it’s a great crowd, great atmosphere, top course designers, top competition and Rolex grand prix money!” he said.

The 43-year-old rider, who is based in Wellington, Florida, is always a tough man to beat under the shadow of the castle, having also won the grand prix here on two occasions, and he was on competitive form going into an Olympic summer.

Drawn first in a seven-strong jump off for this €12,500 (£10,730) 1.55m class, he maintained a 1.71 sec lead on the very useful 11-year-old Landon to beat Italian Giulia Martinego Marquet (Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe) to the win.

“It was a fast class, as it always is here, it was great fun,” Kent said. “As first to go I just stuck with my plan for my horse and it worked out in my favour that some other fast rounds had a rail down.”

Bogey fence blasts British hopes

Many promising first rounds unravelled at a turquoise double on the penultimate line, jumped away from the collecting ring, with Scott Brash (Hello Mango), John Whitaker (Unick Du Francport) Robert Whitaker (Evert) and Tim Gredley (Medoc De Toxandria) among those to fault here.

“I think it was a big enough oxer and it was at the end of the arena, which always rides wide,” Kent noted.

Just one Brit, Joe Stockdale with Barbara Hester’s 10-year-old stallion Ebanking, made the cut, while Trevor Breen also jumped a lovely clear with Heather and Ian Blacks’ mare Luidam’s Warrior. On-form performers Laura Kraut (Confu) and Harrie Smolders (Springfield 21) joined the mix.

It was 24-year-old Joe in third draw who provided the only real threat to Kent’s lead, delivering a thrilling round on the chestnut son of Etoulon that axed a spectacular 2.66sec from the target, and he was incredibly unlucky when the last fence fell to the lightest of taps.

“My horse isn’t the fastest horse so for sure the time was beatable but luckily it worked out for me today,” said Kent, who has been riding the McNerneys’ Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo gelding since he was a seven-year-old.

“Landon has been a great horse for me, he’s won a couple of 5* grands prix, was on the team that qualified us for the Olympics and won team gold and individual silver at the Pan Am Games. He’s been in good form over the whole of the last season,” he added.

A long-awaited win and an incredible comeback in the battle for Olympic qualification

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:27:33 +0000

It’s been a bumper week for international showjumping news this week. Irish showjumper Shane Sweetnam is ranked number 12 in the world and has contested the World Cup Final but, somewhat surprisingly, had yet to win a World Cup qualifier. But, thanks to his flying grey James Kann Cruz, that all changed last week, when he won the feature class in Lexington, USA.

There was also a mighty comeback in the hard-fought battle for Olympic showjumping qualification, as well as the medals, at the Pan American Games. You’ll find all that and more British success in this week’s international showjumping news and results round-up.

Showjumping news: a long-awaited World Cup win

Irish showjumper Shane Sweetnam won the Longines FEI World Cup at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, USA, riding the brilliant grey James Kann Cruz with whom he won team silver at the European Showjumping Championships. The US-based rider held off the challenge of defending champion Daniel Bluman of Israel riding Gemma W, with US rider Devin Ryan finishing third for the second week running on Eddie Blue after an 11-way jump-off over Alan Wade’s track. This was Shane’s first World Cup success.

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz make headlines by winning the World Cup qualifier in Lexington. (Image credit: LINDSAY ANNE BROWN)

“To win this class is a big deal,” said Shane, who piloted the scopey 10-year-old to the top of the leaderboard from fourth draw, despite a dramatic slip on the turn back to the combination. “It was always one of the classes I wanted to win. I really did as much as I could in the ring. James Kann Cruz had to show how amazing he was [after the slip].”

“He does spend a lot of time in the air, but obviously, that’s a help,” added Shane. “He’s a very smart horse. But I still think there’s more room there for us to go to another level.”

National Horse Show Lexington results

The name’s Bond Jamesbond De Hay

Spectators at the CSI5*-W Longines Equita Lyon in France were treated to a pulsating and eventful 14-way jump-off to decide the third leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Western European League series. Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet and the 12-year-old stallion Bond Jamesbond De Hay were neither shaken nor stirred when scorching to victory ahead of home hero Julien Epaillard (Dubai Du Cedre), with British riders Ben Maher (Dallas Vegas Batilly) and the world’s leading under-25 Harry Charles on Romeo 88 third and fourth respectively.

“My horse doesn’t have much experience with jump-offs, but I felt I had something to play with today,” said Gregory, who’s next leg will be at the London International Horse Show in December. “I am getting to know him more and more, and he is showing so much scope and quality over the fences. I did not think he was that agile when I started riding him, so I am very happy with how things are developing.”

Ben Maher added: “It would always be nice to have a second go! But Gregory was unbeatable, so well done to him.”

Equita Lyon results

A mighty comeback for Olympic qualification: ‘I needed the defibrillator!’

Also making showjumping news headlines this week were the USA squad of McLain Ward (Contagious), Kent Farrington (Landon), Laura Kraut (Dorado 212) and Karl Cook (Caracole De La Roque), who made a mighty comeback from fifth position after an eventful first round to claim gold at the Pan American Games in Chile. The Canadians also rallied to move into silver, with Brazil dropping from top spot to finish with bronze. With a ticket for the 2024 Olympics also at stake, there was delight for USA, Canada and fourth-placed Mexico, who are now Paris-bound.

“If you were watching it with nobody in the hunt, you’d have to say this was fantastic sport. But when you had somebody in it, it was very, very concerning at times because of course the qualification for Paris is such a big deal to every country and no team wanted to go home and say ‘guess what, we didn’t qualify!’” summed up Canada’s chef d’equipe Ian Millar. “I needed the defibrillator, but other than that I’m fine!”

American riders dominated the individual podium too, but gold went to Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barch after a brilliant performance with his quirky mare Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio, who makes a performance of going in the arena.

“To win this kind of championship in South America is a dream come true,” said Stephan, who was flanked on the podium by Kent Farrington in silver and McLain Ward, who secured bronze.

“Since I started this journey 25 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, I worked every day for a day like this – I want to just say thank you to everybody that has helped me during this journey.”

Pan American Games results

Showjumping news: ‘What a horse!’: British top three

Graham Gillespie paid tribute to his 15-year-old partner Veneno by saying “What a horse!” after the pair won the CSI2* grand prix in Vilamoura, Portugal, in another successful week for British riders. The grand prix podium was all British, with Guy Williams and Ernie Of Greenhill Z finishing second and James Smith (Tayvale Hunky Dory) third.

Villamoura Champions Tour results.

‘We let the horses be themselves’: top tips and insight from an international groom

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 07:32:56 +0000

Denise Moriarty has been head groom for top US showjumper Kent Farrington for 11 years and she has developed a wealth of knowledge in her role. She takes us behind-the-scenes to reveal some insights into her globetrotting career as a showjumping groom, as well as sharing plenty of top tips.

“We know each other so well,” Denise says of her working relationship with the world number 11. “Kent is very good at involving us all in every step of the horse’s journey – he wants us to understand why he is doing something. For example, if he is trying a new bridle or bit, he shares his feeling as a rider with us so that we can better understand. There is a lot of communication and trust.”

Speaking about the huge amount of travelling she does with the horses between America and Europe, she says: “We like to make sure that they are extremely fit so that they can handle the travelling and recover quickly after the journey. For example, before CHI Geneva, we would fly and land in Europe on the Monday before the show. They would then trot-up on Tuesday, with their first class taking place on Thursday. The biggest thing during their transportation is to make sure that they stay calm, and that they are eating and drinking properly. We try to make the experience enjoyable for them.

“I fly with the horses and honestly, it is much nicer to fly with them than on a normal commercial flight,” she reveals. “You do not have to queue or wait for the stewards to come around with food and drinks – you can just help yourself. With the permission of the pilot, we can walk around and go and check on our horses, which is really nice. Each of the planes that we fly on is different, for example Qatar Airways has a huge upstairs area for us, but some of the domestic flights are a lot smaller and we sit on the jump seats – but these flights are only a couple of hours, so it is okay.”

“It helps them understand there is nothing to worry about”

If Denise has a horse that does not like to travel or is new to it, she will try pair them to travel with a more experienced and laid-back horse.

“[The inexperienced horse] can learn and feed off the more experienced horse’s energy,” she explains. “If an anxious horse sees the other horse not reacting, it calms them down and helps them to understand that there is nothing to worry about.

“I also like to make sure that everything is laid out for them properly – so the ramp is safe, and the partition is open – I try to make sure that everything is totally clear to them. It is important that their first travelling experiences are positive; sometimes we will use earplugs to take away the sharpness and help it be an enjoyable experience. I have found that if they have a good experience the first couple of times, then they will be good travellers in the future.”

Denise says a lot of the horses she looks after in Kent Farrington’s barn are “big characters”.

“But we like this, and we let them be themselves – they are all very different,” she says. “Creedance is just happy about everything, and is excited about every day, even though most of his days are the same. He loves getting his halter on and going out for a ride or a jump.

“Landon is very much the same way. He is excited to do his work, but he can be a bit cheeky and become quite stallion-like at the shows, even though he is not one! For the most part, they are great horses – of course, they have their little quirks just like people do, but they are sweet horses.”

Kent Farrington and Creedance in action at Royal Windsor Horse Show. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“What these horses do for us is unreal”

Talking about the showjumping Majors – The Dutch Masters, the forthcoming CHIO Aachen (23 June-2 July), Spruce Meadows Masters and CHI Geneva – Denise says it is the “prestige and respect” that sets these events apart.

“You get all of the best horses and riders competing there and the facilities for everyone including the grooms are incredible,” she reveals. “They are the best of the best.

“The shows are held in venues where everyone who attends understands horses and has a connection with them. The crowds’ involvement and all of the hype and energy that they create add to the unique atmospheres. You just don’t see that at other shows.

“I have always loved CHI Geneva – it is one of the pinnacles of our year,” says Denise. “The atmosphere at CHIO Aachen is just unbelievable and the size of the fences at Spruce Meadows makes it such an incredible competition. Then, the Dutch Masters is filled with such knowledgeable horse people and the staff there are amazing. Each of the four shows have something so unique and special about them.”

Among a glittering list of career achievements, Kent Farrington won a double of Rolex grands prix with the brilliant recently retired mare Gazelle, now 17, at Aachen in 2019, two years after landing the equivalent at CHI Geneva.

“Gazelle was amazing, she just kept on fighting and wanting to win,” she recalls. “To watch your rider and the horse that you look after everyday win – it is something words can’t describe.

“With Gazelle, we try to keep everything the same,” she adds. “She will let Kent know once he gets on whether she is in a winning mood – he will be able to feel it. As long as everything works out, then it is normally a good day.

“We have had Gazelle since she was seven-years-old and so we have built her up into the horse that she is today, seen her grow, and watched her highs and lows,” Denise explains. “To look back at her win at CHIO Aachen, and to remember watching her jumping three of the biggest and testing rounds in the sport, and to still see her fight to clear the last fence and gallop to the finish line, wanting to win as much as Kent did, was amazing.

“It was an incredible feeling – what these horses do for us is just unreal. That win meant a lot. Of course, watching Kent and Voyeur win the team silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio was another incredible moment.”

Showjumping groom’s top tip: ‘Watch and learn’

Denise describes the favourite part of her role as a showjumping groom as “just being with the horses”, but she considers herself very lucky to get to work outside all day.

“We are always moving, which is great because we are active and healthy,” she says, adding that the best part of the job is “getting to go to some of the nicest places in the world”.

“There is always a chance just to take a deep breath and appreciate what you do,” Denise says. “For me, the travelling is the hardest part – there can be a lot of long days and it can be quite tiring, but it is just part of the job.”

She says grooms coming into the profession need to “watch and learn”.

“You must also have a passion for horses and love what you do,” she says. “Even now, I still watch other grooms and how they do different things or how they deal with a difficult horse – you always keep learning in this job.

Medal-winning mare retires to ‘green pastures and sunshine’

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 17:29:29 +0000

Olympic showjumper Kent Farrington has paid tribute to his grand prix-winning superstar Gazelle, as she retires to a life of “green pastures and sunshine”.

Robin Parsky’s 17-year-old Belgian-bred mare was given an official send-off on Saturday evening (11 February), during the Fidelity Investments grand prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International, Florida.

Kent and Gazelle’s achievements included winning the Aachen grand prix in 2019, the Geneva grand prix in 2017 and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows in 2016 and 2017. They also won the Fidelity Investments grand prix at Wellington in 2017, “making Saturday a poetically appropriate evening to celebrate the mare’s successes and healthy retirement”.

“After 10 years of extraordinary accomplishments at the most prestigious showjumping events in the world, it was a difficult decision for Kent and me to have Gazelle leave her sporting career,” Ms Parsky said. “But I am delighted to report that she is in terrific condition, and she will be heading for a well-deserved life of green pastures and sunshine.

(Image credit: Thierry Billet)

“Kent and I had a great experience here in 2017 when Gazelle won the Fidelity [Investments] grand prix, so we decided that we would let her retire at the top of her game here. To be able to have her fans thank her and know how much we appreciate her, that is what we wanted. Thank you to all of Wellington and everyone here at WEF for helping us do this wonderful tribute to an incredible horse.”

Gazelle won over $4m during her illustrious career, which also included winning team bronze for the US at the 2015 Pan Am Games. She was named international horse of the year by US Equestrian in 2020.

“I’m obviously very proud of her results,” said Kent. “Thank you to Robin and my team and all the people who have been a part of her journey. She made me a better rider and a better horseman, and for that I’m probably the most grateful.”

A spokesman for Wellington added: “The entire team at Wellington International wishes Gazelle a collective congratulations on an exceptional sport career and expresses their sincere thanks for all the thrilling moments.”

Callisthenics – what is it and why does one of the fittest and most successful riders swear by it?

Jennifer Donald — Sun, 15 May 2022 13:22:46 +0000

The world number seven showjumper Kent Farrington is one of the fittest and most successful riders on the international circuit and, ahead of this afternoon’s Rolex grand prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show, the US rider revealed how his intense fitness regime has helped to give him a winning edge.

“I can’t say that it’s a core part of the sport these days – it’s just been a core part of my lifestyle since I was a kid,” says Kent, speaking as a Rolex testimonee at a round table event at the show.

“I always wanted to be some kind of professional athlete – I didn’t know where that was going to take me, but a healthy lifestyle and strong training has always been part of my regime. When I was a kid I did a bunch of different sports, because I didn’t grow up in a horse family. I did everything from skateboarding to martial arts, gymnastics and boxing, so in mixing all those together I created my own routine that I do now – it’s a lot of callisthenics, which are controlling your own body weight and balance.”

Callisthenics is a form of strength training consisting of movements that exercise large muscle groups and are performed rhythmically and with minimal equipment. Common exercises include sit-ups, push-ups, squats, burpees and dips, all designed to increase strength fitness and flexibility, and Kent regularly posts clips on social media of his intense, sometimes jaw-dropping, gym routines.

‘Core strength and balance is fundamental’

“For our sport I don’t want to be too bulky – I want to try to have as much body control and as much strength as I can, while not putting on too much weight, because ultimately the horses still have to jump the jumps,” explains Kent. “So the lighter I am and the better control I have over my position, hopefully the easier the job is for the horse.

“Core strength and balance is fundamental for any kind of sport that requires balance and some kind of agility.”

Young British talent Harry Charles, a fellow Rolex testimonee, says he was inspired to hit the gym after seeing Kent’s posts during lockdown.

“I thought I better start doing something!” says Harry. “For the past couple of years I’ve started taking it a lot more seriously. I’m quite tall, so for me it would be easy to put on weight so I try to watch what I eat – as a rider, it can only be an advantage if you’re lighter. I do a bit of running and swimming, and a lot of balance stuff in the gym. I’d be embarrassed to work out next to Kent though! He’d put me to absolute shame. I train about three or four times a week and keeping a good diet seems to be helpful.”

‘At 16.1hh she’s the biggest horse in my stable!’

Kent will be riding the 10-year-old mare Orafina in Sunday’s Rolex grand prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show.

“She jumped her first five-star [at WEF] in Florida this year,” says Kent. “She’s ultra-careful and very fast. She’s new to this level so hopefully she has enough experience from Florida to step up to this, but there will still be some questions – I don’t know if she’ll be used to a crowd like this. But I have high hopes for her – she’s hyper-competitive and already has some good wins under her belt, but this will be the biggest class she’s jumped.

“She’s 16.1hh – the other riders will call that a pony but she’s the biggest one in my stable! I’m not that big, so for my style of riding and my build, I tend to go with smaller, lighter types of horses, which is what I learned on – thoroughbreds. Usually the question is will they jump big enough to make it?

“I have a big group of younger horses underneath [my top ones] and I think that’s the evolution of our sport as it’s grown, both in terms of audience and numbers of competitors. Finding horses that can do the sport is part of it – to buy them when they’re younger and put more time into producing them. The amount of training it takes to get a horse to jump round a full 1.60m grand prix course takes years, there’s no way to fast-track that experience.”

‘The sport has grown a huge amount over the past 10 years’

Kent has enjoyed plenty of success at Royal Windsor Horse Show, including the King’s Cup in 2016 and 2019, the class that Holly Smith won again this year, and the Rolex grand prix in 2016.

“Everyone wants to jump at a Rolex show, everyone wants to win a Rolex Major,” says Kent. “The media exposure has improved a lot since I’ve been doing it and the sport has grown a lot in terms of the number of people that even want to compete or aspire to at the top level. It’s grown a huge amount over the past 10 years. You see it just in the number of shows that exist worldwide and the number of competitors at those shows, at every level.”

Kent described receiving the silverware from The Queen as “a really special experience that’s bigger than any individual sporting event.”

“Obviously it’s a great honour to meet The Queen here at her house!” he says. “So I’m hoping to do that again, hopefully we’ll have some luck.

“To be part of the Rolex family is a huge honour for any athlete, inside and outside of the equestrian world. Finding new young talent like Harry Charles is great for the sport. It’s what keeps us young, keeps us motivated. Up and coming riders like him make us stay on our game.”

With thanks to Rolex.

Horse & Hound will be bringing you all the action from Royal Windsor Horse Show, both online and in next week’s issue of the magazine, in the shops on Thursday, 19 May.

Kent Farrington chooses the Winter Equestrian Festival as his training ground

Sarah Eakin — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:32:12 +0000

Kent Farrington and Orafina claimed victory in the $75,000 WEF Challenge Cup round IX CSI5* at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] – a training ground in part, for Kent’s rising stars.

“I’m really proud of this horse,” said Kent. “She is one that I have been bringing along for the past two seasons. I really like to utilize the Florida circuit as a training ground for my younger horses, and she has truly stepped up this season.”

A challenging course, designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade, which included both a double and a triple combination, kept 15 riders from jump-off contention with the fault of a single fence, but also tripped up an additional five competitors with the tight time allotted of 73 seconds.

Successful training campaign at WEF for Kent Farrington’s Orafina (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Always one to watch out for in a jump-off class, the US Olympic team silver medalist was the first to qualify for the class and therefore the first to return with Kent Farrington LLC’s 10-year-old KWPN mare (For Fashion x Canturo). As he has done many times before, Kent made easy work of the jump-off with a fast time of 33.41 seconds.

Evidence of Orafina’s growth includes second place in the $140,000 Southern Arches Grand Prix CSI3* during WEF 1 and jumping in her first five-star grand prix during Week 4’s $406,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI5*.

“I thought she was great in her first grand prix of this level, and she came back out today at the five-star level and performed better than I expected,” said Kent. “It is a long season so I try to build her up so she gets used to the environment of being under the lights and jumping at the highest level, and then I drop her back down and do some smaller classes to work on her rideability and control. I think moving up and down between the levels is the best way to produce an upcoming horse here.”

Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya, produced the second clear of the course aboard his own 10-year-old BWP gelding Malibu De Muze, landing just a fraction slower than Farrington with a time of 33.68 seconds, enough to claim second place.

Today’s action features ponies on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village competing for the $5,000 USHJA Pony Derby title. International jumper competition continues in the International Arena with the $37,000 Bainbridge 1.45m CSI5* speed class followed by the $6,000 Corro 1.45m CSI2* speed class.

‘The majority were against this change’: riders react to new Olympic showjumping format

Becky Murray — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 16:31:17 +0000

As the Olympic showjumping individual qualifier comes to a close, riders have reacted to the new showjumping competition format at the Tokyo Games.

The key differences from previous Olympics are that the individual medals will now be decided before the team competition, and there are only three riders in each nation’s squad, rather than four. One of the reasonings behind this decision was to make it easier for people outside the sport to understand – every rider’s score will contribute to their country’s tally. There is no drop score.

Additionally, in the team final, there will be a 20-minute break after the first two riders from all 10 teams have jumped. An intermediate classification of teams will be established and used to determine the starting order of each team’s third rider in reverse order of merit.

World number one Daniel Deusser said he was “not a fan” of the new format, adding that in the individual qualifier today even having one rail down meant combinations would not qualify. The top 30 riders of 73 qualified for Friday’s individual final, including Daniel, and only those who jumped clear rounds secured a place.

“Jumping three rounds in my opinion puts the best combinations together,” said Daniel. “Today it is possible that you have a good day, you ride a clear round, [rather] than another one who should be in the final over three rounds.”

“That’s the sport and that’s the format this year. We will have a winner tomorrow and I guess it will be a good winner. We will see how the teams go with the three riders without drop scores. If a horse spooks one time, it could theoretically destroy the whole team and that’s a shame. I liked the format before – to decide over five rounds is more, in my opinion, an Olympic champion than a one-round jump off tomorrow.”

British riders Scott Brash, Ben Maher and Harry Charles made it safely through to the final with clear rounds, but Scott said he “didn’t love” the new format.

“It is what it is,” he said. “It’s the same for everyone so you have to get on with it.”

Irish riders Bertram Allen, Cian O’Connor and Darragh Kenny also all picked up qualifying places.

“The round [today] is playing for a lot, whereas normally for the individuals you had three rounds before the final, so maybe if you had two down today you could get it back over the next two days,” said Bertram. “You’ve only really one shot here and if it doesn’t go your way, you’re out.”

US rider’s Jessica Springsteen, Laura Kraut and Kent Farrington were among those who did not qualify for the individual final. Laura, who had two fences down with Baloutine, said she did not have “sour grapes” over the new format.

“We’re all jumping the same format – obviously I think the majority, if not all the riders, were against this. I think a lot will come at the end of this, as to whether this was a good idea or not,” she said.

“I would have appreciated that you had two and three scores that accumulated to get you in the top 30, not just a one-and-done type day, but it is what it is and we’ll see what happens.”

Kent said the new format is very different from that of the past.

“If something goes wrong in the first round, it’s finished – unfortunately we’re seeing the reality of that today,” he said.

“It is what it is. I always try to compete under whatever guidelines or rules they give us and in a different circumstance, maybe it would work to our advantage and tonight it didn’t. I’m not blaming the format, I just think we needed a better performance.”

‘When I’m not good enough, I have to accept it and look forwards’: Steve Guerdat among shock departures from Olympic individual showjumping

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:31:52 +0000

With only the top 30 riders progressing to Wednesday’s individual final for the Olympic showjumping at the Tokyo Games there were, inevitably, some shock departures after the one-round Olympic showjumping individual qualifier on Tuesday (3 August).

Among them, was the 2012 Olympic gold medallist and current world number three Steve Guerdat of Switzerland, who just tipped one rail to finish on four faults and just outside the top 30 on the leaderboard with his great horse Venard De Cerisy, with whom he was runner-up to Ben Maher in the Rolex grand prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show last month.

“Actually the beginning of the round felt really good – my horse was feeling super since he arrived here and he felt very good in the warm up, so I was very comfortable,” said Steve. “But maybe I underestimated a little bit the triple bar as it is normally his favourite jump. I felt at the take off that he backed off a little bit, but it was too late for me to react at that time and I couldn’t help. So then at the next jump, the distance wasn’t so nice because of the mistake. So it’s painful for the result, but we have to concentrate on the team now.”

Steve revealed that he didn’t feel any pressure coming here as a former Olympic champion.

“I think when you come to the Olympics, wherever you are on the ranking list, you just want to come here for a medal – we are all the same and I don’t need to listen to what’s going on around me, I just put pressure on myself. I know what my job is and I try to do it the best I can. When I’m not good enough, then I also have to accept it and hold my head up and look forwards towards the team competition and I’m going to be very motivated for that now.”

Kent Farrington and Laura Kraut were two other leading fancies to have fallen by the wayside in the Olympic showjumping individual qualifier, meaning that USA has no representatives in the final.

Kent said: “That didn’t go as planned. It’s a harsh reality of our sport that one rail down means you’re out. It’s all or nothing. I think it was just a cheap fault – I think any horse can have a rail down and unfortunately it was the wrong day to have one down, and it was a costly night.

“We’ll go back as a team, regroup, come up with a team plan and look forward to doing better.”

Kent’s team-mate Laura Kraut produced a super round on her relatively new ride Baloutinue until picking up eight faults in the final line.

“I was really pleased with the beginning, actually probably three quarters of the course, and I thought my horse jumped fantastic,” she said. “He was focused, he stuck right with the plan that I wanted to have, right up until it all… I wouldn’t say that it actually went wrong. I think that I got the jump in over the wall that I wanted, which led me into the four [strides], and he had an uncharacteristic touch of a back pole. I haven’t ridden him that long but he almost never does that.

“And then I would say maybe I just lost a little bit of concentration or focus to the last and maybe just didn’t fight as much as I should have – he barely touched that. I’m not disappointed in him at all. I’m just probably disappointed with the score.”

The Olympic team gold medallist from Rio 2016, Penelope Leprevost of France, also finished out of the top 30 with 10 faults on Vancouver De Lanlore, while other leading riders Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia riding Identity Vitseroel and Christian Kukuk of Germany riding Mumbai both missed the cut with just four faults.

You may also be interested to read…

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘That’s what makes a championship’: Scott Brash and Jefferson qualify for Olympic showjumping individual final

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘I made the decision to go in and attack a bit’: Ben Maher takes pole position in Olympic showjumping individual qualifier

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘He comes out, digs in and fights so hard’: Harry Charles on his Olympic showjumping individual qualifier round

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‘We’re here to get a result’: high hopes for Great Britain’s medal chances with three clears in Tokyo Olympic showjumping

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Legendary rock star’s daughter heads to Olympics on US showjumping team

Becky Murray — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 15:43:05 +0000

Jessica Springsteen will make her senior championship squad debut as she joins an experienced US Olympic showjumping team in Tokyo.

Yesterday US Equestrian announced the following combinations had been selected for the Tokyo Olympic Games:

Kent Farrington and Gazelle, owned by Kent and Robin Cleary Parsky
Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, owned by St Bride’s Farm
Jessica Springsteen and Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve, owned by Stone Hill Farm
McLain Ward and Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables LLC

The reserves will be be:

Brian Moggre and Balou Du Reventon, owned by Ann Thompson
Lucy Deslauriers and Hester, owned by Lisa Deslauriers

The Tokyo Games will be McLain’s fifth Olympic showjumping appearance, having been part of the team at Rio 2016, London 2012, Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004. Laura was a team member in Beijing and at the 2000 Sydney Games, while Kent rode on the Rio squad. The US team won team gold at Beijing and Athens, and silver at Rio. Jessica has been a member of several Nations Cup teams, including the winning team at the CSIO4* at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Laura said she was “very proud” to have been selected.

“First and foremost, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Baloutinue’s owners Barbara and David Roux of St Bride’s Farm. Your support and encouragement has been unmatched,” she said.

“Furthermore, I’m thankful for all our sponsors backing us every step of the way and making sure the horses remain healthy, happy, and protected. It’s an honour to be on the team among these top equestrians. Finally, thank you to Baloutinue. This would not be possible without you!”

Jessica, daughter of legendary rock star Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen, said she had been “dreaming of this since she can remember”.

“Endless gratitude for my team, friends and family for helping me make this a reality. We are Tokyo bound,” she said, adding she was “honoured” to be part of the team with Laura, Kent and McLain.

“There’s no horse in the world I’d rather be on this journey with, thank you Don! You’re my horse of a lifetime.”

Continued below…

(Image credit: PA)

British Olympic showjumping team announced

The four riders who will carry British hopes at the London 2012 Olympic Games have been named

(Image credit: PA)

New faces join established star on Australian Olympic showjumping team

(Image credit: PA)

Chef d’equipe Robert Ridland said last week’s CSI5* grand prix events in Rotterdam and at the Royal Windsor Horse Show completed a “long and productive” selection process for the Games.

“Following a very competitive winter circuit in Florida, American riders competed successfully against the world’s best in five major CSI5* events in Europe over the past couple months. I feel very confident the seasoned group of riders that we will be sending to Tokyo is in top current form and peaking at just the right time,” he said.

“Backing them up as reserves will be Brian and Lucy, two of the young stars on the international circuit who made a mark for themselves with their one-two finish in the CSI5* grand prix of Sopot. We’re looking forward to the next few weeks ahead and are aiming to deliver a strong performance for Team USA in Tokyo.”

What is showjumping?

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Dazzlingly fast Royal Windsor King’s Cup winner credits his pony racing roots H&H Plus

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 20:08:33 +0000

Find out who won the King's Cup at Royal Windsor today with a blisteringly quick round - all thanks to his pony racing roots (and a white-faced chestnut gelding who pings over 1.55m fences for fun...)

The feature class on the penultimate day of Royal Windsor Horse Show, the CSI5* Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes for The King’s Cup, always produces an electric finish in a battle between some of the fastest riders on the circuit. But one combination has managed to find the winning formula twice in this prestigious class.

US rider Kent Farrington and Creedance, one of the fastest duos in the sport, first claimed victory in the Royal Windsor Horse Show King’s Cup on their show debut in 2016.

This year, the pair led from the front in an exhilarating six-way jump-off for the impressive silverware. The 40-year-old rider crediting his pony racing roots and his white-faced chestnut’s devastating “natural” speed for helping them open up over the 1.55m fences to seize an advantage of some two-and-a-half seconds over the rest of the high-calibre field.

“I started out doing pony races and I’m still doing it now – just on a slightly bigger pony with some bigger jumps. But it’s still just as fun!” said Kent.

He and the flashy Lord Z gelding are always mesmerising to watch, taking jump-offs to another level with his forward riding style, flair and pinpoint accuracy on his equine Ferrari. The odds-on favourites laid down a mighty challenge that simply couldn’t be beaten.

“He’s a really special horse – he’s 14 now and super experienced so I try to manage him well,” explained Kent, who also finished third in this class in 2017. “He’s won big five-star grands prix and he’s naturally fast so to win these big classes at speed is actually easy for him because that’s his natural pace.

“But these competitors are some of the best in the world, so it makes for great sport and I’m happy to win today. I just love this horse.

“This is one of my favourite shows – you couldn’t ask for a better setting,” concluded Kent after his victory in the Royal Windsor Horse Show King’s Cup on Saturday evening. “It’s fun to have a crowd again – it’s been a while since we had that. It’s been a great day.”

Slotting into second place was Irishman Daniel Coyle with an exciting new ride, the 13-year-old Oak Grove’s Carlyle, who came from the former world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam. The only other double clear was produced by another US rider, Laura Kraut and her great partner Confu for third.

The fastest of the four-faulters and best of the British riders in the Royal Windsor Horse Show King’s Cup was Harry Charles, who looked right on the mark until hitting the penultimate Land Rover oxer with the 11-year-old Chacco-Blue mare Stardust to take fourth. She has been jumping exceptionally already this week at this, her first five-star show, and looks a really exciting prospect for Harry’s string.

“I’m very excited for her,” he said. “She’s naturally blood, a small-striding horse, so a bit of zip suits her, so that’s the way I try to ride her. She’s a superstar.”

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