Kent Farrington of the United States soared to victory in the $80,000 Canadian Open International Speed Challenge, on Friday evening, November 10, at the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, in Toronto, ON.

Seventeen horse-and-rider combinations contested the speed track set by British course designer Kelvin Bywater, which saw the fastest clear round win. Third into the Coca-Cola Coliseum, Canadian talent Vanessa Mannix of Calgary, AB, thrilled the packed house with the first clear ride aboard Carmela Z in 59.94 seconds. A few rounds later, it was fellow Canadian Tiffany Foster of Langley, BC, the highest-ranked female show jumping athlete in the world, who delivered another fault-free effort in 57.66 seconds to move into the lead with Electrique, a nine-year-old Zangersheide mare (Emerald van’t Ruytershof x Voltaire) owned by 5 Roosters.

Three-time U.S. Olympic medalist McLain Ward laid down a blazing trip with First Lady, a 10-year-old Oldenburg mare (Don Diarado x Lordanos) owned by Robin Parsky, in 56.72 seconds to take over the lead. It looked like Ward was going to be the winner until fellow American Kent Farrington shaved more than a second off his time, stopping the clock at 55.46 seconds with Creedance. The rest of the field could not match Farrington’s electric performance, and in the end, he was victorious. Ward finished in second place while Foster represented the maple leaf by completing the top three.

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