Toronto, On – Friday the 13th may have proved unlucky for some tonight, but not for American rider Kent Farrington and his exceptional mount Up Chiqui. The pair pulled out all the stops to win the $50,000 Weston Canadian Open at The Royal Horse Show.
Any rider will tell you that going last in the order has distinct advantages, Farrington took advantage of that position to watch fellow riders and analyze their rounds before applying the most appropriate moves to his own round. Like a true horseman though, Farrington was quick to praise the talent and natural abilities of his mount, 12-year-old gelding Up Chiqui.
“Going last always helps,” laughed Farrington following the awards ceremony. “But this class was just tailored to my horse – he’s a speed specialist and he’s very brave and very fast. He can make turns other horses just can’t make and his foot speed is just so much faster than that of the others. He’s like riding a rocket.”
Of those who rode earlier in the order, fellow American Margie Engle, herself no slouch in the speed department, set the pace at 57.48 early on, which held until Britain’s Robert Smith bested her time by nearly two seconds, six horses later.
“I watched Margie go, to have a guage of how fast it could go,” explained Farrington. “Then when Robert went a little faster, I thought if I match his track I will be faster because my horse is faster.”
Faster he was, but Up Chiqui was also a contortionist at times, jumping and twisting nearly inside out to leave the rails up while Farrington left out strides everywhere on course. Farrington summed up what probably made the difference tonight: the attitude of his horse, when the pressure is on.
“He is such a winner. He really wants to win. He was just cut out perfectly for that role.”
2008 Canadian Champion Keean White was the top placed Canadian tonight, with Bethsabee, finishing in 7th position with a clean round and time of 62.37 seconds.
$50,000 Weston Canadian Open Resulst
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Score
1. Kent Farrington / Chicago, IL / Up Chiqui / 0.00 : 54.86
2. Robert Smith / Warwickshire, UK / Raging Bull Vangelis / 0.00 : 56.36
3. Margie Engle / West Palm Beach, FL / Hidden Creek’s Pamina L / 0.00 : 57.48
4. Dermott Lennon / Ireland / Hallmark Elite / 0.00 : 57.83
5. Laura Kraut / Wellington, FL / My Boy / 0.00 : 58.58
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