Jumping: Farrington stays on top
Kent Farrington is marking a third successive month at the head of the Longines Rankings. The American, who has recently withdrawn himself from Team USA contention for next month’s FEI World Championships in Aachen (GER) in order to focus on the more long-term goal of his home Olympics at Los Angeles in two years’ time, holds on as world number one after spending most of last month at the Traverse City venue in Michigan with a mix of experienced and younger horses. But the buffer he had over Richard Vogel in the end-May rankings has dwindled after the German superstar clocked up an incredible run of three wins over two days at Spruce Meadows, including cherry-picking the feature Grand Prix with Gangster Montdesir. Vogel sits clear of Scott Brash (GBR) in an unchanged top three. Another Brit, Ben Maher, is also static in fourth, while Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam has pole-vaulted over Belgium’s Gilles Thomas to move into fifth.
For Canada, while Erynn Ballard maintains her lead in 26th place (and has an exciting new ride to follow; read about it here), a new face has joined the top 100 – former US rider Kyle King is sitting in 79th spot, a position which will likely improve once July’s commendable results at the Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ are tabulated. Both have been named to the team for the World Championships in Aachen.
Longines League of Nations: Team USA stretches lead over Belgium
Team USA, despite now having only one of their six counting athletes in the top-10 – although it is world number one Kent Farrington – have stretched their lead over second-placed Belgium, with Germany moving up into third. Team GBR has dropped a slot to fourth, while Ireland has overhauled the French for fifth place. Canada is 11th.
Dressage: Verboomen still out in front
Reigning European champion Justin Verboomen, who hasn’t campaigned Zonik Plus since leading Team Belgium to Nations Cup success on home footing in Lier towards the end of May, retains his hold on the number one spot. Zonik Plus, the super stallion who shot to world number one at the end of May with Verboomen, is still the one to beat in the separate rankings for horses.
Lottie Fry (GBR) is up one place to second; Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN), the former world number one, has slipped down to 31st after keeping Mount St John Freestyle under wraps since posting an unbroken run of six wins. This left the door open for Germany’s Isabell Werth to move up a place to third. Fry’s teammate and FEI World Cup™ Final winner Becky Moody is also up one to fourth, while Carl Hester, another who favours a relatively sparse competition schedule, has made a meteoric rise up from 133rd to 5th after his pair of victories last month with Fame.
Top-100 Canadians continue to be Aachen World Championships teammates Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu riding Jaccardo (24th) and Camille Carier Bergeron (60th) with Finnlanderin.
Para-Dressage: Shoemaker takes over as new world number one
The USA’s Kate Shoemaker has dethroned the long-term queen of Para-Dressage – compatriot Fiona Howard – and has taken over as world number one after a run of successes with her two top horses. Shoemaker, who also rides in able-bodied Dressage with both her Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medal partner Vianne and Ghandi, went through the Grade IV card with Ghandi at last month’s Tryon CPEDI3* and was part of the winning US team as well. She moves ahead of Heidemarie Dresing, while the German athlete has now overtaken Howard for pole position in the Grade II rankings. Howard, who had an unbroken run of 15 months at the head of the overall rankings, has dropped to third, but it’s tight at the top with the “podium” placings. Mari Durward-Akhurst (GBR) retains her Grade I lead and is up a place to fourth overall, ahead of Italy’s Grade III leader Francesca Salvade.
All Canadians in the top 100 have improved their positions in the past month: Jody Schloss is 21st, Roberta Sheffield is 32nd, Eleanore Elstone is 41st, Laura Hall is 45th, and Madison Lawson is 83rd.
In the team standings, USA continues to have a slender lead over Great Britain, but it’s all changed immediately below. Denmark, which had moved up to third in the end-May rankings, has dropped right down the order to 14th, while the Germans have also lost their hold on a top placing and have slid to 12th. Canada has moved up from 10th to 7th.
Eventing: Price remains the one to beat
Tim Price, just days after being named for New Zealand’s Aachen world championship squad with his Badminton 5* runner-up Falco, is also celebrating the 17th month of his career as world number one. The Kiwi returned to the number one spot at the end of May and, after three podium finishes at Strzegom, POL last month remains comfortably out in front. Harry Meade (GBR), who slotted in behind Price in the Badminton line-up with Annaghmore Valoner and has been named on the British nominated entries for Aachen with Cavalier Crystal, is up one place to second. Team USA’s Boyd Martin, who spent a month at world number one earlier this year, is up two places to third after a 5* third-place finish at Luhműhlen with Shanroe Cooley. Tom Jackson (GBR) is also up two places in fourth. Tom McEwen boosts the number of British riders in the mix, moving up from ninth to fifth.
For Canada, Jessica Phoenix remains the leader, now in 81st position, with Waylon Roberts 90th. Phoenix will represent Canada in Aachen along with Mike Winter, currenrly 405th in the rankings.
Driving: Leaders hold on across the rankings
There’s no change at the head of any of the three horse rankings. Australia’s Boyd Exell remains unchallenged in the Four in Hand number one spot. Germany’s Anna Sandmann is up a place to second in the pairs rankings. Marion Vignaud (FRA) has maintained her hold on the top single placing, while Canada’s Kelly Bruder has jumped up a spot to second.
You can check all FEI Rankings here.
~ with files from FEI Communications
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