Olympic showjumper crowned international equestrian of the year
Olympic showjumper Kent Farrington has been crowned US Equestrian’s (USEF) international equestrian of the year 2020 – as his mare Gazelle takes the international horse honours.
The awards, voted for by USEF members, were among those presented at the virtual USEF Pegasus and Horses of the Year Awards Celebration on 16 January.
Kent was part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the bronze medal-winning team at the 2014 World Equestrian Games with Voyeur. In 2019 he became the first US rider to win the CSI5* Rolex grand prix at CHIO Aachen and the Rolex grand prix at CHI Geneva in the same year with Gazelle, the 15-year-old mare he co-owns with Robin Parsky.
“Kent is one of top jumping athletes in the world, consistently producing dominant results in the United States and abroad year after year,” said a USEF spokesman.
During the 2020 season Kent and Gazelle won the $213,000 American Gold Cup grand prix CSI4* in Traverse City, Michigan. The pair also took second in the $401,000 CSI5* grand prix in Wellington, Florida.
“We are thrilled with our superstar horse who, to us, is horse of the year every year!,” said Robin Parksy.
“Gazelle has been with us for seven years and has produced wonderful results each year, taking us all over the world.”
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Tracey Fenny, a hunter/jumper, took the national equestrian of the year title for achievements with MTM Animated and MTM Personal Assistant, including wins at the Ocala Winter Celebration, and the Texas Rose Horse Sport Horse Cup.
Carleton and Traci Brook’s Pritchard Hill won national horse of the year. The hunter secured numerous championship titles during the 2020 season including at the Showpark Summer Festival, Showpark Racing Festival, and the National Sunshine Series II.
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Apart from Kent Farrington taking the the William C Steinkraus trophy and Tracy Fenny receiving the Emerson Burr trophy, four other equestrians were recognised for their competitive achievements during 2020; Colby Powell won the Barbara Worth Oakford trophy, Margy Cox the Bill Robinson trophy, Joel Gangi received the CJ ‘June’ Cronan trophy and Jonathan Ramsay received the Norman K Dunn trophy. Sally Ike was honoured with the lifetime achievement award and Lucy Enns took junior equestrian of the year.
In honour of service to the sport, USEF’s president Murray Kessler was presented the Sallie Busch Wheeler trophy. Brooke USA received the USEF/EQUUS foundation humanitarian award, Debbi Long won the Walter B Devereux sportsmanship award, and the Ellen Scripps David memorial breeders’ award went to Oak Hill Ranch and Rollingwoods Farm. The Pegasus medal of honour was awarded to Dr Mark Hart and Richard ‘Dick’ Miller.
The Richard E McDebitt award of merit was presented to Larry W Alcorn, Carl Bessette, Gay Culverhouse, Carol Dean-Porter, Eve Lloyd Thompson, Patrick McGaughan, Richard Petty, Kip Rosenthal, and John William Russell.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.